Why are there so many types of apples?

How many apple varieties are there in the world?

• Around 500

• Over 1,000

• Over 7,500

• Exactly 10,000

What qualities do fruit breeders consider when developing new apple varieties for farmers and consumers?

• Only appearance and size

• Disease resistance, storage, appearance, taste, and novelty

• Only how well they grow in certain climates

• Just the color and sweetness

Approximately how long does it take for an apple seed from a cross-pollinated bloom to grow into a tree that produces fruit?

• About 1 year

• About 2 years

• About 5 years

• About 10 years

What method is used to ensure that new apple trees produce an exact copy of a desired cultivar?

• Planting seeds from the best apples

• Cross-pollination with different parent trees

• Grafting branches (scion wood) onto rootstock

• Exposing seedlings to various climates