A Simpler Way to Compare Seedlings
The AG Score helps landowners and forestry professionals compare pine seedlings using the performance traits that matter most for long-term stand success.
The AG Score
The AG Score helps landowners and forestry professionals compare pine seedlings using the performance traits that matter most for long-term stand success.
What is the AG Score?
The AG Score is a weighted index that combines four important performance traits into one easy-to-understand score designed to help simplify seedling selection. A higher AG Score reflects a stronger overall performance and a greater ability to produce high-quality sawtimber.
Growth / Productivity
How much wood the trees produce
Rust Resistance
How well they resist rust disease
Stem Straightness
How strait the trunks grow
Forking
How often the truck splits into two or more stems.
How was it built?
The AG Score is built using years of regional field data and ArborGen research trials designed to evaluate how pine families perform across different growing environments throughout the Southeast.
By combining regional performance data with long-term progeny testing, the AG Score helps provide a more complete picture of growth potential, stand quality, and overall performance – helping customers make more informed planting decisions with confidence.
What is the AG Score?
The AG Score is a weighted index that combines four important performance traits into one easy-to-understand score designed to help simplify seedling selection. A higher AG Score reflects a stronger overall performance and a greater ability to produce high-quality sawtimber.
Growth / Productivity
How much wood the trees produce
Rust Resistance
How well they resist rust disease
Stem Straightness
How strait the trunks grow
Forking
How often the truck splits into two or more stems.
The AG Score is built using years of regional field data and ArborGen research trials designed to evaluate how pine families perform across different growing environments throughout the Southeast.
By combining regional performance data with long-term progeny testing, the AG Score helps provide a more complete picture of growth potential, stand quality, and overall performance – helping customers make more informed planting decisions with confidence.
Designed to Help Customers Plant with More Confidence
Forestry is a long-term investment, and comparing genetics can feel complicated. The AG Score was developed to help simplify that process by providing a more complete picture of overall performance potential across ArborGen pine products.
Rather than evaluating a single trait alone, the AG Score helps customers compare products more confidently based on their long-term goals.
The Foundation Behind Our Product Categories
The AG Score helps organize ArborGen pine seedlings into product categories designed to simplify the selection process and help customers align products with their planting goals.
Open Pollinated
Open Pollinated Pro
Mass Control Pollinated
Mass Control Pollinated Pro
Mass Control Pollinated Pro +
As AG Scores increase, seedlings move into higher performance categories focused on growth potential, stem quality, disease resistance, and long-term stand value.
While individual families may vary by region and availability, ArborGen’s product categories are designed to simplify decision-making and help customers focus on the level of performance best suited for their land and management objectives.
For guidance on region-specific recommendations or individual family availability, connect with your local Reforestation Advisor.
Performance Customers Can See in the Field
AG Score: 100 | 73% STP
MCP Pro+ family block of 150 trees with 73% Sawtimber Potential at age 6 years.
- Sawtimber potential tree
- Pulpwood tree
- Dead tree
Let’s Find the Right Genetics for Your Land
Frequently Asked Questions
Higher AG Scores generally reflect stronger overall performance potential and may provide meaningful long-term advantages in productivity, stem quality, and stand value.
However, the best fit still depends on factors like site conditions, management goals, and regional adaptability. ArborGen offers multiple families within each product category and works directly with customers to recommend products aligned with their property and planting objectives.
ArborGen’s product categories are designed to simplify the selection process and help customers focus on overall performance levels rather than comparing dozens of individual families.
Because family availability, regional adaptation, and site conditions can vary, ArborGen works directly with customers to recommend products best suited for their specific planting objectives.
Yes. Environmental conditions, soil types, weather patterns, management practices, and regional adaptability can all influence field performance. That’s why regional recommendations remain an important part of the seedling selection process.
Even the strongest genetics depend on proper site preparation, planting quality, competition control, and long-term management to reach their full potential.
The AG Score helps evaluate genetic performance potential, but forestry success is still influenced by the overall management strategy used throughout the life of the stand.
Yes. ArborGen continues to evaluate new field data, genetic performance, and long-term research findings as breeding and testing programs advance over time.
As new genetics are developed and additional data becomes available, product offerings and category placement may continue evolving as part of ArborGen’s ongoing commitment to forestry innovation.
That depends on factors like:
- Desired rotation strategy
- Long-term value objectives
- Site quality
- Regional conditions
- Budget and investment level
- Risk tolerance
ArborGen Reforestation Advisors work directly with customers to help evaluate planting goals and recommend categories aligned with long-term management strategies.
No. The AG Score is currently used specifically for ArborGen Loblolly Pine product categories. Hardwood and specialty seedling recommendations are typically based on factors like species selection, site suitability, habitat goals, and regional adaptability.
Get ArborGen's 2026 Seedling Catalog INSTANTLY!
From advanced MCP® genetics to hardwood and specialty seedlings, our product catalog provides a deeper look at the solutions available for your land and goals.
Seedling Care & Planting Guide
A practical guide covering seedling handling, storage, planting techniques, and best practices designed to help support successful stand establishment in the field.
Daily Seedling Planting Log
A printable tracking tool designed to help planting crews and forestry professionals monitor daily planting conditions, seedling handling, weather, and operational details throughout planting season.
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