Apple - Pristine
Pristine apples, botanically classified as malus
domestica, are an early variety. The sweet-tart fruit was intentionally
created in the early 20th century as a summer variety that farmers could grow
and sell before the main crop season arrived. Before Pristine apples,
early-season varieties were primarily tart fruits with a short shelf life. To
change this reputation, Pristine apples were developed from multiple crosses to
have extended storage capabilities and a sweeter flavour while being highly
productive and resistant to disease.
Pristine apples were initially known as Co-op 32, which
was a name given to illustrate the cooperation that occurred during the
creation of the variety between Indiana, New Jersey, and Illinois breeding
stations. After the variety’s release to the market in the late 20th century,
the apples were renamed to Pristine to showcase the fruit’s unblemished skin.
Pristine apples were also named after the abbreviation PRI, which stands for
the three breeding stations operating under Purdue, Rutgers, and the University
of Illinois.
This apple is a hybrid cultivar of 'Co Op 10' x 'Camuzat'
domesticated apples, which are descendants of the 'McIntosh' apple and the
'Starking Delicious'. Although
PristineTM was selected in 1982, its history goes back to the early days of the
PRI breeding program. From an original cross of Rome Beauty with Malus
floribunda 821, selections and hybridizations were made incorporating Golden
Delicious, McIntosh, Starking Delicious
and Cazumat along the way. The cross that resulted in PristineTM was
Coop 10 x Cazumat made in 1974 at Rutgers University in New Jersey, and
PristineTM was selected at the Purdue Hort. Farm in 1982.
Pristine apple is a very early maturing apple usually
ripening in late July. It is very
attractive with a clean finish. For such
an early apple, it has very good eating quality, certainly much better than
other very early apples.
These apples have a beautiful golden yellow colour that
includes a pink blush with a crisp texture and a sweet-tart flavour, Pristine
apples make for a tasty and healthy treat.
Beyond being a great eating apple, their high sugar content makes them
excellent for cooking and baking. They are a hybrid variety developed from
Golden Delicious, Rome and McIntosh apples.
The texture is crisp and flavour has a good acid/sugar
balance. If fruit are allowed to become over-mature, pre-harvest drop can be
severe, but with timely pickings this should be a minimal problem. Fruit stores
well for up to a month or so, but usually growers will probably only store the
fruit until better quality.
This apple has good field resistance to apple scab, and
seems to have quite low susceptibility to fireblight and powdery mildew. Russet
and skin disorders are rare, but bruising can be severe so careful handling is
required. For direct marketers, Pristine
apple may be a very good way to kick off the apple season, or to transition
from peaches into apples.
Fruit is a beautiful lemon-yellow, with a perfect finish.
It looks a little bit like Transparent, but is much firmer, less acidic and far
better- quality eating. Gives a good
crop of medium-sized yellow skinned fruits, sometimes with red flush. Flesh colour is also yellowish. Very good
flavour for fresh eating. 'Pristine' is harvested at early season and is
considered of very good flavour for an early harvest apple.
Pristine apples are best suited for both raw and cooked
applications, such as baking and boiling. The fine-grained flesh can be consumed
straight, out-of-hand, chopped into green and fruit salads, sliced and served
with dips, blended into smoothies, or pressed into juices and ciders. The
apples are also popularly cooked into applesauce, and once prepared, the sauce
can be served with roasted meats, spread on toast, or swirled into oatmeal and
yogurt. In addition to applesauce, Pristine apples can be sliced and baked in
pies, tarts, cobblers, cakes, muffins, and bread. Pristine apples pair well
with buckwheat honey, cinnamon, herbs such as thyme, sage, rosemary, and bay
laurel, meats such as pork, poultry, and beef, sweet potato, chickpeas, goat
cheese, cheddar, and mascarpone. The fresh fruits will keep 4-6 when stored
whole and unwashed in a cool, dry, and dark place such as the refrigerator.
Pristine apples are round to oblate in shape, averaging 6
to 8 centimeters in diameter, and have a somewhat uniform appearance with light
ribbing. The semi-thick skin is smooth, waxy, glossy, and green-yellow,
ripening to a bright yellow when mature, and is sometimes spotted with faint,
red-orange blush. Underneath the surface, the flesh is crisp, dense, pale
yellow to ivory, and fine-grained, encasing a central core filled with a few
black-brown seeds. Pristine apples have a balanced, sweet-tart flavour with
light astringent notes of green apple.
Pristine apples are a good source of vitamin C, which is
an antioxidant that can help increase collagen production within the body and
boost the immune system. The apples also provide fiber, which can stimulate the
digestive tract, vitamin A, and potassium.
Pristine apples were the eleventh variety to be created
by the PRI Disease Resistant Apple Breeding Program, which is a joint breeding
venture between the University of Illinois, Rutgers, and Purdue University. The
cooperative was established in 1945 to create new and improved apple varieties
that exhibit strong resistance to common diseases such as scab. Since its
creation, the PRI program has created over 1,500 varieties and has selected 44
cultivars to be further researched and studied for market entry. Apples created
by the program are labeled Co-op with a number to showcase the teamwork
associated between the breeding stations. If the variety is released into the
commercial market, the varieties are then renamed to appeal to the everyday
consumer.
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