New Apple Breeding Program in the Southeast

Abstract

Although in recent years Georgia has not been considered a commercial apple producing state, thirty years ago it had many important apple plantings. There were two major reasons for this rapid decline in apple production. First, fruit rots are a major problem in this southern area; and thirty years ago there were no commercially available fungicides that would adequately control these rots. Secondly, fluctuating spring temperatures in this area create an extreme frost hazard at blossoming time for most varieties.