WA 64 is an attractive pink blushed apple with outstanding eating quality, being both firm and tasty. WA 64 is a Washington State University (WSU) apple release that originated from a cross between Honeycrisp and Cripps Pink in 1998. After several months in refrigerated storage, the apple has very little reduction in quality, particularly firmness. It is suited to the fresh market from a couple of months following harvest in late September through long-term storage.
The WA 64 tree is a type III bearer, similar to Golden Delicious, with medium vigor. Like WA 38, the tree is ‘self-thinning’ to singles and doubles. This symmetrical apple is small to medium, and round with 40 to 70% of the surface covered with a pink blush over a yellow background. It colors well and easily, if exposed to direct light. Skin finish is good with very little russet or bitter pit and very little sunburn in the apple growing regions of central Washington. The fruit matures evenly, is not prone to preharvest drop and can be harvested in one pick if the canopy structure allows for light exposure. Harvest date is similar to Golden Delicious in central Washington.
Sensory and instrumental evaluations of crispness, juiciness, and hardness show the exceptional eating characteristics of WA 64, which is slightly less hard but considerably more crisp and juicy than Cripps Pink. WA 64 also retains these excellent texture characteristics after more than 6 months of refrigerated atmosphere storage. Sensory comparisons with Honeycrisp show that WA 64 is harder and has slightly less crispness and juiciness.
WA 64 fruit has a high pack-out, it’s not sensitive to bruising and handles well on a commercial packing line. It has excellent retention of fruit flavor and firmness throughout storage.
The Washington State University Office of Commercialization (WSU-OC), the licensing arm of WSU, the assigned owner of WA 64, desires to find, through this Announcement of Opportunity (AOO) process, an exclusive licensee to manage the tree commercialization of WA 64, including contracting out the propagation of trees to nurseries and others, sublicensing to growers, trademark management, royalty collection, etc. WSU is not looking for the offeror under this AOO to be involved in sales and marketing of the fruit produced by the WA 64 trees, or assistance in the naming of the trademark for WA 64. WSU-OC encourages the submission of proposals by qualified offerors: individuals, individual companies, groups of companies, cooperatives, groups of individuals and/or companies banding together under a cooperative arrangement, etc.
For more information: commercialization.wsu.edu