the Washington state output, and in 2003, the crop had shrunk to 37 percent of the state's harvest, which totaled 103 million boxes. Although Red Delicious still remained the single largest variety produced in the state in 2005, others were growing in popularity, notably the Fuji and Gala varieties. By 2014 the Washington Apple Commission was recommending growers plan to export 60% or more of production. In 2018 the Gala apple overtook US sales of the Red Delicious for the first time. Through 2020 production continued to decline. The COVID-19 pandemic was expected to further continue decline in demand as many cafeterias and other typical sales points for the apple were closed. Sports (mutations) Over the years many propagable mutations, or sports, have been identified in 'Red Delicious' apple trees. Patented In addition to those propagated without any legal protection (or cut out because they were seen as inferior), 42 sports have been patented in the United States: Unpatented sports Well-known but unpatented sports include: 'Hi Early' 'Houser' 'Mood2433' or 'Starking', which colors about 2 weeks before "standard Delicious"1411 'Richared' – brighter red than standard, blush, not stripe 1278 'Ryan' 'Sharp Red' 'Spokane Beauty' 'Wellspur' In 1977, the application for #4159 noted the "starchy and bland taste of some of the newer varieties". The plant patent for #4926 promoted the sport as a dwarfing interstock, a dwarfing rootstock for pears, or to produce "crab apple"-sized 'Delicious' apples. References Apple cultivars with patented mutants American apples Apple cultivars