| Rank | Name | 1. Apple Scab | 2. Fire Blight | 3. Powdery Mildew | 4. Cedar Rust |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yates | Very Resistant | Very Resistant | Very Resistant | Very Resistant |
| 2 | Keener Seedling | Very Resistant | Very Resistant | Very Resistant | Very Resistant |
| 3 | Harrison | Very Resistant | Very Resistant | Resistant | Very Resistant |
| 4 | Franklin Cider | Immune | Very Resistant | Unknown | Immune |
| 5 | Bramley’s Seedling | Very Resistant | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant |
| 6 | Claygate Pearman | Very Resistant | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant |
| 7 | Redfield | Very Resistant | Resistant | Unknown | Unknown |
| 8 | Court Pendu Plat | Very Resistant | Moderate Resistance | Very Resistant | Resistant |
| 9 | Dabinett | Resistant | Very Resistant | Resistant | Resistant |
| 10 | Black Oxford | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant | Very Resistant |
| 11 | Hudson’s Golden Gem | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant |
| 12 | Williams Favorite | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant |
| 13 | Grimes Golden | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant |
| 14 | Hubbardston | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant |
| 15 | Gilpin | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant |
| 16 | Campfield | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant |
| 17 | Belle De Boskoop | Resistant | Resistant | Unknown | Unknown |
| 18 | Whitney | Moderate Resistance | Resistant | Moderate Resistance | Moderate Resistance |
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At least some sources indicate potential susceptibility to fireblight, but the follow have some resistance to other diseases:
| Name | 1. Apple Scab | 2. Powdery Mildew | 3. Cedar Rust |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolf River Apple 3-8 | Very Resistant | Very Resistant | Resistant |
| King David Apple 4-8 | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant |
| Grimes Golden Apple 5-8 | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant |
| Golden Russet American 4-7 | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant |
| Ashmead’s Kernel 4-8 | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant |
| Prima Apple (Co-op 2) 4-8 | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant |
| Duchess of Oldenburg 3-8 | Resistant | Resistant | Resistant |
| Pristine Apple (Coop 32) 5-8 | Immune | Resistant | Unknown |
| Sir Prize (Co op 5) 5-7 | Immune | Resistant | Susceptible |
| Dayton Apple (Co-op 21) 5-9 | Immune | Resistant | Susceptible |
| York Imperial Apple 4-9 | Resistant | Resistant | Susceptible |
| Bedan Cider Apple 5-8 | Resistant | Unknown | Unknown |
| Porters Perfection Apple 5-7 | Resistant | Unknown | Unknown |
| Jonafree Apple (Co-op 22) 3-7 | Resistant | Susceptible | Resistant |
| Yellow Transparent 3-9 | Resistant | Susceptible | Resistant |
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Where are these lists coming from?
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I conducted my own research consulting all of the online sources I could find.
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Blue Hill Wildlife Nursery offers an apple tree find they have named “Big Ten” and have described its disease resistance as:
“… this tree is immaculate in a no-spray situation, with all major apple tree diseases heavily present within the immediate area.”
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On the east coast rots are often the more pressing concern. That is something that nobody ever talks about in their descriptions.
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Yeah, I found only occasional notes on rots, so I didn’t include it in my research project. Why on the east coast in particular? What circumstances make rot more threatening?
Not sure, but it’s the same with stone fruits. Rots destroy whole crops of some varieties if not sprayed.
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Century Farms Orchards indicates the following are all very disease resistant:
Old Fashioned Limbertwig
Old Fashioned Winesap
Kinnaids Choice
Joseph’s
Virginia Beauty
Aunt Rachel
Mary Reid
Bevan’s Favorite
William’s Favorite
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Great info. Thanks for posting it.
Summer rots for apples are not a problem for commercial growers. In general, they spray more into Summer and are able to control the Summer rots. Home growers spray less and not much in Summer so they often suffer from Summer rots. Also the farther South you are the more likely Summer rots will be a problem.
Since commercial growers don’t have problems I don’t think there is much research into Summer rots and that translates into fewer apple cultivars having ratings for Summer rots. This is true for other “minor” diseases like frog eye leaf spot.
This thread talks about Summer rots and has two lists of apples with Summer rot resistance levels.
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I would be skeptical when it comes to claims of broad range disease resistance in apples unless there is really good test data. It is easy to claim it but much harder to produce a tree that actually has it. The only tree I know of that has good resistance to the four major apple diseases and Summer rots is William’s Pride. And I have looked everywhere. You are typically lucky to get resistance to three diseases and many apples have resistance to two or less.
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Thank you @Loren for compiling these various lists. The rots here in 8A, west central Georgia, have been the biggest issue. I’ve grown Arkansas Black, two unknown Southern heirlooms, one of which is probably Mammoth Blacktwig, Enterprise, Pink Lady, Liberty, Grimes Golden, and Gold Rush. All of them suffer from summer rots, but Goldrush has been the worst by far. It has become ungrowable here without synthetic sprays, as it will set well, the apples will look great, and then every single one will rot before they ripen. Making sure there is no rotting fruit that overwinters on the ground or tree has not helped. There’s a discussion about Bitter Rot and Marsonnia Leaf Blotch at Marsonnina Leaf Blotch- 2023 - Guides - Growing Fruit you may find interesting.
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Super lists- that’s a lot of work to research and compile. Well done!
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I have five of those from Century Farms on MM111 and I concur. I like Bevan’s Favorite especially because as such an early apple it avoids all of the late summer diseases too. A pretty, tasty, medium sized apple that’s ripe in July. What’s not to love!
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I’m reading this years later, but very helpful as I plan for my triumph g.41, Crimsoncrisp g.214 and Galarina g.214 that I’m getting in a few weeks and was going to plant as a trio (pruning appropriately). I have Holistic Gardening arriving tomorrow to devour and figure out what I need on hand. It’s so great to read that you’ve done your own side by side experiment and it is going great!! Do you think the regimen would work to control CAR on serviceberries? I have two that got infected last year, so that’s my biggest concern for the Crimsoncrisp and triumph (and wanting to get to eat some serviceberries!)
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If Michael Phillip’s theory is correct, that establishing a colony of “good” bacteria covering the surface of the leaves… Prevents the CAR fungal spores from gaining a foothold. Then it seems like that would likely hold true for any non-Apple species that CAR can affect as well.
Good luck.
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supposedly spraying leaves with compost tea helps protect in that way. not just for CAR either. i plan to try this this summer.
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Of all the ‘hippie permaculture stuff’ out there, compost tea is the one I have the most reservations about. There are so many variables including efficacy based on timing, O2 levels of the tea to limit proliferation of reducing conditions, and a bunch of other things I could talk about for longer than anyone would listen.
THAT SAID… I have seen what fresh, bubbling spent mushroom compost can do to treat mine drainage, and it’s no joke. Sometimes up to 1,000% or more of expected designed treatment capabilities for the first 6-18 months a system is put online, so those ‘bugs’ (bacteria) are definitely doing something.
Definitely a facet of permaculture practice that deserves a significant amount of research to learn more about, for the benefit of all.
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im not completely sold on it either. why i haven’t tried it yet. im not willing to sacrifice the health of a expensive tree until i know it actually works. the science behind it seems sound but im still on the rocks about it.
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