As noted above, the life cycle of new varieties will be compressed into fewer years than with
older varieties.This puts added pressure on breeding programs to quickly introduce new
varieties.

The objectives and the approach of the WSUApple Breeding Program differ from many other
programs.The goal is to produce unique varieties, not varieties that are improvements of
existing varieties.Breeding programs in Canada and the eastern U.S. have had the goal of
developing an improved McIntosh.In England, a goal was to produce an improved Cox’s
Orange Pippin.Empire and Spartan, improved McIntosh types, and Fiesta, an improved Cox’s
Orange Pippin, have not become major varieties because most consumers cannot easily
differentiate them from their older counterparts.It has also not been possible to obtain a
significant increase in price or to increase shelf space because the older varieties, which look
fairly similar, are already in the supermarket produce sections.

If we look at the rate of increase in production of newer varieties, we see that Empire has shown
only a modest increase during its emergence phase in comparison with the truly unique varieties
Granny Smith, Gala and Fuji (Figure 3).Certainly other factors are involved in the acceptance
of a new variety, including variety adaptation to the region and fruit characteristics such as
texture, juiciness and regional flavor preferences.However, because consumers use appearance,
for the most part, to distinguish varieties, uniqueness is a very important factor.

Gala, in its original striped, bicolor form, was unique in appearance and in taste, texture and
juiciness when compared with the older unicolor red, yellow and green varieties which
dominated the marketplace.Pink Lady® Cripps Pink cv. is also a unique variety with a pink
blush over yellow background color, a relatively dry and firm texture and tart flavor.These new
varieties have created their own shelf space due to their uniqueness and to increasing consumer
demand for unique products.They have been easy for the consumer to differentiate and have
received improved prices.

Variety Adaptation
A goal of the WSUApple Breeding Program is to introduce unique varieties adapted to the dry
and hot summer climate of central Washington.What does “adapted”mean?The fruit of an
adapted variety reaches optimal internal quality (firmness, juiciness, sweetness and flavor) at the
same time it has maximum external quality (color, freedom from waxiness and cracking).An
example of a variety which is not adapted to the climate of central California is Fuji.It reaches
its optimal internal quality and must be picked long before it reaches acceptable red skin color.
McIntosh and Jonagold, when grown in central Washington, have similar problems.On the other
hand, in central Washington, Golden Delicious generally has optimal internal quality and good
external appearance (a golden not green color) at approximately the same time in the fall.The
original Delicious variety had optimal internal quality and reasonably good color at the same
time.However, today we expect more red color.The advent of redder and earlier coloring
strains improved its adaptation and, in fact, lengthened its life cycle.Ideal color is not achieved
every year at the time fruit is ready for harvest based on its internal quality factors (starch,
soluble solids and firmness).Not all seasons are similar in accumulating the heat units required
to achieve optimal internal quality or in the time cool temperatures occur in the fall to enhance
red color development.In all fruit districts ideal conditions for synchronizing internal and
external quality usually occur near the end of the growing season.This is the time when
temperatures fall and color development occurs.It is clear that Red Delicious and Golden

Delicious are much better adapted to the central Washington climate in most years than Fuji is to
the California climate every year.

Part 2.Consumers, the Reason to Change
The objective of a variety development program should be to meet the needs of consumers,
particularly their future needs.

Without a doubt, consumers want apples with better quality.If the eating experience is
unpleasant, which usually means mushy, dry and without flavor, the consumer might not try that
variety again or might not try any apple again.The consumer also wants a variety that can be
kept outside the refrigerator for a week or more without serious deterioration in quality.After
all, it is beautiful to see a bowl of apples on the table but disappointing if they are not fit to eat.
Better shelf life will clearly improve the eating experience.

