Currant, gooseberry, and hazelnut are among the shrubs we will be evaluating under Chicago-area growing conditions. As the heavy frosts come more frequently we are already planning the plantings for next season. But we are also determining the timing and types of data to collect on the 1998 plantings now that we have them in the ground and arranged in replicated, blocked arrays for statistically meaningful comparisons. They've just begun to be put through their paces. Concurrent with observations of the original hybrids will be supplementary projects to evaluate ease of propagation as we work to generate clones of the hybrids which may be worthy of introduction in the current generation.
Tree breeding is a long-term project.
Spring 1994 maple breeding report. New interspecific Hornbeam hybrids bred for improved environmental stress tolerances.