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Markus Kellerhals, a former breeder at Agroscope, is co-president of FRUCTUS, a Swiss association dedicated to preserving heritage fruit varieties. FRUCTUS also manages collections for the Swiss National Gene Bank.
Today, some 1,200 apple varieties are preserved in Switzerland. Over the past 20 years, FRUCTUS has systematically studied and documented this rich diversity.
“We have been able to verify the diversity of Swiss fruit varieties through both pomological and molecular marker analysis. As expected, many varieties were known by several different names. We have produced detailed descriptions of these varieties. This also involved testing their susceptibility to apple scab, powdery mildew, fire blight, and Marssonina leaf blotch, as well as evaluating their suitability for eating fresh, juicing, distilling, or drying.”One of the results, for example, is a variety guide for cider production.
Foto credits: Markus Kellerhals
“Modern dessert apple varieties set a very high standard for appearance, shelf life, and crunch. Very few old varieties can compete with that.”But old varieties have other strengths…
Foto credits: Markus Kellerhals
“Heritage apple varieties are incredibly diverse in terms of shape, color, flavor, and composition, as well in as agronomic traits like growth habit. In this sense, they are a treasure trove that deserves specialized cultivation. The wide range of well-documented varieties offers excellent possibilities for specialized use in gastronomy and for processed products and can also be harnessed to broaden the genetic base in breeding and to pursue innovative approaches – especially when it comes to dealing with climate change.”
Foto credits: Markus Kellerhals
Picture: Markus Kellerhals, co-president of FRUCTUS
Foto credits: Markus Kellerhals
