Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal: Langzeitstudie über 13 Sorten in Österreich

In 2003 a long-term study with the North American Pawpaw (Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal) was set up at the Austrian Federal School and Research Institutes for Horticulture and Landscape Design (HBLFA) Schönbrunn in Vienna in order to test the adaptability to environmental conditions in Central Europe using 13 varieties. From the eighth year on, the trees bore fruits, which have been sensory assessed in various test series. The weights and natural ripening time of 16,164 single fruits were sampled in ten years of documentation. These data show variable total yields and fruit numbers in all varieties and years, as well as variances in the ripening distribution, the start and the length of the season. Comparable studies from Italy, Ohio and Kentucky achieved similar fruit weights but a lower numbers of fruits. There are several possible influencing factors on the growth of the North American Pawpaw. A genetic incompatibility between the rootstock and the grafted scion may lead to a loss of vitality. Pollination deficits, other pre-harvest factors and the prevailing soil environment have a significant impact on tree productivity. In addition to these factors, a good choice of variety supports excellent yields. The tasty varieties ‘Davis’, ‘Mango’, ‘NC-1’, ‘Overleese’ and ‘Prima 1216–60’ bear a large number of large fruits and showed a long ripeness distribution in this setup. These varieties show a total season length of six to eight weeks, which is conducive for retail.