North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Dean Kreutzer" <deankreutzer@hotmail.com>]

Hi Del,

The idea of using Amelanchier comes from the studies that were done in 
Oregon, and were published in Temperate Zone Pomology by Westwood.  (Lon, 
please correct any inaccuracies here).  I cannot recall how many different 
scion cultivars were used, but I believe one of them was Comice.  The data 
showed that Amelanchier had one of the highest yield and dwarfing of any 
rootstock.

Also, Wayne Fuhr in Edmonton has been using Amelanchier for pear rootstocks 
for a number of years now, and has had quite a bit of success with them.  It 
is my intention to spring bud 50 cultivars on the Amelanchier alnifolia 
'Honeywood' rootstock, which has very low suckering, and see what happens.  
I'm interested in the compatibility issue, as I may find that certain 
cultivars may or may not be compatible.

There also has been some interspecific hybrids of Amelanchier x Pyrus bred 
in the 80's in Edmonton which I hope to receive some scions to trial.  From 
what I understand, the fruit was very interesting, but not really worthwhile 
besides raising your eyebrow.

I visited Brian Smith, breeder at the University of Wisconsin, and his work 
on stone fruits is mostly with interspecific breeding.  He is attempting to 
breed into apricots a later bloom characteristic by using late blooming 
plums for a breeding parent, for example.  He is trying to bring out the 
best of both types of fruit in his seedlings.  Possibly that is what needs 
to be done here, attempt to combine the best characteristics of pear with 
other compatible fruit.

I am going to breed strickly Pyrus in one line, and the Amelanchier X Pyrus 
in another line.  I've got to give it a try.

Dean

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