WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A French company has obtained worldwide exclusive rights to Juliet, a Purdue-affiliated apple gaining popularity for organic production.
French company Benoit Escande Editions SARL has obtained worldwide exclusive rights to Juliet, a Purdue-affiliated apple gaining popularity for organic production. The apple is a product of a cooperative involving Purdue University, Rutgers University and the University of Illinois. The Juliet is popular because of its disease resistance and long storage life. (Photo provided)
Benoit Escande Editions SARL has obtained exclusive rights to the Juliet apple, a product of a cooperative breeding program involving Purdue University, Rutgers University and the University of Illinois. The cooperative had received royalties on the tree sales as well as any merchandise sold under the name Juliet, and will now also receive royalties on the fruit.
“The Juliet apple is popular among organic growers because of its many good qualities, such as disease-resistance, lack of premature fruit drop, long storage life and smooth, shiny skin with crisp texture,” said Jules Janick, the James Troop Distinguished Professor of Horticulture at Purdue University. “It is a remarkable apple.”
The Juliet is a “club” apple, which means it is trademarked and grown by a select group. The apples are grown in France by members of “Les Amis de Juliet,” or “Friends of Juliet,” and distributed throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Canada. There are more than 120 Juliet growers in France.
Juliet apples, the product of a cooperative involving Purdue University, Rutgers University and the University of Illinois, is gaining popularity in France for organic production. Benoit Escande Editions SARL has obtained exclusive rights to the Juliet apple. The apples are grown in France by members of “Les Amis de Juliet,” or “Friends of Juliet,” and distributed throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Canada. (Photo provided)
Jean-Louis Escande, the grandfather of Benoit Escande, spotted an apple tree, later named Juliet, being tested at Rutgers University in New Jersey and he subsequently brought it home to Saint-Vite, France, where he found it performed well . His grandson Benoit took over the nursery and conceived that it would fit organic production. It was patented in France in 2004. The scab resistance of Juliet derives from an ornamental crab apple called Malus floribunda. In addition to having a high resistance to scab disease, it also shows resistance to powdery mildew and fire blight.