Rick Kazmer
Thu, November 30, 2023 at 3:30 AM PST
The new varieties from Maryland are meant to alleviate some of the labor trouble.
The experts said the trees require less pruning, as an example of one perk.
Axios reports that the Maryland species are smaller than commercial apple trees. This was accomplished by tinkering with the trees’ genetics.
“These trees require a lot less hand labor compared to apples that are available to growers now,“ Walsh said in the university story. “We can’t say they’re non-pruning, but the pruning a farmer would do is minimal on these trees.”
It’s a project three decades in the making, starting when Walsh planted 5,000 seedlings. The team expects the new red and yellow apples to be sold at fruit stands, farmers markets, and pick-your-own orchards, per the university report.
To help reduce waste, apple buyers can take some easy steps at home to make sure their produce stays fresh longer. Soaking apple slices in sea salt and cold water keeps them from browning quickly, for example, according to online sources.
Or, as is the case with Maryland’s new varieties, there’s no need to wait.
“They’re meant to be eaten right off the tree,” Walsh said in the lab report.
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