Narrative
'Shenandoah' is a new European pear (Pyrus communis L.) cultivar which combines resistance to fire blight with fruit of good quality and long storage life. The original seedling tree was selected in 1985 at the USDA, Appalachian Fruit Research Station in Kearneysville, West Virginia from a cross of 'Max Red Bartlett' x US 56112-146, and was tested under the original seedling number, US 78304-057. The original source of fire blight resistance is 'Seckel'. The fruit of 'Shenandoah' is pyriform to round-pyriform in shape and moderately large in size, averaging 72 mm in diameter and 92 mm in height. Skin color at harvest maturity is light-green, turning yellow-green when ripe. The skin finish is glossy and 10-20% of the fruit surface is blushed red. Under the humid climatic conditions in the eastern U.S. there is light russet at the calyx end of the fruit. Lenticles are slightly conspicuous and are surrounded by small, light brown russet. The stem is medium to long (~25 mm), of medium thickness, upright, and slightly curved. The cavity and basin are obtuse and shallow. The core averages 21 mm in diameter. Harvest maturity occurs about four weeks after 'Bartlett', and the fruit will store in refrigerated (-1 C) air storage for at least 4 months without the development of core breakdown or superficial scald. The flesh texture is moderately fine, juicy, and buttery. Grit cells are moderately small and occur primarily around the core and in a thin layer under the skin. The flavor is aromatic, similar to 'Bartlett', and is moderately acidic during the first 2 months after harvest, becoming to subacid after longer storage. The tree is moderate in vigor on 'Bartlett' seedling and 'Old Home' x 'Farmingdale' 97 rootstocks, and upright spreading in habit. 'Shenandoah' blooms in mid-season, similar to 'Bartlett'. Yield has been moderate to moderately high, and precocious, with first fruit setting 1 to 2 years after planting. Production has been regular with no pronounced biennial pattern. Fruit are borne primarily on spurs but also on terminal blossoms of lateral shoots. Fire blight resistance is similar to 'Seckel' with infections extending no further than 1 year old shoots. Artificial blossom inoculations indicate a moderate degree of blossom resistance to fire blight infection. - Bell, R.L., Miller, D.D., Van Der Zwet, T. 2004. 'Shenandoah' a new fire blight resistant pear cultivar. Hortscience, 39:805. 2004