Red flesh for red ciders

摘要

Red-fleshed apples offer a unique hue that appeals to both hard and sweet cidermakers looking for something distinctive to catch consumers' attention. Unfortunately, red-fleshed apples also are comparatively rare, and most that exist lack the characteristics — such as size and reliability — required for commercial harvest.Breeding and varietal evaluation programs are looking to rectify the shortage. Most programs are focused on red-fleshed varieties for fresh eating, but Michigan State University breeders are focusing on juice apples. Steve van Nocker, the horticulture professor who started the program, sees more potential in the existing red-flesh gene pool for juice production.