top of page
Quality Control Laboratory
About
DNA Verification
As the number of rootstocks and varieties available to growers continues to increase it is paramount to ensure everything stays true-to-type. In addition to the stringent inventory tracking that the nursery performs, the QC lab also runs DNA checks on the trees we produce. We verify the identity of our rootstocks and varieties using Real-Time PCR and a technique called High Resolution Melt. This test allows us to determine if there is a "fingerprint" match to an existing established ideotype of the rootstock or variety in question.
HRM results from our Chelan budwood orchard. Using appropriate positive and negative controls all these trees had a DNA fingerprint that matched that of Chelan and was distinct from Montmorency. We use multiple fingerprints from throughout the genome to validate our results. Each line in this graph represents a tree in the orchard​
While HRM is an extremely powerful genotyping techinque, we are always looking for ways to improve our DNA verification capabilities.
bottom of page