East Malling Research (EMR), the Horticultural Development Company (HDC) and the International New Varieties Network (INN) have launched a Rootstock Club charged with worldwide breeding, developing, distributing and commercialising new rootstock breeding material from EMR.

As the UK licensee for the East Malling Rootstock Club (EMRC), the HDC can now make profitable new rootstock products released from EMR’s programme, widely available to UK levy payers. This is unlike the current situation with scion material, where availability is often limited due to private club licensing agreements.

The Rootstock Club will give EMR access to excellent distribution networks at an early stage in variety development and quicker routes to market internationally. The INN has members in the USA, Chile, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and throughout Europe. In each country, members can produce virus-free (VF) certified rootstocks and premium quality VF certified finished trees. Members can arrange, evaluate and select from early trials established under their country’s specific growing conditions.

Concentration on rootstock breeding is a refocus of EMR’s tree fruit strategy since membership of the now defunct Apple and Pear Breeding Club (APBC), where objectives included scion, as well as rootstock breeding. It also aligns EMR with the current research funding strategy of Defra, which is concentrated around environmental and climate change issues.

Dr Colin Gutteridge, chief executive officer at EMR, said: “We are delighted that we have been able to continue rootstock breeding and selection at East Malling, which has a long and famous association with successful rootstock development. Our partners, Defra, the HDC and INN, have shown commendable commitment to the strategic importance of developing new generations of rootstocks that are adapted to key aspects of climate change such as water use efficiency. We are sure that we have an exciting period of development ahead of us which will lead to the next generation of commercial rootstocks.”

Pipeline material developed by the APBC is now available for evaluation and will form the basis of the new targeted rootstock improvement programme of the EMRC. The EMRC will complete the evaluation of current APBC apple, pear and quince rootstock pipeline material with the aim of producing a range of apple, pear and quince rootstocks with desirable size control, precocity and productivity with resistance to diseases and pests where applicable.

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