Rasip develops new apple clone with intense color and greater resistance to diseases

The company Rasip, based in the city of Vacaria, in Rio Grande do Sul (RS), announced the development of Belgala, a new clone of Gala apples. Belgala stands out for its intense red color and increased resistance to Glomerella disease, one of the main threats to fruit growing. 

RAR, the company that owns Rasip, created by Raul Anselmo Randon, confirmed that Belgala is already protected and registered with the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Institute of Industrial Property (Inpi). Sergio Martins Barbosa, executive president of RAR, explained that the new variety not only offers an attractive coloration, but also increases productivity due to its resistance to Glomerella. Barbosa revealed that, in its first commercial batch, approximately 55 tons of fruit were sold, with the main objective of introducing the new variety to the market.

The expectation is that, over the next four years, Belgala's production will increase, thanks to the 70 hectares of new orchards planted in 2024. Barbosa highlighted that the clone's resistance to Glomerella reduces the need for phytosanitary treatments by 20% to 30%, a disease that caused losses of 10% to 15% in the last Brazilian harvest. "This new development will further boost the national market and in the future part will be destined for export", he concluded. 

Celso Zancan, director of Rasip, commented on the development process of the new clone. "Mutations in apple trees occur spontaneously in nature, being an important part of the plant's evolutionary cycle. Eventually, they emerge with characteristics that can be positive or negative, the most common are related to color, where clones like Belgala tend to be more stable," he explained. 

Last year, Rasip began expanding an additional 200 hectares for the cultivation of Belgala. The fruit is cultivated with the utmost care and selected for its superior quality, being considered the noblest in the company's portfolio.