Cornell Announces New Apple Varieties Developed In Partnership With New York Apple Growers

GENEVA, N.Y. — Cornell has announced two new apple varieties developed in partnership with the New York Apple Growers (NYAG). They are SnapDragon and RubyFrost, and they have undergone a year of rigorous consumer testing as NY1 and NY2.

The new names were revealed Aug. 1 by Jeff Crist, vice chairman of the NYAG board of directors, at a field day at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, where Cornell breeder Susan Brown developed the varieties.

“SnapDragon is a great name for this apple because consumers found its crispy texture and sweet flavor so appealing,” said Mark Russell, an apple grower and NYAG member. He anticipates it will be a popular apple for snacking, especially for children.

SnapDragon gets its juicy crispness from its Honeycrisp parent, and it has a spicy-sweet flavor that was a big hit with taste testers. Brown recognized its promise and fast-tracked it for commercialization.

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