Taste the first fruits of Iowa State University's new apple crop at an upcoming open house Sept. 13, from noon to 2 p.m., at the Horticulture Research Station, 55519 170th St., Ames.
The open house will highlight many different cultivars available for purchase at local orchards, along with upcoming and heritage cultivars not yet released to the public. The event will feature informal orchard tours, a chance to ask questions, and doughnuts and Iowa-grown cider.
Acres of apples
Fruit specialist Suzanne Slack, an assistant professor of horticulture, “loves” apples. She grew up on an orchard in Pennsylvania and was attracted to work at Iowa State by the opportunity to revive the university’s orchard. Since she arrived in 2021, she’s increased apple production to 15 acres at the Horticulture Research Station, where she studies the potential of historical and new apple cultivars to adapt to today’s growing conditions and industry preferences.
Once a top apple-producing state, some of the apple cultivars developed at Iowa State became popular favorites in the early 1900s, such as the Chieftain developed by Spencer Ambrose Beach. Beach, chair of the Iowa State horticulture department from 1905-1922, was a founding member of the American Society for Horticultural Science and a prolific apple breeder.
The Armistice Day freeze of 1940 decimated Iowa apple crops, and many orchards were “polished off” over time by competition from other regions and the ascendance of row crops in the state. Iowa State apple breeding and testing also declined, and the university’s original orchard was eventually bulldozed after damage from disease and storms. Thanks to Professor Paul Domoto (now retired), the most promising heirloom varieties were regrafted to save their germplasm. Over time, they were moved to a new home at the Horticulture Research Station north of Ames, where more than 61 apple cultivars are currently growing.
Cultivar trials led by Slack focus on Midwestern varieties. They are tested for their productivity, resistance to pests and disease, cold hardiness and survivability, as well as how they adapt to trellis systems. Students are also involved, including horticulture doctoral student Olivia Meyer, who has worked on apple projects with Slack and others for the last five years, starting when she was a master’s student.
“We are looking at everything from how they do on a trellis, do they taste good, and do they make good cider? There are winners and losers, as we expected,” Slack said. “So far, two of the winners are old Iowa State cultivars, Secor and Joan. Both have adapted very well to trellising and have great potential for being grown commercially.”
“We also have the original Red Delicious that originated in Winterset in the trials,” Slack said. “It tastes way better than the modern version that has had much of its flavor bred out of it in favor of boosting attributes like its color and ability to be shipped long distances.”
Source : iastate.edu