Technical sheet for the Fire Top® yellow flesh nectarine variety
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Fruit flesh color: Yellow, very yellow, slightly reddish around the pit
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Skin Color: Bright dark red to purple, almost 100% colored
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Size and shape: Large size (2A/A), round and regular, with a slight cup at the top
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Tree size: Strong vigor, semi-erect habit
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Fruit Maturity: Mid-season, approximately 5 to 10 days after Big Top®
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Fruit Taste: Firm and juicy flesh, spicy-aromatic taste with ideal acidity, mild and sweet flavor
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Earliness of the variety: Seasonal or mid-season
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Fruiting period Late July to early August
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Disease resistance and storage: Good storage, considered one of the hardiest varieties for its maturity period
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Variety Yield: Productive to very productive with significant potential
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Is this variety self-fertile? Yes
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Commercial use: Good presentation and taste quality suggest a primary use for fresh consumption.
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Is this a COV variety? Yes
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Comments: Obtained by Zaiger Genetics (USA), requires rigorous thinning to optimize the size, well adapted to southern zones, semi-early flowering.
Quick read / the essentials on Nectarinier Fire Top®
Fire Top® , a yellow-fleshed nectarine variety developed by Zaiger Genetics, is distinguished by its very large size (A/2A, up to 300 g), its juicy and firm yellow flesh, and a dark red to bright purple skin, covering almost 100% of the fruit. Its spicy-aromatic flavor, combining sweetness and controlled acidity (12° Brix), makes this nectarine a highly appreciated product on the fresh market. A mid-season variety, its harvest takes place between the end of July and the beginning of August, following Big Top®, allowing the offer to be extended with a premium quality nectarine.
At Arboriverse , a specialist wholesale supplier of nectarine plants , we recommend Fire Top® for its robustness, its regular production (up to 45 T/ha), its excellent post-harvest performance and its flexibility in picking. The tree, vigorous, with a semi-erect to spreading habit, reaches 4 to 5 meters at maturity. It is suitable for traditional as well as intensive plantings, with good performance on various rootstocks: GF 677 for calcareous soils, Cadaman® for heavy areas, Montclar for drained soils.
Buying Fire Top® nectarine plants from Arboriverse means ensuring access to certified, VOC-licensed plants, along with technical advice for optimized management. As a specialist nectarine plant wholesaler , we support each planting project with rigor and expertise. Buying Fire Top® nectarine plants means integrating a benchmark variety into a professional orchard focused on performance, consistency, and presentation quality.
Origin and status
The Fire Top® variety is a yellow-fleshed nectarine developed in the United States, in California, by the renowned breeder Zaiger Genetics . It is protected by a Plant Variety Certificate (PVC) , which implies specific regulations for its propagation and marketing in Europe. For any professional approach, it is recommended to contact the European publisher IPS (International Plant Selection) .
Fruit characteristics
Fire Top® fruits are large in size , graded A to 2A , with specimens reaching up to 300g . The shape is round , regular, sometimes slightly hollowed at the top.
The skin of the fruit is particularly attractive: bright dark red to glossy purple , often uniformly colored over nearly 100% of the surface , smooth and thin.
The flesh is yellow , sometimes streaked with red around the stone , firm, juicy , with a spicy-aromatic taste, combining sweetness, sweetness (around 12° Brix) and a balanced acidity , giving the fruit a highly appreciated taste quality.
Post-harvest behavior
The natural firmness of Fire Top® allows for good preservation after harvest and remarkable resistance during handling . The fruit develops slowly enough to allow for a certain logistical flexibility, whether for transport or for marketing.
Maturation schedule
The variety is mid-season , with maturity generally observed between the end of July and the beginning of August in temperate zones of France. Depending on the region and growing conditions, its harvest can take place between 2 and 10 days after the Big Top® variety , which positions it as a complementary variety in a staggered harvest program.
