QTee (Celina)

QTee is an early season blushed pear. The skin has an intense speckled red blush over a pale green or pale-yellow background and the shape is pyriform/straight to convex. The peel is smooth and quite thin, so doesn’t need peeling before eating: it is not particularly noticeable on chewing. The flesh is yellowish white, smooth and juicy, with only minor graininess. The pear can be eaten in a hard or soft condition depending on preference and has good sweetness and a very pleasant flavour.

Growers will be attracted to QTee as it is harvested very early in the season; it does not lose its intense red blush during the hot summer days; it is resistant to Scab, and has exceptional storage potential and good shelf life.

There is a hint that Spanish QTee is slightly sweeter than the fruit grown further north.

Good Fruit Guide Rating: ****

QTee will be very satisfying to consumers who like a pear that can be eaten hard or soft.

Sweet, juicy, eat hard or soft

Names: Celina; QTee®; plu 3495; ECPVA 20113173; USPP 25291P3

Origin: Celina was the result of a cross between Williams x Colorée de Juillet. The original cross was made by Stein Harald in 1985 in Balsgård, Kristianstad, Sweden, and the new variety was selected from the progeny of that cross in 1997 in Njøs, Leikanger, Norway. QTee® is the marketing name given to Celina.

The exclusive rights of the variety and the brand QTee® are owned by Fruithandel Wouters, Kasteelaan 21, 3454 Geetbets, Belgium and ABCz Group, Maagd Van Gent 22, B-9988 Sint-Laureins, Belgium. QTee was introduced to consumers in 2014.

Celina is protected under, amongst others, the European Community Plant Variety Application nr. 20113173. The US Plant Patent was granted in February, 2015.

Grown in: Belgium, Slovakia, Norway, Switzerland, Spain, France, UK, South Africa

Harvest & Availability: Supplies to the UK tend to be as follows:

• January:
• February:
• March: South Africa
• April: South Africa
• May: South Africa
• June:
• July:
• August:
• September: Belgium
• October: Belgium, Spain
• November: Belgium, Spain
• December: Belgium, UK

Websites:

• QTee – marketing
• ABCz – QTee technical fact sheet