A new apple needs more than one promising seedling
Washington State University's WA 38 apple, sold as Cosmic Crisp, began with a 1997 cross. Its fruit first reached consumers in 2019, after field evaluation and expansion into commercial orchards. Explore why choosing one promising seedling is only one stage in bringing a variety to market.
Questions you could explore
- Why is choosing one promising seedling different from producing many trees of the same variety?
- How do breeding, field trials, and propagation create different stages before a new variety reaches shops?
Start reading
- Washington State University Tree FruitWA 38 Characteristics and Horticulture
The breeding institution identifies WA 38’s parents and describes its growth, cropping and management characteristics. It shows what growers need to evaluate beyond an apple’s taste.
- Washington State University, WSU InsiderFresh harvest of Cosmic Crisp® apples hit stores Dec. 1
The breeding institution dates the 1997 cross and December 2019 consumer launch and describes evaluation and commercial production. These dates describe this variety, not a fixed timetable for all apples.
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