https://aaes.uada.edu/fruit-breeding/peaches-and-nectarines/

https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/53/6/article-p897.xml

‘Effie’ is the sixth nectarine released from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UA) peach and nectarine [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] breeding program. Prior nectarine releases include ‘Arrington’, ‘Bradley’, ‘Westbrook’, ‘Bowden’, and ‘Amoore Sweet’ (Clark and Sandefur, 2013; Clark et al., 2001). The UA peach and nectarine program was established in the 1960s (Worthington and Clark, 2018) with the goal of combining novel flesh textures with a range of flesh colors, flavors, and acidity levels in adapted nectarine and peach germplasm to expand options for growers beyond standard-acid, melting, yellow-fleshed peaches. ‘Effie’ is the first mid-acid, white-fleshed nectarine release from the UA breeding program. It is also the latest ripening nectarine release from UA, ripening about a week after ‘Amoore Sweet’ and ‘Bowden’ and 2 weeks after ‘Bradley’. ‘Effie’ has firm, nonmelting flesh and excellent white nectarine flavor. It has very good resistance to bacterial spot [incited by Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni (Smith, 1903) Vauterin et al., 1995] and should provide a high-quality option for growers in areas where bacterial spot disease is a concern. Overall, ‘Effie’ is an excellent midseason white nectarine that is well adapted to the mid- to upper-southern United States and other areas of the world with similar climatic conditions.

Origin

‘Effie’ resulted from a cross of Ark. 720 nectarine × Ark. 747 peach (Fig. 1) made in 2004. The female parent, Ark. 720, was a standard-acid, yellow-fleshed nectarine selection with clingstone, melting-flesh texture. The pollen parent, Ark. 747, was a low-acid, white-fleshed peach selection with clingstone, nonmelting flesh. The progeny of this cross consisted of 60 seedlings segregating for acidity, flesh color, texture, and pubescence. ‘Effie’ was selected in 2008 and designated as Ark. 805. One other selection was made from this population in the same year, but it was discarded in 2016. ‘Effie’ is named in honor of Mrs. Effie Gilmore, who made major contributions to the UA fruit breeding program during her 32 years of service on the staff of the Fruit Research Station (FRS), Clarksville, AR.