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National & World Ag News Headlines |
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U.S. Apple Popular for Organic Production in France
USAgNet - 11/22/2017
A French company has obtained worldwide exclusive rights to Juliet, a Purdue-affiliated apple gaining popularity for organic production.
Benoit Escande Editions SARL has obtained exclusive rights to the Juliet apple, a product of a cooperative breeding program involving Purdue University, Rutgers University and the University of Illinois. The cooperative had received royalties on the tree sales
as well as any merchandise sold under the name Juliet, and will now also receive royalties on the fruit.
"The Juliet apple is popular among organic growers because of its many good qualities, such as disease-resistance, lack of premature fruit drop, long storage life and smooth, shiny skin with crisp texture," said Jules Janick, the James Troop Distinguished
Professor of Horticulture at Purdue University. "It is a remarkable apple."
The Juliet is a "club" apple, which means it is trademarked and grown by a select group. The apples are grown in France by members of "Les Amis de Juliet," or "Friends of Juliet," and distributed throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Canada. There are
more than 120 Juliet growers in France.
"Making it a club apple is a way to limit production and maintain a fair price for growers. People growing the Juliet are having great success," Janick said. "That popularity is a strong indication this cultivar could be promoted for organic production in the United
States as well as other apple-producing countries."
The long storage life also makes Juliet popular among growers. The lack of fruit browning is another virtue. Janick said one Canadian customer was even concerned the Juliet apples had been irradiated because of the lack of browning.
The cooperative apple breeding program involving Purdue, Rutgers and Illinois was started in 1945 to develop apples that were resistant to a serious disease called apple scab. Because the apples are scab resistant, the need for pesticide use is greatly reduced.
Eighteen apple selections have been named and licensed through Purdue's Office of Technology Commercialization and 20 other selections are under evaluation. Among the better-known varieties are GoldRush, a long-storage yellow apple; Pixie Crunch, a
medium-sized red apple; CrimsonCrisp, a midseason red apple; Enterprise, a late red apple; and WineCrisp, a crunchy, dark red apple. The cooperative continues to bring in royalties to the universities.
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