Sep 5, 2019

USDA-ARS offers public tour of its grape, apple and cherry collection

The public is invited to get an insider’s view of the USDA-ARS germplasm repository at Cornell AgriTech in Geneva, New York, on Sept. 21 from 9-11 a.m.

Attendees will be guided by experts from the USDA-ARS, Plant Genetic Resources Unit (PGRU) on a walking tour of 5,000 apple, 1,400 grape and 130 cherry varieties. This diverse collection, which is the largest of its kind on the East Coast, is vital not only for conservation purposes, but for research and the development of new varieties that benefit growers and consumers in New York state and beyond.

The USDA – ARS, Plant Genetic Resources Unit (PGRU), located at Cornell AgriTech in Geneva, NY is a component of the National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS). The PGRU was formed in 1986 by merging the Northeast Regional Plant Introduction Station (NERPIS) and the National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Apple, Tart Cherry and Grape (NGR). 

The two missions of the PGRU are the preservation of germplasm of selected crop plants and the breeding and improvement of apples. 

No reservations are required for the tour and attendees are encouraged to show up on time. For additional information, please contact Ben Gutierrez at [email protected] or 315.787.2439 for questions.