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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fort Collins, Colorado » Center for Agricultural Resources Research » Agricultural Genetic Resources Preservation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #377734
Research Project: Efficient and Effective Preservation and Management of Plant and Microbial Genetic Resource Collections

Location: Agricultural Genetic Resources Preservation Research

Title: Botany, taxonomy, and origins of the apple

Author
item Volk, Gayle
item CORNILLE, AMANDINE - Agro Paris Tech
item DUREL, CHARLES-ERIC - Inland Northwest Research Alliance, Inra
item Gutierrez, Benjamin

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/20/2021
Publication Date: 8/30/2021
Citation: Volk, G.M., Cornille, A., Durel, C., Gutierrez, B.L. 2021. Botany, taxonomy, and origins of the apple. In: Korban, S.S., editor. The Apple Genome. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. p. 19-32.

Interpretive Summary: This invited book chapter is an introduction to the botany, taxonomy, and origins of apple (Malus) for a book titled "The Apple Genome". Apples are important from both a cultural and nutritional standpoint. Fruit produced from the cultivated apple, Malus domestica, is grown in temperate regions throughout the world. Ornamental crabapple trees represent other Malus species, and are generally valued for their landscape properties rather than their fruits. Genetic analyses of apple cultivars and species have revealed domestication pathways, pedigree relationships, as well as data that guide genebank collection management practices. Molecular information is also critical for breeding programs that are using new techniques to identify novel genetic combinations that have improved disease, pest, and abiotic stress resistance, as well as desirable fruit quality and production traits. This chapter includes information about wild apple species, origins of cultivated apples, genetic assessments, as well as some basic information about tree phenology, architecture, and propagation methods.

Technical Abstract: Apples are important from both a cultural and nutritional standpoint. Fruit produced from the cultivated apple, Malus domestica, is grown in temperate regions throughout the world. Ornamental crabapple trees represent other Malus species, and are generally valued for their landscape properties rather than their fruits. Genetic analyses of apple cultivars and species have revealed domestication pathways, pedigree relationships, as well as data that guide genebank collection management practices. Molecular information is also critical for breeding programs that are using new techniques to identify novel genetic combinations that have improved disease, pest, and abiotic stress resistance, as well as desirable fruit quality and production traits. This chapter includes information about wild apple species, origins of cultivated apples, genetic assessments, as well as some basic information about tree phenology, architecture, and propagation methods.