In order to characterise a final product, the designations of origin have always sought to accompany the definition of the territory concerned with a range of varieties called autochthonous. But what is an autochthonous variety? In our case, we will talk about the following fruit: the apple.
The term comes from the ancient Greek (autós = self, chthón = earth) and means ‘long-established, indigenous, of the earth’ and refers to the appearance or presence of a thing in the place of its discovery. The opposite of autochthonous is allochthonous, which means that this thing appeared somewhere else far away and is not from the place where it was found.
A close term is ‘endemic’, which means that something exists in a particular area or cannot be found elsewhere in the world. But, as opposed to autochthonous, it could have appeared earlier in another part of the world.
The apple tree hybridised several times with the wild species it encountered on its journey to our European lands
By comparing the genome of different cultivated varieties with wild varieties, it was possible to establish the evolutionary history of today’s apple trees.
Domesticated in Asia some 4,000 years ago, the apple tree hybridised several times with the wild species it encountered on its journey to our lands in Europe, adapting to all kinds of soil and climatic conditions.
Knowing this, the debate of native variety (obtained by genome hybridisation, natural or reasoned) or endemic variety (by genome cloning, by grafting or in vitro propagation) is opened. Note: See the map of the apple’s journey below.
Two phenomena are coming together to profoundly change the future of plant species and apple tree varieties in particular:
a) The warming of the atmosphere leading to climate change, with more evaporation of water leading to profound changes in the water cycle, making it more chaotic.
b) The decrease in genetic variability, a consequence of the demands of modern trade, which influences agronomic decisions.
Climatologists working for the grape wine industry predict that temperatures will rise by about 2 degrees Celsius by 2050. And there will be more extreme weather events.
We know that water stress, sudden temperature changes, untimely rainfall and frost are among the variables that have a profound impact on the balance between sugars and acidity, tannin maturity and the aromatic profile of alcoholic beverages.
A new map of apple cultivation with a 50-year horizon would be practical for decision making, just as there is one for vine cultivation. There is still work to be done.
Will apple varieties continue to adapt to the rapid pace of change in their ecology?
Certainly not, and different tools are being considered by the production sector and pomological research:
– Search for endemic varieties in other areas, historically warmer and drier, and acclimatise them to their territories.
– The genetic factors that influence the phenotypic characteristics of apple trees are now well known. And like GMOs, new adapted varieties could be obtained.
– Acting on soils to manage their water retention capacity, and thus preserve native varieties.
– Automated irrigation, with numerous sensors to save water and thus prolong the use of old varieties.
– Adapt the specifications of the Appellations of Origin to allow other varieties not expressly defined (between 20 and 30% for example) to be used in the production of beverages.
In short, no one seriously knows what the so-called indigenous varieties will be in the coming decades. And, above all, those that will be profitable for fruit growers, profitability summed up in two parameters: productivity per hectare and the selling price per tonne by lorry.
Author: Dominic Lagadec
Source: Anuario Sagardoaren Lurraldea 2024