Fruit breeding is focused on the development of new apple and apricot varieties. As for pears there is still a selection process under way. Fruit breeding develops new varieties with high fruit quality, good productivity and durable disease resistance. As concerns apple resistances, those are considered towards scab, powdery mildew and fire blight. Classical methods as well as molecular tools are applied for selection. The two ACW varieties ‚Milwa-Diwa®‘ and ‚La Flamboyante-Mairac® are successful on an international level. The new apricot variety is called ‘Heido’. Different projects related to fruit genetic resources are underpinning the breeding activities.
Milwa (Diwa®) is the new apple variety from the Research Institute Agroscope. Of the new varieties, Diwa's volume is growing the fastest on the Swiss market. Consumers like Milwa's (Diwa®) attractive, bright red colour.