MAIA1

Apple

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Fuji' and 'Honeycrisp'

Summary: At the balloon stage, the flowers of 'MAIA1' are dark pink whereas the flowers of 'Fuji' are white and the flowers of 'Honeycrisp' are light pink. The extent of anthocyanin colouration on the young fruit of 'MAIA1' is small to medium sized whereas for 'Honeycrisp' it is absent or very small. The fruit of 'MAIA1' is smaller than that of 'Fuji' and has a larger diameter than that of 'Honeycrisp'. The over colour on the skin of the fruit of 'MAIA1' is a solid flush with weakly defined stripes whereas the over colour for 'Honeycrisp' is a weakly defined flush with strongly defined stripes. The fruit of 'MAIA1' has many lenticels whereas the fruit of 'Fuji' has a medium number of lenticels. The eye base for 'MAIA1' is medium to broad whereas that of 'Fuji' has a narrow to medium width. The flesh of 'MAIA1' is firm whereas that of both reference varieties is a medium firmness. The time of harvest and eating maturity for 'MAIA1' is late whereas it is mid-season for 'Honeycrisp'.

Description:

TREE: weak to medium vigour, ramified, spreading growth habit, fruit bearing on spurs and long shoots, begins flowering mid season to late, late fruit harvest and eating maturity

ONE-YEAR-OLD SHOOT: medium thickness, medium brown on side facing sun, medium to dense pubescence on distal half, many lenticels

PETIOLE: medium extent of anthocyanin colouration from base
LEAF BLADE: upwards attitude in relation to shoot, medium length to width ratio, medium intensity of green on upper side, serrate type 1 incisions of margin on distal half, medium density of pubescence on lower side

FLOWER: predominantly dark pink at balloon stage, overlapping arrangement of petals, stigmas positioned above anthers

YOUNG FRUIT: small to medium extent of anthocyanin over colour
FRUIT: medium sized, medium height to diameter ratio, globose shape, absent or weak degree of ribbing, absent or weak crowning at calyx end, medium to long sepal
FRUIT SKIN: medium degree of bloom, absent or weak degree of greasiness, yellow green ground colour, medium relative area of over colour, medium intensity of purple red over colour, over colour distributed as solid flush with weakly defined stripes, medium width stripes, absent or small area of russet around stalk attachment, absent or small area of russet on cheeks, absent or small area of russet around eye basin, many medium sized lenticels
FRUIT STALK: thin to medium thickness
FRUIT STALK CAVITY: medium depth, medium width
FRUIT EYE: medium to large
FRUIT EYE BASIN: medium depth, medium to broad
FRUIT FLESH: firm, greenish coloured, closed or slightly open aperture of locules in transverse section

Origin & Breeding History: 'MAIA1' originated from a traditional cross conducted by the Midwest Apple Improvement Association apple breeding project at Lynd Fruit Farm in Patashka, Ohio, USA in the spring of 1998. The cross was made between the varieties 'Honeycrisp' and 'Fuji'. One year old seedlings were planted in David Doud's Countryline Orchard, Wabash, Indiana, USA in 2001. Evaluations began in 2005 and 'MAIA1' was selected based on the tree growth habit, harvest time, fruit quality characteristics and storability.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'MAIA1' was conducted from 2020 to 2021 at Summerland Varieties Corp. test plots, in Summerland, British Columbia. The trial consisted of 10 trees of 'MAIA1' planted in 2018 on MM111 rootstock, 10 trees of 'Fuji' planted in 2012 on M9-Nic29 rootstock and 10 trees of 'Honeycrisp' planted in 2012 on M9-Nic29 rootstock. Trees were planted approximately 0.61 metres apart within a row and the rows were 3 metres apart. Observations and measurements were taken on 10 trees or 10 parts of trees for all varieties. Mean differences were significant at the 5% confidence probability level based on a paired Student's t-test.

Comparison tables for 'MAIA1' with reference varieties 'Fuji' and 'Honeycrisp'

Fruit height (cm)

Fruit diameter (cm)

Click on image for larger view

Apple: 'MAIA1' (top) with reference varieties 'Fuji' (centre) and 'Honeycrisp' (bottom)