Affordable DNA fruit identification
FruitID.com are repeating their successful DNA testing initiative. Unknown apples, pears and cherries can be registered for the scheme and leaf samples sent to East Malling Research for fingerprinting. The results will be compared to the DNA profiles of the entire National Fruit Collection, some other large collections, and other samples in the scheme, and matches noted. The bulk submission scheme makes it a much more affordable process, and it has some benefits over manual identification.
Last year hundreds of apples and pears were submitted from across the country. The results answered many questions – and asked many more. Over 300 were identified as known cultivars, over 200 were found to be unique varieties not held in the NFC, some being rediscovered lost varieties – with or without their names attached.
If you have a variety to identify, or even a hundred, see FruitID.com for more information.