Champion

Champion originates from the USA, where it was developed in 1874. in the state of New York by breeder G. A. Long. Due to its exceptional and stable productivity, giant fruit size, and premium technological qualities for processing, it is one of the most popular and widely grown American quince varieties in the world. In our region, it has great importance as an irreplaceable companion variety and pollinator in intensive commercial orchards.

It is a fully self-fertile variety. Unlike most other quince varieties, Champion is characterized by an exceptionally high level of self-pollination and stable fruit set even when planted in pure single-variety blocks. Due to its abundant flowering and extremely high-quality pollen, it is considered the best universal pollinator for Leskovačka quince, with which it overlaps ideally during the flowering stage. It flowers medium-late, thereby successfully avoiding late spring frosts.

The tree is moderate, or medium, in vigor, with an attractive, well-branched, wide, and moderately dense canopy supported by strong scaffold branches. It enters full bearing extremely early, often producing its first commercial fruit as early as the second or third year after planting. It bears regularly, abundantly, and extremely stably every year. It responds very well to standard pruning and requires moderate thinning of the canopy interior in order to improve fruit exposure to sunlight.

It belongs to the group of autumn fruit species. In our region and under continental climatic conditions, it reaches harvest maturity at the end of September and in early October, usually around ten days before Leskovačka quince.

Harvesting takes place at the end of September and during the first half of October, at the stage of technological maturity, when the intense green skin color changes to the characteristic lemon-yellow color. The fruit must be picked carefully because it is massive and prone to bruising when handled roughly.

It is characterized by exceptionally good storage ability. In standard cold storage, it can be successfully kept for 3–5 months. During storage and post-harvest ripening, the fruit loses its initial astringency, acidity slightly decreases, and the flesh develops the extremely strong, penetrating, pleasant, and recognizable aroma for which quinces are known. Due to its high content of pectin, acids, and dry matter, it is an outstanding variety for industrial and home processing. It is used for producing premium jams, marmalades, compotes, traditional preserves, and quince cheese, known as kitnikez, as well as for distilling aromatic quince brandy.

The fruit is large to very large, with an average weight of 300–450 g, while in good conditions individual fruit easily reach over 600 g. It has a characteristic, distinctly pear-shaped, elongated, and elegant form, with pronounced deep ribs around the calyx end of the fruit. The skin is thin, smooth, and glossy, lemon-yellow at full maturity, and at harvest partly covered with fine, delicate grayish down, or fuzz, which is easily removed by wiping. The flesh is pale yellow, firm, compact, and moderately juicy, with a naturally pronounced and large ring of stone cells, or sclereids, around the seed cavity, giving it a brittle and gritty structure. The taste is refreshing and distinctly acidic-sweet.

It belongs to the group of fruit species more sensitive to diseases. It is highly susceptible to fire blight, Erwinia amylovora, and Monilinia blossom and fruit rot, Monilinia laxa, which in humid springs requires mandatory, professional, and regular preventive chemical protection, including copper treatments during dormancy and targeted fungicides at full bloom. It shows excellent resistance of the wood to harsh winter frosts.

Our quince fruit trees are produced on highly compatible and certified rootstocks: Quince M-A and Quince BA-29, with which the Champion variety achieves perfect and completely successful direct natural compatibility, without an interstock, guaranteeing long tree life, early entry into bearing, and ideal vigor control in intensive, higher-density orchards.