Jonafree

Orig. in Urbana, Ill., by a cooperative breeding program consisting of the Agr. Expt. Sta. of Illinois (D.F. Dayton and J.B. Mowry), Purdue Univ. (E.B. Williams, J. Janick, and F.H. Emerson), and Rutgers Univ. (L.F. Hough and C. Bailey). Introd. in 1979. USPP 4633; 27 Jan. 1981. 855-102 × NJ31; original seedling planted in 1965; a fifth-generation derivative of C.S. Crandall’s Rome × M. floribunda 821 cross. Ancestry also includes Jonathan, Gallia Beauty, Red Spy, and Golden Delicious. Selected in 1972; tested as Co-op 22. <b>Fruit:</b> medium, axial diam. 55 to 70 mm, transverse diam. 63 to 76 mm; roundish to slightly oblate; color 95% medium red without stripes; undercolor yellow-green; smooth with dry wax, generally no russet, glossy, attractive; appearance resembles Jonathan; flesh light yellow, fine-grained, crisp; flavor subacid, moderately rich, pleasant aroma, good dessert apple. Season: with Jonathan. Storage: at lC retains flavor 10 weeks, no Jonathan spot, no shrivel in storage. <b>Tree:</b> semi-spreading, vigorous, nonspur type; field immune to apple scab; slightly susceptible to powdery mildew and fire blight.