Tree characteristics
The Fire Top® has a semi-erect to spreading habit, making pruning and harvesting easier. The tree reaches a height of 4 to 5 meters at maturity and a width of 3 to 4 meters.
It displays medium to strong vigor , with harmonious growth. It is recommended to put in place staking during the first years to correctly structure the tree and limit the risk of breakage in the event of strong winds.
Flowering is semi-early , which implies a certain vigilance with regard to the risks of spring frost in sensitive areas.
Fertility and pollination
Fire Top® is self-fertile , making it easy to grow, especially in single-variety orchards. However, as with all varieties, the presence of other nectarine or peach trees nearby can encourage cross-pollination and optimize yield .
Resistance to diseases and pests
No specific information is available regarding Fire Top®'s disease and pest resistance . However, it is mentioned that it is among the hardiest varieties for its harvest window. Moderate susceptibility to leaf curl, monilia, and powdery mildew is reasonably expected, as is frequently the case with nectarines. Appropriate and preventive plant protection management is therefore recommended.
Integrated pest management (aphids, thrips, mites) is also recommended to preserve the qualitative and quantitative potential of the harvest.
Adaptation to soil and climate conditions
No specific data are available regarding resistance to drought , root asphyxiation or limescale . However, nectarine trees prefer well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral soils and require regular irrigation in the summer to reach their full potential.
Rootstocks compatible with France
Fire Top® is compatible with the most commonly used rootstocks for nectarines in France:
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GF 677 : excellent for calcareous and dry soils, very vigorous.
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Cadaman® Avimag : ideal for replanting, good tolerance to heavy and humid soils.
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Montclar® : well suited to fertile, well-drained soils.
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Penta : moderate vigor, excellent for fertile soils. The choice of rootstock must be adjusted according to the soil type and the orchard management objectives .
Productivity and commercial development
Fire Top® is a very productive variety , with good production consistency. Expected yields can reach 35 to 45 tonnes/ha , which corresponds to 30 to 60 kg per adult tree , depending on the planting density, the rootstock used and the growing conditions.
Thanks to its very attractive presentation, its firmness and its taste quality , the recommended use is fresh consumption . It meets the criteria of demanding markets, including export. The variety can also be suitable for artisanal processing (jams, compotes, pastries) due to its intense aroma.
Practical advice for operation
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Rigorous thinning recommended to optimize the size and regularity of the fruits.
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Size adapted to its semi-erect habit to promote light production.
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Careful health monitoring , particularly in spring to prevent fungal diseases.
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Reasonable irrigation is necessary to maintain size and limit water stress.
Conclusion
The Fire Top® variety is positioned as a relevant choice for professionals looking for a seasonal nectarine , large in size , with an impeccable presentation and excellent taste quality . Its self-fertility , productivity , good post-harvest performance and flexibility in the harvest period make it a robust and profitable variety in a production route oriented towards the fresh market .
To summarize: Nectarine Fire Top®
Fire Top® is a nectarine variety with yellow flesh that is highly valued on the fresh market. With its large size , attractive dark red to purple skin , and sweet, firm, and aromatic flesh , it appeals to both consumers and distributors. It is positioned for harvest between the end of July and the beginning of August, with great flexibility in management thanks to its good resistance on the tree and post-harvest. It is a productive, regular variety with good agronomic hardiness.
Arboriverse , a specialist wholesale supplier of nectarine plants , offers Fire Top® to professionals looking for a reliable and high-quality solution for mid-season. Self-fertile, it allows simplified orchard management. Thanks to a suitable choice of rootstocks (GF 677, Montclar, Cadaman®, Penta), it can be established in a variety of soil and climate conditions. The high yield potential (up to 45 T/ha) makes it a profitable option, with fruit perfectly sized for fresh consumption and export markets.
Buying Fire Top® nectarine plants from a specialist nectarine plant wholesaler like Arboriverse means choosing a reliable partner for the development of a high-performance, sustainable orchard aligned with market requirements. Buying Fire Top® nectarine plants means introducing a high-value variety into a structured production schedule.
