Concorde Pear
Pollination & Compatibility Guide
Concorde pear pollination guide: Conference × Comice genetics, parthenocarpic cropping, diploid bloom overlap, and Quince rootstock compatibility.
Concorde is Parthenocarpic (Sets Fruit Alone · Partner Recommended)
Inherits Conference's parthenocarpy partially (Conference × Doyenné du Comice).
- Chromosome Ploidy
- Diploid · Parthenocarpic
- Required Companions
- 0 (Partner Recommended)
- Bloom Group
- Group 3 (Mid-Spring)
- Harvest Timing
- Mid Season (Anchor @ 0d)
Flowering Period & Overlap Window
Pear flowering periods are compressed into numbered bloom groups (1 through 4). Cross-pollination requires overlapping blossom timing between genetically compatible cultivars, with Asian pears flowering 7–14 days ahead of mid-season European varieties.
Any compatible diploid pear flowering within Group 2 to 4 provides matching blossom overlap.
Compatible Pollination Partners (19)
| Cultivar | Bloom Group | Overlap Type | Harvest | Primary Uses | Interactive Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Late ±7d delta | Fresh Eating, Canning | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid ±7d delta | Fresh Eating, Canning | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid ±14d delta | Fresh Eating, Canning | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Late ±14d delta | Fresh Eating, Baking | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Late ±14d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Early ±14d delta | Fresh Eating, Canning | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid ±14d delta | Fresh Eating, Storage | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Late ±21d delta | Fresh Eating, Canning | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Early ±25d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid ±28d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross | |
| Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late ±7d delta | Fresh Eating, Storage | Test Cross | |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Mid ±7d delta | Fresh Eating, Pickling | Test Cross | |
| Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late ±14d delta | Fresh Eating, Cooking | Test Cross | |
| Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late ±14d delta | Canning, Cooking | Test Cross | |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Mid ±14d delta | Fresh Eating, Canning | Test Cross |
Incompatible Varieties & Exclusions (7)
These pear varieties overlap in flowering time with Concorde but cannot fertilise it due to non-viable pollen (male-sterile diploids), direct parentage exclusions, or shared incompatibility alleles.
A direct parent (Doyenné du Comice × Conference) — roughly half the pollen is non-functional, so it is not a reliable partner.
A direct parent (Doyenné du Comice × Conference) — roughly half the pollen is non-functional, so it is not a reliable partner.
Gourmet produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Luscious produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Magness produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
A sport of a direct parent (Doyenné du Comice × Conference) — genetically identical to that parent, so roughly half its pollen is non-functional and it is not a reliable partner.
Warren produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Pomological Assessment: Hybrid Vigour, Cropping Habit & Pollinizer Alignment
Bred at the East Malling Research Station as a deliberate cross between Conference and Doyenné du Comice, Concorde combines the robust cropping reliability of Conference with the exceptional melting flesh and rich dessert flavour of Comice. The cultivar forms a naturally compact, upright tree that bears heavily on young spurs, making it well suited to intensive commercial row systems.
Like its Conference parent, Concorde exhibits pronounced parthenocarpic ability, allowing it to set acceptable fruit volumes even when pollination windows are curtailed by cold weather. Nevertheless, interplanting with compatible Bloom Group 3 diploids like Conference, Beth, or Williams ensures complete cross-fertilisation, yielding symmetrical fruit with full seed complements and superior storage longevity. Concorde also produces viable pollen and serves as an effective reciprocal donor for its companions.
Growers appreciate Concorde for its docile orchard architecture. Its narrow, upright framework requires less labour for summer canopy manipulation than vigorous triploids or sprawling dessert pears. Fruit hangs tightly to the wood through autumn gales, resisting premature fruit drop and mechanical bruising during harvest operations.
Key Orchard Considerations for Concorde
Highly compatible with Quince C and Quince A rootstocks without requiring an interstem. The tree remains naturally compact with short internodes, making Quince C ideal for intensive spindle and cordon plantings.
Demonstrates good overall tolerance to pear scab and mildew under commercial spray regimes. Moderate susceptibility to fire blight requires blossom monitoring during warm, humid spring petal fall.
Harvest occurs in mid-season, roughly one week after Conference. Fruit holds exceptionally well on the tree without premature drop and resists handling bruises far better than Comice. Conditions cleanly after short cold storage.
Take Concorde from Planning to Planting
Use Kropigo's free browser tools to model your block density, tree counts, and pollinizer rows, then maintain permanent orchard records row by row.
Pollination Checker
Check Concorde against supported cultivars with compatible flowering and pollination data.
Commercial Block Planner
Calculate high-density tree spacing, row geometry, and establishment costs.
Block Record Keeping
Track pruning, chemical thinning, and harvest tallies block by block from the orchard.