Nothing says fall like biting into an apple fresh from the tree. But hot weather can damage growing fruit.
Some varieties will turn brown and blister on the tree. Others drop prematurely before ripening.
Decades ago, Chris Walsh—now a professor emeritus at the University of Maryland—began studying and cultivating apples in his region.
Walsh: “I realized that the new apple varieties we were testing locally couldn’t handle the heat.”
So he set out to breed apples that could do just that. Recently, his team patented two varieties – one red and one yellow.
So far, they are only known as MD-TAP1 and 2 – short for Maryland Tree Architecture Project. But when licensed as a commercial nursery, they get more catchy names.
These trees require little pruning, are resistant to common bacterial diseases, and can tolerate hotter, wetter conditions.
Walsh said apple growers are eager for new varieties that can withstand changing climate conditions.
Walsh: “We've had a lot of interest both domestically and internationally.”
So these Maryland-born apples may find their way to an orchard near you.
Report source: Sarah Kennedy/ChavoBart Digital Media
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