Want to read about more impacts like this? Check out Fresh from the Field, a weekly bulletin showcasing transformative impacts made by grantees funded by NIFA. A relative newcomer to the apple world, the Honeycrisp variety was only really introduced into stores in the 90s after it was developed at the University of Minnesota Minneapolis-St. ![]() Read more about the Honeycrisp genealogy research. Stage of tree phenology for tart cherry, sweet cherry, peach, apple, apricot and pear in Oceana County on May 22, 2023. Early sweet cherry varieties are at shuck split while many apple varieties are in full bloom this week across the region. The discovery of the Honeycrisp’s true pedigree reveals the genetic underpinning of its crisp texture which can lead to the development of even better apples. 7 hours ago &0183 &32 Emily Lavely, Michigan State University Extension - May 23, 2023. While MN1627 is no longer available, Howard was able to trace the grandparents, Duchess of Oldenburg and Golden Delicious, connecting the Honeycrisp to many cultivars of worldwide significance. ![]() With NIFA support from the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI), Howard's research confirmed that Honeycrisp is the child of the Keepsake variety and an unreleased University of Minnesota selection, MN1627. Fuji, Golden Delicious, and Red Delicious apple trees work well as pollinators because they survive in the same hardiness zones as the Honeycrisp apple tree. Twenty-six years later, Nick Howard, a graduate student at the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS), discovered the true lineage of the Honeycrisp apple. Honeycrisp apple trees don’t self-pollinate, so they need other apple trees that are six to 12 feet away to help with fertilization. A new apple was discovered from that work. This new apple was created by the bees doing their job of pollinating the apple blossoms. It is unknown what other apple is it crossed with. Originally billed as the child of Macoun and Honeygold, researchers quickly discovered that neither of these varieties were the parents of Minnesota's favorite apple. The Sugar Bee apple is the latest Honeycrisp cross to hit the market place. Since its release in 1991, the origins of the Honeycrisp apple have been a mystery.
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