The Abate Fetel or Abbé Fetel is a
cultivar
A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture ...
of the European Pear (''
Pyrus communis
''Pyrus communis'', the common pear, is a species of pear native to central and eastern Europe, and western Asia.
It is one of the most important fruits of temperate regions, being the species from which most orchard pear cultivars grown in Eu ...
'').
Originally of
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
, it was obtained by the
abbot
Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a monastery. The ...
Fetel – hence the name – who started working on it in 1865, when he was the priest of
Chessy, Rhône, and using several local cultivars as a starting point. Fetel was later transferred to
Charentay, where he continued his
hybridisations, ultimately obtaining the 'Abate Fetel' after a few years.
Nowadays, the 'Abate Fetel' pear is the most produced and exported pear cultivar in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
. It is mostly cultivated in the
Emilia-Romagna
egl, Emigliàn (man) egl, Emiglièna (woman) rgn, Rumagnòl (man) rgn, Rumagnòla (woman) it, Emiliano (man) it, Emiliana (woman) or it, Romagnolo (man) it, Romagnola (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title ...
region which is a
Protected Geographical Indication for this cultivar. Another important producer country is
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
.
In Italy the 'Abate Fetel' is usually harvested in September; it maintains its quality for up to 23 weeks of cold storage. A characteristic feature is its elongated shape which is easily recognizable by consumers.
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References
Pear cultivars
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