Why are there so many types of apples? - Theresa Doud

譯者: Ashley WU 審譯者: Helen Chang

當你走進超市的時候， 你是否想過：

Have you ever walked into a grocery store

and wondered where all those variety of apples came from?

這麼多不同種類的蘋果 是從哪兒來的？

You might find SnapDragon,

你能在超市找到各種蘋果， 例如：驍龍、

Pixie Crunch,

嘎吱小精靈、

Cosmic Crisp,

星際脆、

Jazz,

爵士，

or Ambrosia

或是安波爾西亞。

next to the more familiar Red Delicious and Granny Smith.

它們就擺在常見的五爪蘋果， 以及俗稱「史密斯奶奶」的青蘋果旁邊。

These delightfully descriptive names

以上這些討人喜歡的稱呼，

belong to just a handful of the over 7,500 apple varieties in the world.

僅僅是世界上 7500 多種蘋果 當中的一小部分。

This huge diversity exists largely because of humanity's efforts to bear new fruit.

會有這麼多種蘋果的主要原因是： 人們付出了許多努力，來培育新的品種。

Fruit breeding is a way to fulfill the expectations of farmers and consumers

對於追求著各種特色蘋果的 果農和消費者，

who seek specific qualities in an apple.

能滿足他們期望的方式， 就是「果樹育種」。

一方面，果農希望蘋果 具有抗病能力和易保存的特質。

On the one hand, farmers may want them to be disease-resistant and to store well.

On the other, consumers are swayed by appearance, taste, and novelty.

另一方面，消費者注重的是 蘋果的外觀，口味和新穎性。

所以，培育者必須考慮到 各式各樣的需求，

So, breeders have to consider everything

from how well apples grow in certain climates

除了關注蘋果 在特定環境下的生長狀況，

to their color, taste, and size.

還要關注它的顏色、口味和尺寸。

And sometimes finding the perfect fit means breeding something new.

而且有時候，尋求完美的蘋果 意味著要培育出全新的品種。

To create apples with desirable characteristics,

為了讓培育出的蘋果 能擁有令人滿意的特質，

breeders first need to find parent apples that carry those characteristics.

培育者需要先找到擁有 這些優秀特性的蘋果作為「親代」。

Once the parents have been selected,

培育者選出親代蘋果之後，

they have to wait until the trees bloom in the spring.

他們還必須等到春天果樹開花。

The breeder takes the pollen from one bloom, called the father,

培育者會從果樹的花朵採集花粉，

這一棵親代果樹稱為「父本」；

and transfers it by hand to the other parent bloom, called the mother,

並且用人工將花粉轉移到 另一棵樹的花朵中，

這一棵親代果樹稱為「母本」；

through a process called cross-pollination.

然後再進行一系列 稱為「異花授粉」的操作過程。

當母本植株上長出蘋果後，

Once the mother bloom turns into an apple,

the seeds are collected and then planted.

再收集蘋果的種子並種植。

It takes about five years for these seeds to grow into trees that produce apples,

等這些種子長成果樹再到結成果實 大概會花費五年時間，

but because of the way traits are inherited,

但是由於遺傳的多樣性，

all of the seedlings produced will have different sets of genes

所有子代的幼苗都會有不同的基因組

and characteristics.

和特徵。

這就意味著，為了能使蘋果 擁有令人滿意的特性，

This means that to achieve a desired quality,

it takes a lot of offspring,

需要培育大量的幼苗，

這需要培育者具有相當大的耐心。

not to mention patience on the breeder's part.

當幼苗長出擁有理想特質的蘋果之後，

When a seedling does bear fruit with the desired qualities,

it's selected for further evaluation.

這些蘋果將被挑選出來 作進一步的檢測篩選。

Of the original crossed seedlings,

經過雜交產生的子代幼苗，

about one in every 5,000 makes it to this prestigious stage.

只有五千分之一的機率 能到達光榮的最終篩選階段。

They're then sent to new farms

最終選出的幼苗被送往新的農場，

where breeders can assess how various climates and soil types

培育者能在那裡進一步分析

不同的氣候環境和土壤類型 對該植株生長的影響。

affect the plant's growth.

The fruit of the seedling and its many clones

幼苗長成的果實 以及它的許多複製體

must then be collected and sampled to ensure consistency.

會被進一步收集和採樣， 以檢驗其優良特質的穩定性。

培育者會對蘋果的 45 個特徵進行研究，

Breeders study about 45 traits in an apple,

like the texture and firmness of the flesh,

例如果實成熟後的質感和脆度、

when it ripens,

how sugary its juice is,

果汁的含糖度，

and how long it stays fresh.

以及果實的保鮮時間。

Over several years, they weed out all the bad apples,

經過數年的研究和檢測， 培育者將所有的劣質蘋果淘汰掉，

selecting only those whose fruits are the best.

只留下擁有最棒果實的植株。

這些最終留下的優秀植株， 便正式成為一個栽培品種，

These exclusive plants officially form the cultivar,

or new apple variety.

或者是一個新的蘋果品種。

To ensure an exact copy of this cultivar,

為了確保該品種植株的純種性，

all apple trees must be grafted from the original seedling.

所有蘋果樹上的嫁接枝條 都必須來自最初的那株幼苗。

Branches, called scion wood,

從最初的蘋果樹上砍下的樹枝， 被稱作為「接穗」，

are cut from the original tree and grown to generate more scion wood.

接穗會被種植起來， 以提供更多的接穗。

Segments of these trees are then grafted onto root stalk -

然後這些接穗樹枝 會被嫁接到砧木上；

that's the lower section of another tree

砧木指的是從另一品種 所選出的樹體根段，

that's been chosen from a different cultivar

作為砧木的蘋果樹需要有

for its superior roots and growing ability.

發達的根系和卓越的生長力。

最後，接穗和砧木會生長成為

Finally, this fusion creates a new apple tree

with the desired qualities.

具有優秀特性的新蘋果樹。

Each new plant takes up to four years

每株新的蘋果樹需要花費四年時間

before it starts producing the fruit we eat.

才能開始產出我們最終吃到的果實。

Apple breeding may be a difficult art, but it's accessible to all:

蘋果的培育雖然是種充滿艱辛的藝術，

但是培育環節可以分工給：

universities,

大學、

companies,

公司，

and even individuals can create new cultivars.

甚至是有能力培育植株的個人。

But to fully own an apple, the breeder faces a final challenge -

但是在完全擁有某種蘋果之前， 培育者還面臨著一個最終的挑戰：

naming the fruit.

給新的蘋果品種起個名字。

After a cultivar is patented,

在新的蘋果植株獲得專利後，

a breeder chooses a name for its trademark.

培育者會為該專利的商標 挑選一個名字。

That final step grants them long-lasting rights over the apple and its clones.

這關鍵的最後一步，保障培育者們 擁有育出蘋果與其複製的長期權利。

That name must be completely original,

這個名字必須是完全原創的，

and the catchier, the better, of course.

當然是越容易讓人記住越好。

With over 7,500 varieties and counting,

目前已有超過 7500 種蘋果， 並且這個數字還在不斷增加，

that's why we have apples called Pink Lady,

這就是為什麼我們有蘋果 被叫做紅粉佳人、

Sweet Tango,

甜蜜探戈、

奇酷，

Kiku,

和永遠脆脆。

and EverCrisp.

The more we work with nature's bounty to breed new cultivars,

我們培育出愈多新的品種，

the more creative and delectable these names will become.

這些新品種的名字將會變得 越富有創造性並且討人喜歡。