Apples at the Crossroads: Domestication, Genomics, and Climate Resilience
Thu Jan 08 2026
This event is related to 19 Washington Square North's Faculty Fellows Program.
The apple tree (Malus domestica) is one of the world’s most iconic fruit crops, with profound cultural, economic, and ecological significance. Yet many questions remain about its origins, its domestication history, and its ability to withstand the challenges of climate change. Recent advances in population genomics have revealed that cultivated apples carry a complex legacy shaped by multiple wild relatives, human selection, and historical events across Eurasia. At the same time, wild apple species — the genetic reservoirs for future resilience — are increasingly endangered, particularly in Europe. This talk explores how combining genomic data, ecological experiments, and conservation initiatives can help us understand both the past and the future of apples. By linking evolutionary history to applied challenges, these approaches highlight new opportunities for breeding and conservation, and point the way towards climate-resilient apples. More broadly, they demonstrate how research at the intersection of genomics and ecology can inform climate-resilient agriculture and biodiversity conservation.
Speaker
Amandine Cornille, Associate Professor, Division of Science and 19 Washington Square North Faculty Fellow, NYUAD
In collaboration with
NYU Abu Dhabi Institute
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This event is related to 19 Washington Square North's Faculty Fellows Program. The apple tree (Malus domestica) is one of the world’s most iconic fruit crops, with profound cultural, economic, and ecological significance. Yet many questions remain about its origins, its domestication history, and its ability to withstand the challenges of climate change. Recent advances in population genomics have revealed that cultivated apples carry a complex legacy shaped by multiple wild relatives, human selection, and historical events across Eurasia. At the same time, wild apple species — the genetic reservoirs for future resilience — are increasingly endangered, particularly in Europe. This talk explores how combining genomic data, ecological experiments, and conservation initiatives can help us understand both the past and the future of apples. By linking evolutionary history to applied challenges, these approaches highlight new opportunities for breeding and conservation, and point the way towards climate-resilient apples. More broadly, they demonstrate how research at the intersection of genomics and ecology can inform climate-resilient agriculture and biodiversity conservation. Speaker Amandine Cornille, Associate Professor, Division of Science and 19 Washington Square North Faculty Fellow, NYUAD In collaboration with NYU Abu Dhabi Institute