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Re: [nafex] Apple breeding
Doug:
Re: Malinda
My understanding is that when the Minnesota breeding program began at
the Fruit Breeding Farm south of Excelsior in 1908 (now the U of MN
Horticultural Research Center), they needed a source of apple seed. It
was as much by chance as devise that Malinda was the choice, as there
happened to be an orchard nearby with a lot of Malinda trees. And it's
interesting to me that an apple considered by most to be mediocre and
selected arbitrarily produced such a number of superior offspring. At
least ten of Minnesota's introductions have Malinda in the parentage
including, of course, Sweet Sixteen, Keepsake, Chestnut, Haralson,
Honeygold and Honeycrisp. By the way, as you know Sweet Sixteen is
frequently mentioned for its unique combination of flavors. I've been
told that MN 447, one of Sweet 16's parents and itself an offspring of
Malinda, has that same taste only more so.
John Bunker