Nothing says autumn like biting into an apple straight off the tree. But hot weather can damage the growing fruit.
Some varieties get brown and blister on the tree. Others drop prematurely, before ripening.
Decades ago, Chris Walsh – now an emeritus professor at the University of Maryland – started researching and breeding apples in his region.
Walsh: “And I realized that the new apple varieties that we were trialing locally didn’t have the ability to stand up to the heat.”
So he started breeding apples that can. Recently, his team secured patents for two varieties – one red, and one yellow.
So far, they’re just called MD-TAP1 and 2 – short for Maryland Tree Architecture Program. But they’ll get catchier names when licensed by a commercial nursery.
The trees need very little pruning, appear resistant to a common bacterial disease, and can tolerate hotter, wetter conditions.
Walsh says apple growers are eager for new varieties that can withstand changing climate conditions.
Walsh: “We have had a lot of interest both within the U.S. as well as internationally.”
So these Maryland-born apples may find their way to an orchard near you.
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media
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