The Embrapa peach breeding program emphasizes the development of early ripening cultivars which produce non-melting flesh peaches. This is due to the interest of growers and canning industry on these cultivars because of the lower production costs plus the market oportunities. The BRS Libra cv. meet this objective and has been tested by growers around Pelotas'area, for several years with the collaboration of the extension service of Rio Grande do Sul State, and more recently in other areas, thanks to the cooperation of other public and private research institutions. It has low chilling requirement, early blooming and the harvest generally starts by beginning of October and exceptionally end of September, in Pelotas, RS. The chilling requirement was mot precisely determined but by comparison with other cultivars, it is estimated between 100 and 200 hours.
breeding; selection; canning peach; Prunus persica
