Innovación, Investigación y Salud
Ago. 18, 2023EE.UU/Washington: lanzan nueva variedad de manzana
Washington State University has released a new apple variety expected to be available in grocery stores in 2029.
WA 64, which has yet to receive a brand name, is a hybrid of Honeycrisp and Cripps Pink, a type of apple that includes the popular Pink Lady.
“It’s a firm but crisp apple with a nice balance of sweetness and tartness,” said Kate Evans, a WSU horticulture professor in charge of the university’s apple breeding program.
WA 64 also is pretty, Evans added, with a pink blush on a yellow background.
Evans expects WA 64 to have a broad appeal with the public and farmers, and be available year-round in stores.
The university will select a partner in the coming weeks to make trees available to Washington growers, according to a WSU news release. A brand name will be chosen in 2024 and that process could include suggestions from the WSU community and focus groups.
WA 64 comes on the heels of Cosmic Crisp, another WSU-developed apple that reached consumers in 2019. According to the university, Cosmic Crisp has become a top 10 best-selling apple variety in the United States.
Evans said that WA 64 probably won’t make as big a splash as Cosmic Crisp, which is one of the largest and fastest commercial plant releases ever.
“I think we’re now at more than 20 million trees (sold),” Evans said.
Evans also cautioned against extrapolating a timeline for WSU’s next commercial apple based on the releases of Cosmic Crisp and WA 64.
Washington State University/August 17, 2023