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The humble apple wears many faces, from the crisp and crunchy Honeycrisp to the soft and tannic Mac. How did apples get so diverse?
In a story from 2014, Apple breeder Susan Brown joins Ira to explain the ins-and-outs of apple reproduction and reveals how modern plant genetics allows her to “stack the deck” in favor of crisp and sweet offspring. Plus, orchardist and apple historian Dan Bussey introduces us to some weird and wonderful heritage breeds.
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Segment Guests
Susan Brown
Susan Brown is an apple breeder and professor of agriculture and life sciences at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
Dan Bussey
Dan Bussey is author of The Illustrated History of Apples in North America (JAK KAW Press, projected 2016) and orchard manager at Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa.
Segment Transcript
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About Charles Bergquist
As Science Friday’s director and senior producer, Charles Bergquist channels the chaos of a live production studio into something sounding like a radio program. Favorite topics include planetary sciences, chemistry, materials, and shiny things with blinking lights.
About Ira Flatow
Ira Flatow is the founder and host of Science Friday. His green thumb has revived many an office plant at death’s door.
About Annie Minoff
@annieminoffAnnie Minoff is a producer for The Journal from Gimlet Media and the Wall Street Journal, and a former co-host and producer of Undiscovered. She also plays the banjo.