Oregon State University is evaluating more than 400 potential pear rootstocks from the Horner series in the hope of finding some that will help pear growers to transition to higher density plantings. Janet Turner, a technician at OSU’s Mid-Columbia Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Hood River, said she’s looking for a rootstock that produces a smaller tree than Old Home by Farmingdale 87 does, along with higher early yields (in the third and fourth leaf) and large, high quality fruit. But, above all, it must be easy to propagate to have any potential as a commercial rootstock. OHxF.87 is […]