Felama® Almond

Abstract

The almond breeding program at the Agrifood Research and Technology Center of Aragon (CITA) began in 1974, focusing on self-compatibility and late flowering while ensuring fruit quality and productivity in new planting systems. Self-compatible cultivars are crucial in modern plantations. ‘Aylés’, ‘Moncayo’, and ‘Guara’ were the program’s initial releases (Felipe and R Socias i Company 1987), with ‘Guara’ being the first cultivar introduced to the industry in Spain in 1988 combining self-compatibility and late flowering. Other self-compatible cultivars released in the early stages of the breeding program were ‘Blanquerna’, ‘Cambra’, and ‘Felisia’ (R Socias i Company and Felipe 1999). New self-pollinating cultivars with high fruit quality have been selected. In 2005, Soleta® and Isabelona® were introduced, both self-pollinating, late-flowering, and of high fruit quality (Bielsa et al. 2021; R Socias i Company and Felipe 2007). These varieties have been widely used in high-density planting systems. Two extralate flowering cultivars were released, Mardía® and Vialfas® (R Socias i Company et al. 2008, 2015). The introduction of late and very late flowering cultivars has significantly reduced frost damage and allowing the expansion of almond cultivation inland Spain. Felama® has recently been released due to its high productivity, medium vigor, uniform and balanced branching, late flowering, and early fruit maturation, indicating high marketability in areas without the risk of spring frost.