The 'Prima' apple is one of the modern disease resistant
cultivar
A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture ...
s of domesticated
apple
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus '' Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ances ...
which was bred by the
PRI disease resistant apple breeding program The PRI disease resistant apple breeding program is a joint project of the Purdue University, Rutgers University, and the University of Illinois, to breed apple cultivars to be resistant to apple scab. The initialism stands for the three involved un ...
in 1958.
[Eat Like no One Else]
/ref> The disease resistance against apple scab has since been broken.
Like other "PRI" apples it is of complex ancestry to ensure the utmost disease resistance and various cultivation advantages, along with a fresh vibrant flavor. Its ancestry includes the 'Rome Beauty
The Rome apple (also known as Red Rome, Rome Beauty, Gillett's Seedling) is a cooking apple originating near Rome Township, Ohio, in the early 19th century. This apple remains popular for its glossy red color and for its utility in cooking.
Char ...
', 'Melba', 'Golden Delicious
'Golden Delicious' is a cultivar of apple. It is one of the 15 most popular apple cultivars in the United States. It is not closely related to ' Red Delicious'.
History
Golden Delicious arose from a chance seedling, possibly a hybrid of ' G ...
' and 'Wealthy' apples, as well as the ''Malus floribunda
''Malus floribunda'', common name Japanese flowering crabapple, Japanese crab, purple chokeberry, or showy crabapple, originates from Japan and East Asia. It may be a hybrid of ''M. toringo'' with ''M. baccata'', in which case it would be writte ...
'' crabapple
''Malus'' ( or ) is a genus of about 30–55 species of small deciduous tree
In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may ...
for scab resistance. "PRI" is impressed in the cultivars name "PRI"ma.
'Prima' was originally very resistant to apple scab
Apple scab is a common disease of plants in the rose family (Rosaceae) that is caused by the ascomycete fungus '' Venturia inaequalis''. While this disease affects several plant genera, including '' Sorbus, Cotoneaster,'' and ''Pyrus'', it is ...
due to having the Vf gene. However scab has since evolved around that resistance, and 'Prima' apples are now heavily affected by apple scab in regions where the new apple scab has spread to. As such, 'Prima' is no longer a recommended apple variety for garden use without pesticides.[Prima]
by Orange Pippin It does not fall off the tree, and like most early harvest apples, does not keep well, even with refrigeration.[
]
See also
*List of apple cultivars
Over 7,500 cultivars of the culinary or eating apple (''Malus domestica'') are known. Some are extremely important economically as commercial products, though the vast majority are not suitable for mass production. In the following list, use for ...
References
External links
National Fruit Collection page
{{Apples, state=collapsed
PRI cultivars