Project Number: 1931-21000-017-02
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jan 01, 2005
End Date: Dec 31, 2009

Objective:
To develop through gene transfer, pear trees and pear rootstocks that produce precocious, productive, dwarf trees with high quality fruit.

Approach:
Pear cultivars will be transformed with genes that have the potential to cause dwarf plant growth either as rootstocks or scions. Candidate dwarfing genes will be tested under the control of various gene promoters that may lead to differences in the expression of dwarfing. Certain promoter-gene combinations will be investigated for their potential as rootstocks to dwarf and induce precocious fruit bearing.