Almonds varieties Masbovera

• Synonym (IRTA almond cultivar breeding programme): “A-200”.
• Origin: seedling derived from the cross “Primorskiy” x “Cristomorto”, made in 1975 at Mas de Bover (Constantí, Tarragona).
• Protected cultivar: Plant Variety Rights granted to IRTA by MAPA (Spain) in 1992. Nº POV 874 (BOE 25-01-1992).

Pomological traits

• Tree vigour: very vigorous. Its vigour allows to maintain an optimum balance between production and vegetative growth.
• Foliage density: dense.
• Growth habit: medium-upright.
• Branching density: medium.
• Training and pruning: very easy.
• Nuts location: mainly on spurs but also on brindles and on one-year old shoots spurs, one shoots.
• Blooming time: late (similar to “Ferragnès”). At Mas de Bover 28 days after “Desmayo Largueta” (average of 12 years observations).
• S compatibility genotipe: S1S9.
• Pollination: Cross-pollination needed.
• Pollinators: “Glorieta”, “Francolí”, “Ferragnès”, etc.
• Blooming density: high.
• Length of blooming: medium.
• Bearing precocity: mid.
• Cropping capacity: high-very high.
• Cropping regularity: good. Low alternate bearing.
• Drought tolerance: outstanding. It grows well under rainfed conditions.
• “Fusicoccum” (Phomopsis amygdali Del.) tolerance: very tolerant.
• “Red leaf blotch”(Polystigma ochraceum Whal.)tolerance: medium.
• Harvesting season: mid (first days of September at Mas de Bover).
• Harvesting ease: good. At maturity nuts keep attached to their branches and, when shaking, they drop easily.
• Husking ease: good. The husk is separated easily from the shell.

Commercial traits

• Nut shape: elliptic and sharp-pointed.
• Kernel size: rather big(1,35 g).
• Shelling percentage: 28 %.
• Shell texture: hard.
• Double kernels: without doubles (0,4 %).
• Kernel appearance: attractive. Skin smooth, medium thickness.
• Blanched kernel composition: oil: 54,9 %; protein: 23,0 %; soluble sugars: 2,7 %; total fiber: 7,8 %; water: 4,4 %.

Global assessment

“Masbovera” shows a number of interesting traits: strong vigour, easy training and pruning, late blooming, high productivity, kernel quality and drought and “fusicoccum” tolerance.