What are the excellent early-, mid-, and late-maturing pear varieties?

Pears are favored by consumers for their crisp and refreshing flesh or their soft, juicy, melt-in-the-mouth texture and enticing aroma. Because pear trees are highly adaptable, drought-tolerant and waterlogging-tolerant, salt-alkali tolerant, early bearing, highly productive, easy to cultivate and manage, and economically rewarding, they are also much loved by growers. Choosing suitable varieties according to local soil, water and climatic conditions is the key to successful cultivation. Based on introduction and observation in recent years, several excellent extremely early-maturing, early-maturing, mid-maturing and late-maturing varieties are introduced below:

1. Extremely early-maturing variety Pearl Pear. This variety was bred by the Horticulture Research Institute of the Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences from the cross of Bayun (Yakumo) x Fuqie. The fruit development period is about 70 days; the average single fruit weight is 70 g, with large ones reaching 100 g; the fruit is nearly round, and the skin is greenish-yellow and smooth; the flesh is fine and tender, crisp, with a sweet-sour flavor and a slight aroma, containing 12.6-18% soluble solids, with top-grade quality. It can be stored at room temperature for half a month. After top grafting, it begins to bear fruit 1 year later, and after planting, it begins to bear fruit 2 years later, with early bearing, high yield and stable production. It matures extremely early and can fill a gap in the market, with good commercial value. Planting density is 4 m x 2 m, with free spindle training. It is suitable for cultivation in North China, East China, Central China and other regions.

2. Early-maturing variety Liblin. This variety is a western pear variety introduced from Germany. The fruit development period is about 100 days, and the average single fruit weight is 235 g, with large ones reaching 255 g; the fruit is gourd-shaped, the skin is greenish-yellow with a dark red blush, smooth and glossy, and attractive in appearance; the flesh is fine and crisp, edible after harvest, becoming soft after being left for 7 days, with a sweet-sour flavor that is pleasant to the taste, a powdery fragrance, and abundant juice. It contains 12.8-15% soluble solids, with top-grade quality. It can be stored at room temperature for about half a month. Five years after top grafting, the yield per tree is 15 kg; it bears fruit 4 years after planting, with a yield of 2 kg per tree, and is highly productive and stable in production. It matures early. With its attractive appearance and good quality, it can fill a gap in the market and has relatively high commercial value. Planting density is 4 m x 2.5 m, with free spindle training. It is suitable for cultivation in coastal, North China and Northwest China regions.

3. Early-mid-maturing variety August Red. This variety was bred by the Fruit Tree Research Institute of the Shaanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and its parents are Qieli (Clapp's Favorite) x Zaosu. The fruit development period is about 110 days, and the average single fruit weight is 188 g, with large ones reaching 300 g; the fruit is ovate or spindle-shaped, the skin is greenish-yellow with a red blush, and attractive in appearance; the flesh is fine and crisp, with a sweet-sour flavor, aroma and abundant juice. It contains 12-16% soluble solids. The quality is top-grade. It can be left at room temperature for 20 days and stored at 0 degrees C for 4 months. After top grafting and planting, it begins to bear fruit 2 years later; 4-year-old planted trees yield 27.5 kg per tree, with early bearing, high yield and stable production, and it can fill a gap in the market, with relatively high commercial value. Planting density is 4 m x 2.5 m. Free spindle training. It is suitable for cultivation in coastal, North China and Northwest China regions.