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Article: Travels to gather, improve apples start to bear fruit.(FORUM)
- Article from:
- Agricultural Research
- Article date:
- January 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 U.S. Government Printing Office. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Most of the genetic base presently used for breeding new varieties of apples is known as the "North America gene pool." It dates back to seedling orchards planted when settlers first arrived here, between the 17th and 19th centuries.
This source is often referred to as the "Johnny Appleseed gene pool." This alludes to John Chapman, who during America's infancy spent nearly 50 years planting apple seeds throughout the wilderness of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.
Many common varieties--including Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Jonathan, and Mcintosh--were discovered as chance seedlings from this pool. And breeders have made great strides ...