Spartan (apple)

'Spartan'
Hybrid parentage 'McIntosh' × Unknown
Cultivar 'Spartan'
Origin Summerland, British Columbia, Canada, 1936

The 'Spartan' is an apple cultivar developed by Dr. R.C Palmer and introduced in 1936 from the Federal Agriculture Research Station in Summerland, British Columbia, now known as the Pacific Agri-food Research Centre - Summerland.[1] The 'Spartan' is notable for being the first new breed of apple produced from a formal scientific breeding program.[2] The apple was supposed to be a cross between two North American varieties, the 'McIntosh' and the 'Newtown Pippin', but recently, genetic analysis showed the 'Newtown Pippin' was not one of the parents and its identity remains a mystery. The 'Spartan' apple is considered a good all-purpose apple.[3] The apple is of medium size and has a bright-red blush, but can have background patches of greens and yellows.[4]

Disease susceptibility

Gallery

See also

References

  1. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. "Summerland - History The 20s and 30s". Retrieved March 13, 2007.
  2. Orange Pippin. "Spartan apple". Archived from the original on May 1, 2007. Retrieved June 15, 2011.
  3. Science Canada. "Spartan Apples". Retrieved December 21, 2007.
  4. Galetta Nurseries. "Apple Trees". Retrieved March 14, 2007.
  5. Dr. Stephen Miller of the USDA Fruit Research Lab in Kearneysville, West Virginia.