Search Results
The objective was to test the efficacy of 1-MCP when applied at 1, 4, 7, or 10 days after harvest. At harvest, internal ethylene (IEC) was undetectable in most fruit. There was a large increase in concentration at 7 days after harvest and an additional increased at 10 days in `McIntosh'. In Cortland, IEC was very low or undetectable until 10 days after harvest. After 4 months in CA storage, firmness of untreated `McIntosh' fell below 53 N. 1-MCP applied 1 day after harvest maintained firmness more than later applications. Application at 4–10 days was also effective with little difference between the three dates. 1-MCP was most effective on `Cortland' when applied 1–7 days after harvest. At 10 days, there was a loss of efficacy in maintaining firmness. Similar results occurred after 7 months of CA storage. Superficial scald of `McIntosh' was very mild with <1% of the fruit being affected after 220 days storage and 7 days at 20 °C. Untreated `Cortland' fruit had the greatest incidence of scald with most of the fruit being affected by 200 days. 1-MCP was not effective in preventing scald in `Cortland'.
The relationship of variability in flowering and fruiting habit to canopy position and changing diurnal light and photosynthetic pattern was examined in 7 mature spur-type `Red Delicious'/MM106 apple trees. A .5×.5m column was placed in the north, south, east and west sections of tree canopies. Columns were subdivided by height with 3 study areas located at .25-.5m, 1.0-1.25m and 1.75-2.0m from the top of the canopy. In each, section, flowering index, fruit set, individual fruit weight and size, skin coloration, fruit soluble solids content, spur leaf area and spur bud diameter were determined. Photosynthetically active radiation and photosynthesis were measured from bloom through harvest correlated with variability in flowering, fruiting, spur quality and distribution of growth.
Trunk cross-sectional area (TCA) has been used to estimate leaf area (LA) and yield efficiency but variation in LA and TCA relationships have been unexplored. LA and TCA of 10-yr-old 'Starkspur Supreme Delicious' on 9 rootstocks (STKs) were measured in 1989. LA and TCA of 2-yr-old trees of 3 cultivars (CVs) on 5 STKs were measured in 1991. Regression of LA and TCA was performed for each CV, STK and each CV/STK. On mature trees, LA varied significantly with STK. The number and LA of shoot leaves (LVS) and spur LVS varied with STK but the % of total was not significantly different (approx. 52% spur LVS). The relationships of LA and TCA were linear for mature (r2=.94) and young (r2=.44) trees. On young trees, TCA varied with CV, but LA did not. Both LA and TCA were significantly different among STKs. The linear relationships of LA and TCA had unique intercepts with each CV, STK and CV/STK combination but slopes were not significantly different. Leaf area of Jonagold' and 'Gala' tended to increase more with increasing TCA than 'Empire'.
'Macoun'/B.9 apple (Malus ×domestica Borkh.) trees were planted in May 1998 in ± compost or ± monoammonium phosphate (MAP) for a total of four preplant treatments: 1) 90 g phosphorus (P) per tree, 2) 128 kg compost per tree, 3) 90 g P and 128 kg compost per tree, and 4) and an untreated control. MAP did not increase tree growth or yield in any year of the study. Compost increased canopy width into the sixth year after planting, and increased tree height and trunk cross-sectional area (TCA) into the seventh year. Annual yield was increased by compost in the fifth and seventh years, but not fourth or sixth year after planting. Compost increased cumulative yield in the sixth and seventh years.
Our objective was to determine the potential for acclimation to high temperature in apple. `Imperial Gala'/Malling 26 EMLA and ungrafted Malling 26 EMLA tree were grown in growth chambers under four temperature regimes: 1) 25C for 42 days; 2) 35C for 42 days; 3) 25C for 21 days, followed by 21 days at 35C; and 4) 35C for 21 days, followed by 21 days at 25C. Response of net CO2 assimilation (A) to leaf temperature from 20 to 35C was measured at 21 and 42 days. Response to CO2 from 0 to 1000 ppm was measured at 42 days. Trees were separated into leaf, stem, and root fractions; dried; and weighed. High temperature increased the number of leaves per tree and reduced leaf size and leaf dry weight but did not affect leaf area, stem, and root dry weight. The apparent and minimal acclimation of A to high temperature is discussed.
'Macoun'/Budagovsky 9 apple (Malus ×domestica Borkh.) trees were planted in May 1998 in one of four preplant treatments that were soil incorporation of: 1) control, no phosphorus (P); 2) 90 g P per tree; 3) 128 kg compost per tree; and 4) 90 g P and 128 kg compost per tree. Preplant addition of P had no effect on soil organic matter, P, magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca) in the first three seasons after planting, but lowered soil potassium (K) in the second season. Foliar nutrients, tree growth and flowering were also not affected by P. The addition of compost increased soil organic matter and P in the first season after planting, and pH, K, Mg, and Ca in the first three seasons. The addition of compost increased foliar nitrogen and K in all three seasons, and decreased foliar Mg in the first season. Compost incorporation increased shoot length in the first season, trunk cross-sectional area in the first two seasons, tree height and the number of growing points in third season, and flowering in the third and fourth seasons. Compost addition was more effective than P fertilization for increasing tree growth during the establishment years.
