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Understanding Apples' Ancestors

ScienceDaily (Dec. 14, 2009) — Wild Malus orientalis -- species of wild
apples that could be an ancestor of today's domesticated apples -- are
native to the Middle East and Central Asia. A new study comparing the
diversity of recently acquired M. orientalis varieties from Georgia and
Armenia with previously collected varieties originating in Russia and
Turkey narrows the large population and establishes a core collection
that will make M. orientalis more accessible to the breeding and
research communities.

To identify and record the genetic diversity of these wild apples, Gayle
Volk and Christopher Richards at the National Center for Genetic
Resources Preservation, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), performed
genetic diversity analyses on trees grown from Malus orientalis seeds
collected in Georgia, Armenia, Russia, and Turkey. The trees are located
at the USDA-ARS Plant Genetic Resources Unit (PGRU) in Geneva, New York.
Seedling trees were evaluated for resistance to critical diseases such
as fire blight, apple scab, and cedar apple rust. The full report was
published in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Society for
Horticultural Science.

More at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091211093645.htm