Impact of climate change on apple fruit production in diverse cultivars

The University of Reading is the scientific curator of the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale in Kent, a collection of several thousand diverse cultivars of apples, pears, cherries and other top fruits. A major climate change impact study has recently begun there with over 25 diverse cultivars of apples in a large modified-environment orchard study in the investigating the potential impacts of increase in temperature and of modified rainfall patterns on apple production. There is an opportunity for PhD level study in genetic and environmental effects on apple production and fruit quality.