Piedmont nursery gardener Dario Miretti (in the photo), breeder of Green Angel®, presents a comforting report in the days when Italy has to deal with an upsurge of the kiwifruit vine decline after the bacteriosis problem.
"Our new Green Angel® variety seems to be unaffected in all areas, from Piedmont, Verona, Mantua and Romagna to Latina."
When considering why it is so, Miretti explains that " Green Angel® was born out of a spontaneous genetic mutation. As Agroinnova director at the University of Turin Maria Ludovica Gullino explained, the new selection is a natural response to the hyper-exploitation of the traditional Hayward variety." .
Green Angel® kiwifruits in early September 2020
"What is more, we paid a lot of attention to the planting and breeding phases, taking particular care of the soil with greener treatments. Maybe using fewer chemicals is what we need to do for a rebirth of kiwifruit cultivation."
Green Angel®'s shelf-life has been even more incredible since experimentation with golden and red kiwifruit rootstocks started. After taking care of grafted plantlets in the Saluzzo maxi-greenhouse (Cuneo province), Miretti transferred them to the orchard in mid-May and growth has been spectacular, as trees reached three meters high. Tests are being carried out in various orchards in Saluzzo, Borgo d'Ale (Vercelli), in the Verona province and in Ferrara. In the meantime, golden kiwifruit grafted on Green Angel® are harvesting in Cisterna di Latina.
Green Angel® kiwifruit orchard in early September 2020
"The first important data referring to the first fall production concerns the stability of Green Angel®. Plants are doing well and produce high-quality fruits weighing over 100 grams. As breeder and editor of the new variety, I am already assessing suitable sales channels."
"At the moment, as we await future developments, Vivai Miretti is focused on assisting producers in Piedmont, Verona and Romagna. In order to support the around 100 companies involved, we acquired skilled technician Paolo Trovò. These plants require clean soil, good agronomic techniques and a little love starting with nutrition, which must be green, natural and organic."