Australia develops "world's best apple"

[castanea]

"London: Australian scientists have claimed to have developed a new variety of disease-resistant apple which won't rot for weeks even if kept outside a refrigerator.

Researchers at Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries in Queensland have developed the apple, RS103-130, which stays fresh for a fortnight even when kept out of the fridge, The Independent reported.

The researchers also call it "the world's best apple" owing to its sweet taste, longevity and ability to resist disease.

The new variety of apple is deep red in colour and stays "crispy" for up to 14 days if kept in a fruit bowl and if stored in a fridge it remains edible for four months.

The fruit has a naturally strong resistance to apple scab or black spot, a disease caused by the fungus Venturia inaequalis which affects both the foliage and fruit."

www.zeenews.com/news578102.html

Also:

www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/6535671/Apple-that-stays-fresh-for-months-developed-by-Australian-scientists.html

[Alan]

Thanks for the information and the articles, it is much appreciated.

I feel we are on the verge of a veratible apple revolution with the Khazakistan genetics which are now becoming available to breeders the world over.

Many of the Khazak varieties are completely immune to various blights of our beloved apple trees, and some of those lines which have been tested at the USDA ARS Geneva station are even already of production quality including size, shape, color, texture, taste and disease resistance. It will be fun to work with such material and I greatly look forward to what others will do with such material as well.