From: "Richard L. Wagner" <rewagner@centurytel.net>
To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Tree clones from different nurseries grow differently
Date: Fri, 26 Aug 2011 10:52:48 -0400
Miller isn't the only one making a similar claim. I believe St.
Lawrence does also.
Raising in a colder climate is not going to change the basic genetics.
That requires changing the genetic combinations (genotype) generation
to generation combined with selection. The one thing growing in a cold
climate does is to provide the stress that helps identify which clones
are most vulnerable. In the absence of genetic mutations, naturally a
very slow process, it can only weed out the weakest but not increase
the strongest. Where the plant is grown is not going to make a
difference though how it is grown and harvested may make a difference
in first season survivability..