Selecting a grade of tree to order

The Pennsylvania Fruit Tree Improvement Program is a cooperative voluntary program administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA). A Program Advisory Committee is composed of PDA employees, Penn State research and extension workers, and PA fruit tree nurserymen. The purpose of the committee is to direct the programming of the Fruit Tree Improvement Program to ensure that it is addressing the needs of the participating nurseries, that it is practically and scientifically sound, and that it is fulfilling its mission as outlined in the regulations. In addition, the committee is to provide an opportunity for exchange of information among industry, university, and regulatory personnel with fruit tree responsibilities.

Regulations of the program under Section D describe two types of certified nursery blocks. The first is Penn-Premium trees. These have rootstocks that must be approved by PDA and shall originate from registered seed trees or registered stool beds. Registered scion sources are propagated onto these rootstocks.

Penn-Standard trees should use registered scion sources when available. Alternatively, PDA-approved scions also may be used. There are no specifications for rootstocks in this grade.

It is recommended that Pennsylvania stone fruit growers buy Penn-Premium trees whenever possible to ensure that the rootstocks and scions are of the highest quality. Since most apple rootstocks are produced on the west coast by specialty nurseries, quality control in apple rootstocks normally is better than that seen in stone fruit rootstock sources.