Rootstock

When growing apple trees, farmers can’t simply drop a seed in the ground and expect to grow a tree identical to the parent; this is due to several genetic factors. In order to get a second generation of the same tree, a cutting from the original must be grafted onto very specific rootstock. The rootstock determines how tall the tree will get (dwarf, semi-dwarf, or full size) and will cause the correct genetic lines to pass to grow the desired fruit. Without grafting, a tree might grow, but ei...