The successful development and commercial licensing of a Christmas tree species that will hold its needles longer to allow for earlier shipping was recently announced at Dalhousie University’s Agricultural Campus in Bible Hill, N.S., the Chronicle Herald reports.
The new trees could have great benefit to the province’s Christmas tree industry.
“These new trees will stay fresh longer, which will increase marketability and the potential for exporting,” said Navdeep Bains, minister of innovation, science and economic development, said at the press event.
The new SMART Balsam Fir tree, which was developed by Dr. Rajasekaran Lada and his research team at Dalhousie’s Christmas Tree Research Centre, is said to last 55 days longer than the average Christmas tree before it begins to lose its needles.
Read the full article here.