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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Availability of grafting wood from government repositories

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  • From: Clifford Cain - uk yahoo <cc_syorks@yahoo.co.uk>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Availability of grafting wood from government repositories
  • Date: Thu, 01 Apr 2010 21:20:27 +0100

Concerning David's encounter with officialdom, I regret to inform him that the situation is similar here in the UK.
My take on is that it stems from a desire to raise monies, akin to plant breeders rights, to fund projects.  Their take is that it is a result of  supporting "the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture" ( details being found at http://www.planttreaty.org ) resulting in the establishment of a piece of legalese the Standard Material Transfer Agreement.
I have been in the process of developing a 300 apple cultivar collection which was to be grown at three sites, three trees being grafted from one piece of graftwood, in order to remove scion wood variation.  At the moment the project is stalled as I am not able to sign up  to the long list of conditions.
As the collections, here in the UK, and I am sure in many other parts of the world, are government funded, it does seem a shame that they have found a way to stop amateur growers propagating trees and going on to  breed new cultivars.  Especially considering that many heritage cultivars are either chance seedlings or the result of keen amateurs breeding efforts.
My hopes are that this is a new programme and the authorities are feeling their way through it.  My hope is that common sense will prevail.  Or is that just a pipe dream?
Clifford Cain
Doncaster, UK
Where pears are starting to break bud



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