Researcher Uncovers the Origins of ‘Honeycrisp’ Apple

‘Honeycrisp’ was originally believed to be a cross of ‘Macoun’ and ‘Honeygold,’ thanks to information on the University of Minnesota apple breeding program’s records. However, researchers discovered those varieties were not the parents. Nick Howard, a graduate student with the University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Applied Plant Sciences, used DNA sequencing to get to the bottom of the popular apple’s lineage.

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A study in 2004 confirmed that ‘Honeycrisp’ was not the child of ‘Macoun’ and ‘Honeygold’ but suggested ‘Keepsake’ was a parent. However, the study lacked enough genetic information to uncover the other parent or confirm ‘Keepsake.’

Using the extensive genetic data available through RosBREED, Howard was able to learn more about ‘Honeycrisp’s’ origins, and his work was recently published in Nature’s Horticulture Research. His research confirmed that ‘Keepsake’ was a parent of ‘Honeycrisp.’ It also showed that an unreleased University of Minnesota variety that is no longer available, ‘MN1627’ was the other parent.

Howard also identified the ‘Duchess of Oldenburg’ and ‘Golden Delicious’ varieties as the parents of ‘MN1627.’

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Avatar for Esber Esber's farm and market says:

Nice job, science in ag is greatly

Avatar for Eric Eric says:

How can a plant breeder call him/herself a breeder if they don’t do the basic work of pedigree management? How do they not know the parents of ‘Honeycrisp’?

Avatar for Will Williams Will Williams says:

Elwin Meader once told me that often Nature left to it’s own devices, might sometimes surprise you. (I gather that is more often the case that we might suspect. There are so many reasons that Honeycrisp might not be an apple that came down to us, and yet it has. From rooting out the tree that was considered not worth keeping; yet there were 4 grafts that took from the scionwood. To the fact that Northern Spy, one of the parents of Keepsake, was girdled, the top killed by mice before it produced any fruit. Thank goodness that suckers sprouted from the roots, and that was allowed to bear fruit.

2 near misses. Yet the intent of the apple has made itself known. Only the specific genetic combinations of the different apples could make the wonderful crispness of Honeycrisp. Breeding history tells us that selections of less than say 5 plants potentials from a field with 30,000 seedlings, is about all one can hope for. (from an early report about Luther Burbank). From near misses to the most planted cultivar of this day and age. Duchess of Oldenburg, another parent from Russia with great hardiness (Mn 1627), was a single seed from who knows what breeding…might not have arrived here for who knows what its journey was about.

So who was really the breeder that set this intent across the Universe? Did the breeder or the bee, take a “hint” from the real archittect, or the Grand Master who caused this perfect combination of genes to journey to reach Minnesota breeding fields? A force was paying attention, and caused this amazing apple to grace Human-kind. A breeder is only a small link in the chain of the force that caused everything to come together. Dr Meader was a wise and very kind soul.

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