Empire (apple)
Encyclopedia
Empire is the name of a clonally-propagated
cultivar
of apple
derived from a seed grown in 1945 by Lester C. Anderson, a Cornell University
fruit nutritionist who conducted open pollination research on his various orchards.
In 1945, under the direction of A. J. Heinicke, scientists from the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station
of Cornell University in Geneva
, New York
, harvested the Empire seed, together with thousands of its siblings. The Geneva teams grew and tested ever dwindling sub-populations of the sibling group until 1966, when the final selection, the Empire, was released to the public at the New York Fruit Testing Association meetings in Geneva.
. They ripen during September and October, and will keep until January.
The original seed was a cross between the varieties McIntosh and Red Delicious
s (sports) of Empire had received US plant patents. None of them were mutants of mutants:
Cloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
of apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
derived from a seed grown in 1945 by Lester C. Anderson, a Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
fruit nutritionist who conducted open pollination research on his various orchards.
In 1945, under the direction of A. J. Heinicke, scientists from the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station
New York State Agricultural Experiment Station
The New York State Agricultural Experiment Station at Geneva, Ontario County, New York State, is an integral part of the New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University. It is a mission-oriented experiment station with a strong emphasis on applied research...
of Cornell University in Geneva
Geneva, New York
Geneva is a city in Ontario and Seneca counties in the U.S. state of New York. The population was 13,617 at the 2000 census. Some claim it is named after the city and canton of Geneva in Switzerland. Others believe the name came from confusion over the letters in the word "Seneca" written in cursive...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, harvested the Empire seed, together with thousands of its siblings. The Geneva teams grew and tested ever dwindling sub-populations of the sibling group until 1966, when the final selection, the Empire, was released to the public at the New York Fruit Testing Association meetings in Geneva.
Description
Empire apples are red, juicy, firm, crunchy and sweetSugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
. They ripen during September and October, and will keep until January.
The original seed was a cross between the varieties McIntosh and Red Delicious
Red Delicious
The Red Delicious is a clone of apple cultigen, now comprising more than 50 cultivars, that was recognized in Madison County, Iowa, United States, in 1880...
Sports patented in the US
By the year 2001, three mutant cultivarCultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
s (sports) of Empire had received US plant patents. None of them were mutants of mutants:
| Date | "Inventor" | Marketed as | Assignee | Earlier | Color | Plant Patent Number |
| Mar 10, 1992 | Teeple | Teeple Red Empire, Royal Empire | Cornell | no | redder | |
| Oct 20, 1992 | Thome | TF808 | Inter-Plant Patent Marketing | 5—7 days | redder | |
| Feb 1, 2000 | Crist | CB515, Crown Empire | Adams County Nursery | 2.5 weeks | redder |
Disease susceptibility
- Scab: high
- Powdery mildew: high
- Cedar apple rust: low
- Fire blight: medium