A century of crispy: An apple revolution at the UofM
How the University of Minnesota changed the landscape of one of the world’s most famous fruits.
By: Nasir Mahamud
In 1878, the University of Minnesota began a mission to grow fruit that could survive sub-zero degree winters. What began as a search for survivable fruit transformed the global produce aisle. Since the program’s inception, 29 new apple varieties have been released, turning Minnesota into an epicenter of the apple revolution. From the durable Haralson and the game-changing Honeycrisp, to the premium SweeTango, these pivotal fruit innovations prove that the future of apples goes through Minnesota.
The “Core” Four: Insights from Sarah Kostic, PhD
U of M Fruit Breeding Researcher: Sarah is a researcher with the University of Minnesota Apple Breeding Program who focuses on using DNA and genetic analysis to help develop better apples with improved taste, texture and disease resistance
The Genetic Lottery:
“Apples don’t grow ‘true-to-type’ from seeds. Every seed is a unique offspring, like a human child. If you plant a Honeycrisp seed, you won’t get a Honeycrisp tree. To keep a variety identical, we have to ‘clone’ it by grafting a branch onto a new rootstock.”
The 30-Year Marathon:
“Developing a new apple is an exercise in extreme patience. It takes approximately 25 to 30 years to move from a single seedling to a fruit that is actually ready for a grocery store shelf.”
The Elite Trio:
“The University of Minnesota is one of only three public apple-breeding programs in the entire U.S. Alongside Cornell and Washington State. Our research sets the bar for global apple development.”
The Next Big Leap:
“My current favorite is one of our newest releases: SuperSnap. It has an ultra-crisp texture and incredible flavor. It’s the next superstar to watch for in the coming years.”