This variety was created in the USA in 1958 as a result of the PRI disease resistant apple breeding program project, i.e. a project to create varieties resistant to diseases. In particular, creators of the variety worked on the selection of cultivars resistant to sooty scab (Venturia inaequalis). Several varieties were crossed: Rome beauty, Melba, Golden delicious, Wealthy, as well as Malus floribunda crabapple. In the beginning, Prima was very resistant to sooty scab, but over time this resistance decreased due to the mutation of the disease itself.