ORGANIC APPLE PRODUCTION IN THE EASTERN US IS SMALL AND IS MOSTLY BASED ON EXISTING ROOTSTOCKS, WHICH ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FIRE BLIGHT WHICH CREATES A VERY HIGH RISK OF INFECTION AND TREE DEATH.THE INCORPORATION OF DISEASE-RESISTANT ROOTSTOCKS WOULD GREATLY REDUCE THE RISK. NEW RESISTANT, DWARFING ROOTSTOCKS ALSO ALLOW HIGH-DENSITY ORCHARDS, WHICH BEGIN PRODUCTION IN THE SECOND OR THIRD LEAF CAN ACHIEVE 50% HIGHER YIELDS THAN TRADITIONAL ORCHARDS. THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP AND THEN EXTEND TO EASTERN ORGANIC APPLE GROWERS INFORMATION ON THE BEST ROOTSTOCK OPTIONS FOR VARIOUS SOILS AND CLIMATE SITUATIONS.THE RESULTS OF THE PROJECT WILL BE PACKAGED INTO AN ONLINE, SMART ROOTSTOCK RECOMMENDATION SYSTEM THAT WILL ALLOW ORGANIC APPLE GROWERS TO INPUT THE SPECIFICS OF THEIR FUTURE ORCHARD AND RECEIVE A SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION OF THE BEST ROOTSTOCK CHOICE CONSIDERING CLIMATE, SOIL, CULTIVAR AND LOCATION. THE PROJECT WILL SUPPORT OREIGOAL 1. FACILITATING THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENT OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION, BREEDING, AND PROCESSING METHODS; GOAL 4. DETERMINING DESIRABLE TRAITS FOR ORGANIC COMMODITIES; AND GOAL 6. CONDUCTING ADVANCED ON-FARM RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT THAT EMPHASIZES OBSERVATION OF, EXPERIMENTATION WITH, AND INNOVATION FOR WORKING ORGANIC FARMS, INCLUDING RESEARCH RELATING TO PRODUCTION, MARKETING, FOOD SAFETY, SOCIOECONOMIC CONDITIONS, AND FARM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT.OVERALL, WE EXPECT THIS PROJECT TO LEAD TO INCREASED COMMERCIAL ORGANIC APPLE PRODUCTION IN THE EASTERN USA TO MEET THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR LOCALLY PRODUCED ORGANIC APPLES.