Protecting Apple Trees from Climate Change
2025-02-11
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1Researchers in the U.S. state of Michigan are looking for ways to help apple trees survive bad weather.
2To do this, one researcher plans to use a late bloomer.
3The late blooming tree is a native Michigan apple tree known by the scientific name Malus coronaria.
4To fight freezing temperatures,
5the tree blooms two or three weeks later than trees that produce cultivated varieties of apples like Honeycrisp or Red Delicious.
6"That doesn't sound like a lot, but almost always that's enough for the flowers to escape the killing spring frost," said Steve van Nocker.
7He is a professor and plant geneticist at Michigan State University.
8Van Nocker wants to identify the genes responsible for the Malus coronaria's delayed blooms.
9Then he will use those genes to develop more frost-resistant apple varieties.
10Van Nocker's project is one of many ways researchers and growers are trying to make apples more resilient.
11They say this is important because of climate change.
12Other researchers are making similar efforts.
13Jared Buono is the director of Cornell University's Hudson Valley Research Laboratory in New York state.
14Buono's lab is adding solar panels to its experimental orchard.
15He said growers are experimenting with solar panels in Europe and South Korea.
16The panels protect fruit from hail and sun damage but also let in light and heat when necessary.
17University of Maryland researchers recently announced the development of a more heat-tolerant apple variety.
18At Penn State University in Pennsylvania, a team built an unmanned vehicle that uses propane fuel to warm trees up as it moves around an orchard.
19Buono said these efforts can ease the effects of bad weather.
20On May 18, 2023, frost damaged trees across New York state and cut apple production by 20 percent.
21A recent Washington State University study examined weather in apple growing areas from 1979 to 2022.
22It said the top apple producing states of Washington,
23Michigan and New York reported fewer cold days and more warm fall nights than they used to.
24Washington state also has reported more extreme heat.
25The study said warming temperatures could cause trees to come out of dormancy too early and increase the risk of sunburn.
26This hurts the quality of apples.
27Malus coronaria is also called sweet crabapple.
28It was once so common in Michigan that its blossoms were named the state flower in 1897.
29But, van Nocker said it appears to be disappearing.
30The trees that remain often produce little new growth or fruit.
31Van Nocker and graduate student Lily Christian recently took cuttings from some trees.
32They will test them to make sure they are fully Malus coronaria and not a hybrid variety.
33Then, the cuttings will be grafted onto apple rootstock.
34They hope to get healthy trees using this method.
35Their goal is to identify the genes that cause late blooming and create a variety of apple that can be sold in markets.
36Van Nocker is also sending seeds to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
37If the tree continues to disappear, he hopes to save its genes this way.
38Making a later-blooming commercial apple could take more than 10 years.
39If a Malus coronaria is crossbred with a commercial apple tree to make a new hybrid,
40it would take four or five years for that tree to start producing apples.
41Crossbreeding would continue until researchers developed an apple with the desired qualities of both varieties.
42But van Nocker said it is important to try.
43"With climate change, it's quite possible that apples won't be able to be produced in Michigan in the future," he said.
44"That's why cultivar improvement, especially in terms of frost resistance, is so important."
45I'm Anna Matteo.
1Researchers in the U.S. state of Michigan are looking for ways to help apple trees survive bad weather. To do this, one researcher plans to use a late bloomer. 2The late blooming tree is a native Michigan apple tree known by the scientific name Malus coronaria. To fight freezing temperatures, the tree blooms two or three weeks later than trees that produce cultivated varieties of apples like Honeycrisp or Red Delicious. 3"That doesn't sound like a lot, but almost always that's enough for the flowers to escape the killing spring frost," said Steve van Nocker. He is a professor and plant geneticist at Michigan State University. 4Van Nocker wants to identify the genes responsible for the Malus coronaria's delayed blooms. Then he will use those genes to develop more frost-resistant apple varieties. 5Van Nocker's project is one of many ways researchers and growers are trying to make apples more resilient. They say this is important because of climate change. 6Other researchers are making similar efforts. 7Jared Buono is the director of Cornell University's Hudson Valley Research Laboratory in New York state. Buono's lab is adding solar panels to its experimental orchard. He said growers are experimenting with solar panels in Europe and South Korea. The panels protect fruit from hail and sun damage but also let in light and heat when necessary. 8University of Maryland researchers recently announced the development of a more heat-tolerant apple variety. At Penn State University in Pennsylvania, a team built an unmanned vehicle that uses propane fuel to warm trees up as it moves around an orchard. 9Buono said these efforts can ease the effects of bad weather. On May 18, 2023, frost damaged trees across New York state and cut apple production by 20 percent. 10A recent Washington State University study examined weather in apple growing areas from 1979 to 2022. It said the top apple producing states of Washington, Michigan and New York reported fewer cold days and more warm fall nights than they used to. Washington state also has reported more extreme heat. 11The study said warming temperatures could cause trees to come out of dormancy too early and increase the risk of sunburn. This hurts the quality of apples. 12Malus coronaria is also called sweet crabapple. It was once so common in Michigan that its blossoms were named the state flower in 1897. But, van Nocker said it appears to be disappearing. The trees that remain often produce little new growth or fruit. 13Van Nocker and graduate student Lily Christian recently took cuttings from some trees. They will test them to make sure they are fully Malus coronaria and not a hybrid variety. Then, the cuttings will be grafted onto apple rootstock. They hope to get healthy trees using this method. 14Their goal is to identify the genes that cause late blooming and create a variety of apple that can be sold in markets. Van Nocker is also sending seeds to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. If the tree continues to disappear, he hopes to save its genes this way. 15Making a later-blooming commercial apple could take more than 10 years. If a Malus coronaria is crossbred with a commercial apple tree to make a new hybrid, it would take four or five years for that tree to start producing apples. 16Crossbreeding would continue until researchers developed an apple with the desired qualities of both varieties. 17But van Nocker said it is important to try. 18"With climate change, it's quite possible that apples won't be able to be produced in Michigan in the future," he said. "That's why cultivar improvement, especially in terms of frost resistance, is so important." 19I'm Anna Matteo. 20Dee-Ann Durbin reported this story for the Associated Press from Washington. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. 21___________________________________ 22Words in This Story 23bloomer -n. a plant that produces flowers at a certain time of year 24cultivated variety -n. a kind of plant that has been specifically developed for use in agriculture or in people's gardens 25frost -n. a layer of ice that can develop on plants when temperatures fall below freezing which damages fruit 26resilient -adj. able to withstand shocks or bad treatment and return to normal 27orchard -n. an area or farm where fruit trees are grown 28solar panel -n. a device that turns sunlight into direct electrical current 29tolerant -adj. able to withstand difficult or bad conditions 30dormancy -n. a state, during winter or dry conditions, when a plant does not grow but saves its energy for the growing season 31hybrid -n. a variety of plant that comes from the combination of genetic material from two or more plants 32graft -v. to take a cutting from one plant and attach it to another so that it grows, flowers and produces fruit 33rootstock -n. (horticulture) living roots that are combined with the branches of other, similar plants which will grow together with the qualities of both plants 34crossbreed -v. to use one of several methods to combine the genetic qualities to make an improved plant 35commercial -adj. designed mainly for profit