Clemson University Musser Farm ‘screenhouse’ helps peach growers

Published: February 7, 2011

The screenhouse at the Musser Farm lets researchers test peach tree varieties. image by: Clemson University

CLEMSON — The renovated greenhouse at Clemson University’s Musser Farm will house a collection of peach cultivars that have low chilling hour requirements — trees that need fewer cold days to break dormancy.

At the Musser Farm in Oconee County, researchers field test more than 350 different types of peaches, including varieties from Italy, China and France. Some of them will perform well in South Carolina; others will not. The goal is to provide peach growers with research-based information so that they can make good decisions for a profitable industry.

Collections of this type are typically housed in a screened environment  — a screenhouse — to minimize exposure to insects and any viruses they might transmit.

The renovation was funded by the USDA National Clean Plant Network, which protects U.S. specialty crops, such as grapes, nuts, apples and peaches, from the spread of pests and diseases. It will be one of three centers in the country that deals with temperate fruit trees: peach, almond, cherry, apricot, apple and pear.

For the past decade, Clemson plant virologist Simon Scott has been testing peach trees and directing the Southeastern Budwood Program, funded by South Carolina and Georgia growers and nurseries in response to the discovery of Plum pox virus (PPV) in Pennsylvania. The program works to ensure that PPV and two other viruses are not present in sources of commercial peach cultivars in the Southeast.

Three nurseries in Tennessee use the tested trees to propagate new planting material. The nurseries annually produced more than three million trees that are distributed throughout the Southeast and to many states nationwide.

After California, South Carolina is the second-largest producer of peaches in America. The peach is South Carolina’s state fruit and the industry brings in approximately $40 million and pay out to other industries, such as freight and labor, more than $50 million.

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