The consumer wants a uniform product of high quality the year-round.Is it possible to store an
apple for 10 to 12 months in CA without significant deterioration in quality?Because fruit for
long-term CA storage is picked on the early side, it has less than ideal quality going into storage.
It is asking too much of most if not all varieties to provide a pleasant eating experience after 10
to 12 months in storage.Consider apples in supermarkets in July in the northern hemisphere.
Four-month-old Braeburn, Granny Smith and Fuji apples from the southern hemisphere will
usually provide a superior eating experience to 10-month-old apples of the same varieties from
the northern hemisphere.Gala is an apple that cannot be stored more than 6 months without a
loss in quality.However, we try to market Gala 7 and 8 months out of storage.This practice
will not provide consumers with a pleasant eating experience and will eventually lessen demand
for the variety.In the northern hemisphere in April and May, a 2-month-old Gala fruit from the
southern hemisphere clearly surpasses in flavor, texture and juiciness an 8-month-old Gala fruit
from the northern hemisphere.If northern hemisphere producers are to consider the customers’
interests first, it may be appropriate to become southern hemisphere producers as well, global
farming, to provide fresher products of uniform quality year-round.

Consumers do not usually know or think about how old an apple is or when an apple was picked.
They may know an apple is from Chile or New Zealand in the southern hemisphere.However,
they usually do not think about the fact that these southern hemisphere apples are fresher and
than northern hemisphere apples in the same food market are 6 months older.But if they did
know an apple were 8, 10, or even 12 months old, would they purchase it?I do not think so.
This realization by consumers that apples in the marketplace are old (not fresh) could be a
potential public relations nightmare for apple industries which rely on long-term CA storage.

The consumer is demanding greater and greater choice in products.This is true for clothing,
cars, TVs, and all products, including apples.It is clear that consumers have enjoyed the
opportunity to purchase and eat bicolor apples such as Fuji, Gala and Braeburn not just because
of their distinctive coloring but also because of their unique flavors, juiciness and textures.To
not provide a choice for consumers with updated varieties is to accept the status quo.Accepting
the status quo allows someone else to introduce a new variety and push your variety from the
store shelves.

The apple consumer seems less concerned with appearance today than in the past.The
acceptance of Fuji and Braeburn, which generally are not considered attractive varieties,

indicates that consumers are becoming more concerned with internal quality than external
appearance.This trend will be confirmed if there is widespread acceptance of the new Cameo
variety.To meet consumers’needs, breeders must select for internal quality first and external
appearance second.

In the future, there will be greater demand for apples with higher levels of nutrients and vitamins
such as Vitamin C.Sliced apples can, much like cut-up lettuce, be packaged for sale in
supermarkets.Apples for this use will carry the non-browning genes.

It will clearly be necessary to move fromproduct security, comfortable production of cash cow
varieties like McIntosh and Delicious, toproduct adaptability, challenging production of new
varieties having superior quality that will meet the future needs of consumers.

Refocus on Varieties for the Consumer
When orchardists consider planting Delicious and McIntosh, the discussion often includes the
justification “if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it.” However, if there are new varieties available in the
marketplace and they receive a higher price, “it is broken.” We just do not know it.

Today with our existing varieties we endeavor tosell what we produce.Growers, handlers, and
sellers choose the product.However, we should beproducing what sells.Consumer preference
should be the major reason for selecting and producing the product.Remember why Grady
Auvil started producing Rainier cherries, because he knew the consumer would enjoy its very
high quality.

How easy a variety is to grow, handle, store and transport is not as important as the consumers’
desire to buy the variety.It is a consumer who really wants a new variety that is willing to pay a
fair price or even a high price for that variety.

Accept Change as Your Friend
In every business, it is clearly inappropriate and in many cases suicidal to accept the status quo.
A competitor will certainly develop and produce a new product that will erode your shelf space
and cause you to reduce your price.The only sure way to survive is to build change into your
business.

Two apple growers, cousins Mr. I. Change and Mr. Y. Change, were discussing whether or not to
plant a new block of Delicious.

Mr. I. Change said enthusiastically, “I am going to plant one of the new varieties, maybe Fuji or
Gala or even Cameo.”

Mr.Y. Change said, “No way, change is too risky.I’m going to plant Red Delicious.”

“Why?”asked his cousin.

“Because we grow Delicious better than anyone else,”said Y. Change.

I. Change agreed.“That’s right.We do grow the best Delicious in the world, but that’s the
wrong reason for planting Delicious.”