Perhaps not exactly the opposite (I'm not even sure how that'd work). Apple breeders do identify favourable traits from existing cultivars, and may then do sel

Perhaps not exactly the opposite (I'm not even sure how that'd work). Apple breeders do identify favourable traits from existing cultivars, and may then do selective back-crossing: https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/844-breeding-a-new-apple-cultivar https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/844-breeding-a-new...