Yard & Garden Brief
DISEASE-RESISTANT APPLE VARIETIES

Jill D. Pokorny
Sandra L. Gould













Apple diseases such as scab, fire blight, cedar apple rust and powdery mildew can cause severe leaf loss, poor fruit quality and tree decline. Although severity varies with location and weather conditions, a often a fungicide spray program is often needed to protect susceptible trees and fruit. To minimize disease severity and the number of fungicide applications in areas where disease is known to be a problem, choose resistant apple varieties when planting new trees.

The following list of disease-resistant apple varieties was compiled from sources around the country and adapted for use in Minnesota. The disease resistance information was taken from four sources: New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Iowa State University Extension Service, University of Illinois Extension Service, and the University of Minnesota Extension Service. Information on winter hardiness was provided by the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and Dave Bedford at the Minnesota Horticultural Research Center.

Whenever possible, each variety was rated for susceptibility to all four diseases.

Key
R = Resistant I = Intermediate S = Susceptible -- = No information available

DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY
Cultivar USDA hardiness zone Fire blight Cedar apple rust Scab Powdery mildew
Beacon
3
S
S
--
--
Cortland
4
I
I
S
S
Duchess
4
I
I
--
--
Fireside
4
S
I
I
--
Golden Delicious
--
I
I
I
I
Haralson
3
R
I
I
R
Honeycrisp
3
R
--
R
I
Honeygold
4
S
I
I
R
Keepsake
4
I
R
I
--
Lakeland
3,4
S
S
I
--
Lodi
3,4
S
I
S
--
Mantet
3
S
I
--
--
McIntosh
4
I
R
S
R-I
Minjon
3,4
I
I
I
--
NW Greening
4
R
R
--
--
Oriole
3,4
S
I
S
S
Paulared
4
S
I
R
I
Prairie Spy
4
S
I
S
--
Red Baron
3
R
I
--
--
Red Delicious
--
R
R
I-S
I-R
Redwell
3,4
I
I
--
--
Regent
--
I
R
--
--
Spartan
--
R
I
I
R
State Fair
3
I
I
S
--
Sweet Sixteen
3
I
I
I
--
Viking
4
I
I
I
R
Wealthy
4
S
S
I
I
Wolf River
4
I
I
R
R
Zestar!
3
I
--
I
--
EDIBLE CRABAPPLES
Centennial
3
I
--
--
--
Chestnut
3
R
--
I
--
Dolgo (for jelly)
2
R
I
R-I
R
Whitney
3
I
I
--
--




P244A
Revised 4/2000
Chad Behrendt, Crystal Floyd



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