A research and demonstration orchard near Ferrara, Italy, is a horticulturist’s dream—a 25-acre plot to study rootstocks, varieties, and training systems for pears, apples, and cherries that’s funded by a private foundation without worry of budget cutbacks. And, how about a $3.5-million donation just for pears for the next five years? Stefano Musacchi of the University of Bologna serves on the technical committee of the Fratelli Navarra Foundation for Agriculture and helps guide research at the foundation’s demonstration block. The foundation was created by the Navarra brothers Gustavo and Severino in the 1920s to support students at the Fratelli Navarra […]