Inventing a Better Apple

Inventing a new apple variety requires balancing consumer preferences for taste and texture with the practical demands of large-scale production, such as storage longevity, shipping durability, and climate resilience. The modern apple industry evolved significantly due to the adoption of dwarfing rootstocks, which lowered the financial risk for growers to experiment with new varieties. Breeding remains a labor-intensive, analog endeavor, involving thousands of genetic crosses and years of field evaluation to identify fruit that can survive the supply chain. While genomic science has progressed, most desirable traits are polygenic, complicating the ability to predict outcomes with precision. The Sunflare apple, a recent innovation from Washington State University, exemplifies this effort to create a consistent, high-quality fruit that thrives in the specific environmental conditions of Washington state while maintaining shelf appeal for consumers throughout the year.