Washington’s new apple joining a changing industry

WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) — Blanketed by winter snow, orchards are mostly idle around central Washington, the production hub of the nation’s top apple producing state.
But in a basement lab in the city of Wenatchee, Washington State University scientists are meticulously working. They slice, taste and measure appearance, firmness and crispness of dozens of apples, including a new variety dubbed “Cosmic Crisp,” a name inspired by white pores contrasting against its red skin.
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