Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/681909
www.goodfruit.com Good Fruit Grower JUNE 2016 29 —Should standards be set for minimum harvest date or minimum maturity date? "There is going to be a lot of pressure to get this product to market quickly. You pick it, you want to sell it," Allan said. "And there's a possibility that could be abused, so we're looking into that." —Should there be more than one color standard? The subcommittee is tentatively looking at two color standards for Cosmic Crisp, Allan said. Cosmic Crisp apples from fairly low-vigor trees can be dark red, while apples from higher vigor trees can be lighter red. "The difference between them, the taste is about the same," he said. "But you put that out there, and you have a checker- board pattern on the retail shelf. You're better off having the dark ones in one group and lighter ones in another group." WA 38 also is unique in that it can sometimes have a green stain or spot, which may need to be addressed in the standards, Allan said. "Green stain is something we don't really understand. It may be a problem; you can't sell an ugly apple." The committee also may adopt the common grade standards for punctures, splits and limb rot. In two other areas, the committee opened initial dis- cussions: whether fruit from 2-year-old trees should be marketed for sale and the involvement of the sliced apple business. There can be significant differences in fruit maturity among 2-year-old trees, Allan said, yet the second year can present a significant economic advantage to the grower if the trees are big enough to crop. "It can be really difficult to get a nice looking pack with 2-year-old trees," he said. "Would that be something we want to do? We could probably just eliminate problems, start on the third year, and everybody would know from the onset. We're talking about that." The subcommittee also discussed encouraging the sliced apple business to get involved with the variety. Cosmic Crisp is slow to brown and has a moderately high acid level, which allows for a better taste in a cut product, Allan said. "We think there's a lot of potential there. It gives us an economic driver, a home for a lower quality apple. Most apples don't have that option, and we might be able to brand Cosmic Crisp in those packages." That makes it a product that could fill a niche in a growth market, he said. "I think eventually, 15 years from now, we're going to sell 20 percent of our product in the sliced format, because that's convenience," he said. Branding and marketing PVM's Reeves also sees potential for Cosmic Crisp branding in a number of market segments: fresh apples, sliced and packaged apples, juice. "Most of the growers I know are looking at return per bin," he said. "If you've got several different places in the store where the same brand is showing up, it cross sells. And the more times that people see that brand, the more they look for it." Reeves said he also is cognitive of growers' concerns that this apple will turn into a commodity right away. "Minus really good brand research, that could happen. But I also think we have an opportunity to do something with the brand, with a brand promise, and do something for a long time." • Cosmic Crisp database A s part of its management of the Cosmic Crisp variety for Washington State University, Proprietary Variety Management will be deploying a new database to manage the trademark and pat- ent on behalf of the university. Participating nurseries will be required to provide information on who has obtained WA 38 material, where it's being planted and how much. Packers, meanwhile, will be responsible for pro- viding information on the end products, including packouts and pricing schedules. The database will enable PVM to cross-reference plantings and production on behalf of everyone involved, forecast production by region of the state, and aid the industry with marketing and sales, while keeping individual information confidential, said Lynnell Brandt, PVM president. "This allows the industry to come together," Brandt said, "and say, 'This is what we have to play for.'" —S. Dininny Photos by tJ Mullinax/Good FRuit GRoweR In taste tests conducted by the Washington State University apple breeding program, Cosmic Crisp earned high marks for texture, appearance and flavor. Read some of the comments from the surveys at goodfruit.com. Get the results you want with KDL ® 0-0-24, AGRO-K's foliar nutrient fruit sizing and color program BIG cherries with great color and high sugar offer growers the best returns. Large bloom and heavy sets increase the risk of small fruit and uneven maturity. 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