Pollination & Climate S-genotype screen • Local bloom dates required

Apple Pollination & S-Allele Compatibility Matrix

Compare named apple cultivars genetically, then check overlap using your own observed flowering dates. Unreviewed genotypes are labelled.

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Optional: enter observed dates from the same site and season. Leaving them blank means flowering overlap is unknown.

Pollination needs more than a compatible name
Pollination needs more than a compatible nameScreen genetic compatibility, then check whether the two cultivars bloom together locally and whether pollinators can move pollen between them. The overlapping bars are an illustration, not a cultivar-specific flowering calendar.Original illustration · Not a field-test photographView full size Download SVG

How this tool works

Apples exhibit gametophytic self-incompatibility controlled by S-alleles. A pair with no shared S-alleles has full S-locus compatibility; one shared allele is a partial match. This genetic screen does not measure pollen quantity, bee activity, frost, rain, temperature, or actual local flowering dates. Triploids often have poor pollen viability and should not be relied upon as donors.

Assumptions & Physical Constraints:

The tool distinguishes S-locus genetics from actual local bloom. Four older entries remain selectable but their genotypes are not re-certified here. The 12 reviewed genotype entries follow WSU Table 2. Dates are entered by you, not fetched from weather data, and must be from one season.

Honeycrisp (S2 S24): Fully compatible with Fuji (S1 S9) and Granny Smith (S3 S23). Semi-compatible with Gala (S2 S5).
Rule-set status: Interface/model revision 4.2.0 • September 6, 2026. Sources and limitations below; this date is not a field-trial date.
Sources and model basis: WSU: Cross-compatibility of apple cultivars and pollinizers, Table 2. Local flowering dates are user observations, not part of the WSU genotype table.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should Jonagold be used as the pollen donor for Honeycrisp?

No. Jonagold is triploid and is considered a poor or unreliable pollen donor. Plant compatible diploid cultivars with overlapping bloom instead.