Markers, Markets and Validated Nutritional Qualities of Australian Apples

In 2008, Dr Michael Considine established a pathway of research into the opportunity to promote consumption and value of Australian-bred apples through validating and targeting the dietary health benefits of current and future varieties from DAFWA’s Australian National Apple Breeding Program (ANABP). Throughout this time he has coordinated the various dimensions with an excellent team of plant, medical and market researchers, and have reported progress to the WA industry and public through peer-reviewed journals, media interviews, industry newsletters and intensive workshops. The team have been successful in attracting public funding for this research to date, however the present project (Horticulture Innovation Australia) is near the end. There is a need to maintain the momentum of this research, particularly towards outcomes related to Pink Lady and the Bravo apple, as well as work towards more efficient selection of elite WA apples, and more generally to the health qualities of fresh WA fruit.

• There will be a retention of the key research momentum that has been established over the past eight years.

• The underlying goal of both lines of research is to increase consumption and value of WA-bred and grown apples.

• The program would focus on two lines of research primarily:

• Validation of the dietary effects of WA-bred apples on cardiovascular health

• Developing metabolic and genetic markers to identify WA-bred apples with elite levels of quercetin, and underpin marker-assisted breeding.