A professor at the University of Syracuse (United States) is the author of an innovative, but yet ancient, technique for transplanting fruit trees. His work, now used by nurserymen, will allow trees with several different fruits to see the light of day.
Tree innovation this Monday. Fruit salad trees will soon be available. That is to say capable of giving dozens of different fruits on the same branches.
A tree that replaces an entire orchard all by itself. Very practical, it does not take up too much space. However, we can pick plums, peaches, cherries, apricots ... Plenty of food for a fruit salad.
Another advantage: as the fruits are different, they will not ripen at the same time. The harvest will be spread from July to October. So we will have a little bit of fruit each time, which we will eat as we go along. Instead of having to throw away part of it, because we have too much.
How it works ? Is it transgenic, genetic?
No, it's a fairly old technique. It consists in grafting a branch of a species on a different tree. Then the two will eventually merge and create a hybrid. Sam Van Aken, a professor at Syracuse University in the United States, is a past master in the subject. He created trees with up to 40 different fruits. His technique will now be used by nurserymen to offer trees capable of giving, not 40, but between three and ten different fruits.
We can choose the fruits we want (have only his favorites)?
No, they must be from the same family. For example, stone fruits (peaches, cherries, nectarines), or citrus fruits (oranges, mandarins, grapefruits). So impossible to have bananas, apples and avocados on the same tree. However, we are working on it. And if we get there, you might not like it, since it will necessarily be genetic manipulation.