Scientists are working on a cross between apple and pear

At the academy of Osnabrück, researchers are working on a cross between an apple and a pears. The go…

At the academy of Osnabrück, researchers are working on a cross between an apple and a pears. The goal of the researchers is to breed a marketable hybrid between the two fruit types in the next few years, says Werner Dierend, the academy’s professor of fruit production.

The scientists work together on the research with the breeding initiative Niederelbe from the Altes Land.

It can take several years until the hybrid is truly ready for the market. Breeding a new fruit species takes between 15 and 20 years, Dierend continues. As a side effect of breeding, the new fruit species could turn out to be more resistant to the most common apple diseases that usually afflict conventional apples.

The project is supported by the federal research ministry for three years and with 200,000 Euro in the bank.