What is FLVI?
“FLVI” refers to Foundation Level Virus Indexed plant material.
“Foundation Level” means:
All Rutgers varieties have come from the original breeder’s evaluation plot. All Integrity Propagation plants are raised from a stolon that originated from the breeder’s original plot.
Furthermore, all Integrity Propagation nursery plants are propagated from a stolon that was DNA-fingerprinted. This is not practical for field grown plants. This level of DNA evaluation is more thorough than fingerprinting 280,000 samples per acre.
“Virus Indexed” means:
Integrity Propagation mother stock pots are annually tested for all viruses that have been found in cranberries in North America, i.e. Blueberry Scorch Virus and Tobacco Streak. The intensity of this testing is the equivalent of approximately 80,000 samples per acre.
IP mother stock pots are randomly sampled for other viruses that are not found in cranberries, yet are potentially found in other crops, in cranberry growing areas of North America, i.e. Blueberry Shoestring, Arabis Mosaic Virus, Blueberry Leaf Mottie Virus, Blueberry Shock Virus, Strawberry Latent Virus, Tobacco Ringspot Virus, and Tomato Ringspot Virus. The intensity of this testing is the equivalent of approximately 100 samples per acre.
IP mother stock pots are randomly sampled for the phytoplasm False Blossom using PCR technology. The intensity of this testing is the equivalent of approximately 100 samples per acre.
ALL samples taken since the beginning of the program (2005) have been negative for all tests.
The protocol for our virus indexing and PCR testing program is determined by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and the Department of Plant Pathology, Rutgers University.
All testing is performed by Agdia Testing Service of Elkhart, Indiana and the New Jersey Department of Agriculture Division of Plant Industry, with redundancy.
The extraordinary levels of purity achieved by Integrity Propagation is highly appropriate considering the monumental efforts of Dr. Nick Vorsa, over a 25 year period, to isolate superior parents of a diverse genetic background, to produce superior progeny with improved traits.
There is strong DNA evidence that cranberry varieties from previous breeding programs have been contaminated with off types from the original release. Any level of contamination will cause a decrease in productivity over time.
We believe that Rutgers Cranberry Varieties are the answer to profitability, especially in situations of oversupply, where low cost producers will be long term survivors.
