Apple breeding at Cornell: Genetic studies of fruit quality, scab resistance and plant architecture

Cornell's apple breeding program is very diverse and emphasizes cultivar development and enhanced understanding of traits important in the genetic improvement of apple. Research is aided by strong collaboration across disciplines. Fruit quality research includes studies of crispness and juiciness, increasing soluble solids and ascorbic acid content, developing reduced browning genotypes, examination of antioxidants, and studying post-harvest attributes. Disease resistance studies have resulted in molecular markers for the scab resistance genes V,,, V, V, V, and V-b. The germplasm being used for scab resistance has a large influence on fruit quality, fire blight resistance and the occurrence of storage disorders. Studies of plant architecture are based on combining the columnar gene from 'Wijcik McIntosh' with both scab-resistant and scab-susceptible genotypes. When different offspring of 'Wijcik McIntosh' are crossed to the same disease resistant genotype there are many differences in the types of columnar offspring produced. Crosses of 'Wijcik McIntosh' x 'Red Jade', heterozygous for a weeping (W) resulted in interesting and unique plant forms with ornamental value. Weeping x weeping crosses will also be discussed.