Summer pruning effects on processing peach on fruit quality, light penetration and interception, and % defects was studied in 2 trials. In study A, pillar-trained trees were pruned with the following treatments: a control, summer pruning at stage II fruit growth, summer pruning post-harvest or, pruning twice (all trees dormant pruned). In the first year, pruning prior to harvest significantly increased blush and flesh firmness but reduced soluble solids content (SSC). In the second year, summer pruning reduced yield per tree and fruit drop (weight and % of total) but did not affect fruit size, blush, or SSC. After 2 years, trees pruned post-harvest or twice had significantly smaller height, spread and trunk diameter.1 In study B, 2 cultivars of central leader trained trees were pruned at stage II fruit growth in the following treatments: a control, canopy thinning, and hedging. Thinning pruning improved light penetration and hedging reduced light interception. Thinning pruning reduced % of fungal rotted fruit but did not affect fruit quality.
The relationship of soft scald incidence (SSI) with precipitation, temperature, and fruit maturity indicators in ‘Honeycrisp’ apples was examined using 7 years of data in Maine and 6 years in Ontario, Canada. Relative humidity was also examined in Maine. Soft scald incidence was highly variable from year to year ranging from 1% to 85% in Maine and from 0% to 76% in Ontario. In Ontario, SSI was negatively related to soluble solids at harvest (partial r 2 = 0.50; P = 0.0041) and negatively related to precipitation during 90 to 120 days from bloom (DFB; partial r 2 = 0.28; P = 0.0344). In Maine, SSI was most strongly related to precipitation in the 90 to 120 DFB (partial r 2 = 0.53; P = 0.0001), maximum air temperature 60 to 90 DFB (partial r 2 = 0.21; P = 0.0001), and number of hours when relative humidity was greater than 85% (partial r 2 = 0.11; P = 0.0001).
Preconditioning, holding fruit at 10, 17.5, or 21 °C temperatures for up to 7 days before placement in cold storage, was inconsistent in its effect on soft scald and soggy breakdown in ‘Honeycrisp’ apples in Maine and Ontario. In Ontario, 4 days of preconditioning at 21 °C increased soft scald in 1 year but had no effect in the next year. Five d of preconditioning at 10 °C reduced soft scald and had no effect on soggy breakdown in 1 year but reduced it the next year. In Maine, 5 days preconditioning at 17.5 °C was effective in reducing soft scald and/or soggy breakdown in 2002 to 2007 when starch index at harvest was 5.9 to 7.2. Seven days of preconditioning at 17.5 °C increased soggy breakdown with an early harvest in two orchards but only in one of two orchards with a later harvest. This same preconditioning had no effect on soft scald with the first harvest but reduced it with the second. In the next year, the same preconditioning treatment increased soft scald and soggy breakdown with an early maturity but had no effect with a later maturity in one orchard but not in fruit from another. Conditions during preconditioning and subsequent cold storage temperatures varied from previous recommendations, and this may be why preconditioning was not consistent in our studies and in some cases increased chilling disorders.
Soybean oil can be used as an alternative pesticide for fruit trees. Two separate studies were conducted to determine the effects of oil concentration on leaf phytotoxicity and net CO2 assimilation (ACO2 ). In one study, concentrations of 0%, 2%, 4%, and 6% soybean oil in water were applied to individual shoots with a hand-held mist bottle. In the second study, 0%, 1.0%, and 1.5% were applied to whole trees with an airblast sprayer. Petroleum oil was applied as a separate treatment. Net CO2 assimilation was measured on single leaves. Oil residue was removed from the leaf with chloroform, dried, and weighed. Chlorosis and defoliation occurred with applications of 4% and 6% soybean oil. No visible phytotoxicity occurred with 2% or less oil. Net CO2 assimilation decreased as the rate of soybean oil increased from 0% to 4% oil, but there was no difference between 4% and 6%. Net CO2 assimilation decreased with increasing oil concentration from 0% to 1.5% and recovered to the rate of the control on day 7. Net CO2 assimilation was negatively related to oil residue. At an equivalent oil residue, there was no difference in ACO2 between petroleum and soybean oil. Below a residue of 0.15 mg·cm–2, foliar phytoxicity did not occur. Reductions in ACO2 were small and did not last longer than 7 days if residues were ≤0.10 mg·cm–2.