Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

World

Original Bramley apple tree has fungal infection

The tree is said to have been sown by a girl called Mary Ann Brailsford back in 1809. The tree is located in the Nottinghamshire town of Southwell. The tree first bore fruit in 1856. The taste of the apples was unusual, and the apples were later classified as being of a different type. At this time the land in which the tree was growing was owned by a butcher called Matthew Bramley (hence the name of the apple.) So popular were the apples, that cuttings were taken (named Bramley’s Seedling) and trees established. Today, in the U.K., there are 300 orchards growing Bramley apple trees. Some 83,000 tonnes are produced. Although mostly popular in Britain, the Bramley apple has, in recent years, become a bigger seller in Japan.

Bramley apple is a cultivar of apple which is usually eaten cooked due to its sourness. The apple is commonly used as the fruit for tart, pie, or dumpling. The apples are a vivid green in color, with red patches (which occur on the part of the apple that receives sunlight.)

The original tree is currently in the land owned by Coulson Howard, who inherited the garden and the tree from his aunt Nancy Harrison. Unfortunately the tree is infected with a fungus and the disease is incurable. The editor opf the local newspaper, Mike Sassi (@MikeSassi) tweeted: “So can anything save Southwell’s original Bramley apple tree?” The answer appears to be “no.”

Coulson Howard told the BBC: “It’s all very sad. The tree has honey fungus and I have asked everybody if there is a treatment. All the advice seems to be that it is fatal.”

While it looks like nothing can be done to preserve the tree, biologist Professor Ted Cocking, who is based at Nottingham University, has taken tissue cultures from the tree and he aims to to micro-propagate it to create clones of the original Bramley.

Avatar photo
Written By

Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.

You may also like:

Social Media

Wanna buy some ignorance? You’re in luck.

Tech & Science

Under new legislation that passed the House of Representatives last week, TikTok could be banned in the United States.

Life

Platforms like Instagram and Pinterest often suggest travel destinations based on your likes and viewing habits.

Social Media

From vampires and wendigos to killer asteroids, TikTok users are pumping out outlandish end-of-the-world conspiracy theories.