IEB Apple Breeding

Discover the taste of resistant apples

Grow our delicious varieties robust to diseases!

Grow our delicious varieties robust to diseases!

Find out more

Latest news

Minitree visit to the orchard in Střížovice

We celebrated 30 years of collaboration with Fleuren and Minitree
(12 October 2023)

Presentation of our poster about the Lucy apple at XVI Eucarpia Symposium

We attended XVI Eucarpia Symposium on Fruit Breeding and Genetics
(11 - 16 September 2023)

Our station at a glance

In 1955
Dr. J. Tupý and O. Louda established our breeding station

We have almost 60 years of experience in breeding of apples resistant to scab

We breed dessert, columnar, ornamental and red-fleshed apple varieties

About 1.3 mil. trees of our varieties are sold worldwide on average per year

Topaz and Red Topaz
are the most grown apple varieties in organic production in Europe in the last two decades

In 2015
the Opal® apples were sent up to the International Space Station

How do we breed apples robust to diseases?

Over 50 years of breeding apple scab resistant varieties at IEB

The program of the Station of Apple Breeding for Disease Resistance of the IEB is focused on resistance to diseases, especially scab, the most serious fungal disease of the apple. Growing trees resistant to apple scab can greatly reduce the amount of chemical spraying during vegetation that is financially and labor-intensive and can adversely affect the environment. In addition to disease resistance, new varieties must meet the requirements for cultivation properties, particularly yield and fruit quality, in terms of appearance, taste, firmness and brittleness of flesh, shelf life and durability during manipulation. Commercially promising varieties are grown predominantly in organic and integrated production, or in home gardens.

Research

We connect basic research, which is based on molecular methods of identification and genetic analysis of scab resistance, with applied research in which we use our knowledge to breed resistant apple varieties with a commercial potential.

In the basic research we strive to uncover the mechanisms of the Rvi6 gene-mediated resistance as well as its breakdown by new races of Venturia inaequalis.

Columnar apples

We have been focused on breeding apple with columnar growth and resistance to diseases (mainly scab) for more than 20 years. Columnar trees need only little space, minimal pruning and no tree support). Promising varieties for commercial cultivation are mainly grown as dessert varieties in intensive apple plantations, for the production of juices, in home gardens as an interesting solitaire or for planting in hedges. We plant around 300 seedlings annualy, which comprises about 10 % of our total crossings.

Our team

Dr. Jaroslav Tupý

was the founder of the IEB apple breeding, that he initiated over 50 years ago with a goal to obtain apple cultivars resistant to scab, the most serious fungal disease of the apple. During several generations of breeding, he managed not only to significantly increase tolerance to fungal diseases, but also to improve growth characteristics, and bred new varieties with a good flavour, attractive appearance and long shelf life. His apple cultivars are now commercially grown in dozens of countries in five continents.