A strain is a known cultivar that differs in some way from the natural vegetative characteristics of the original cultivar. The difference may be in fruit color development, fruit maturity or growth habit. For example ‘Daybreak Fuji’ is an early maturing strain of ‘Fuji’. ‘Super Chief Delicious’ is a strain of ‘Red Chief Delicious’. For some cultivars, there are hundreds of strains that have been found over the years, some of which are no longer commercially available as better strains …
How do I select the best "strain" of an apple cultivar?
In selecting the best strain of a cultivar it is important to talk to other fruit growers, cooperative extension personnel and nursery owners. Solicit advice from these groups that know your local growing conditions. Check to see if any of these people have trees of the strain you are interested in and visit their orchards to see fruit on the trees. If you are looking to plant large acreage of a particular strain you should set out a few trees, …