Good Fruit Grower

July 2013

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Performance report Solid-set canopy spray delivery system looks good in first year of tests. by Richard Lehnert fter a year of work, the team of researchers developing Solid-Set Canopy Delivery Systems has issued its first report—and the results look promising. Control of codling moth and mildew was "not quite as good" as airblast sprayer application, but acceptable, the report says. Coverage for most foliar inputs was adequate. Sunburn protection was com– parable, but postbloom thinning was less complete when materials were applied by SSCDS. Beneficial mite populations were higher. Some things need tweaking as the project proceeds. As part of the project, surveys were mailed to apple growers in Michigan and Washington, asking their opinion about the idea of having an orchard spray system permanently installed in place, rather than driving tractors and hauling sprayers up and down orchard alleys multiple times each season. Nearly 500 growers, representing 40 percent of the apple acreage in the two states, responded. They said they'd consider installing such a system, especially if they already have a trellis system in place to support it. Focus groups in Michigan, Washington, and New York wanted to know more: How much will it cost to establish and maintain? Can it be adapted to different size blocks and trees? How much knowledge and training will managers and field workers need to operate and maintain the system? From the researchers' point of view, the results will help them refine the system. And one more experimental possibility will be tested this year: Can the system be used in the spring to apply water as a cooling mist to delay bud development and avoid late spring freezes? In Michigan, freezes were so devastating in 2012, there was virtually no fruit on which to test the spray system's ability to control insect and disease pests. Most of that work was done in Washington. This spring, dormancy was extended by cold weather, but a damaging freeze did occur on May 13, so test conditions were in place. Moreover, installations have been made at several growers' orchards, so new tests will be made using field-scale, commercial conditions. Evolved quickly The project is being conducted in three states, led by project directors Drs. Matt Grieshop at Michigan State University, Jay Brunner at Washington State University, and Art Agnello at New York's Cornell University. The solid-set spray system was shown in action last year at field days attended by growers. This one was at the Michigan State University experiment station at Clarksville. Already 15 years ago, Agnello had tested a fixed-inplace spray system using irrigation lines and sprinkers to apply pesticides. But when the SSCDS systems were installed last year at Michigan State's Clarksville Experiment Station and Washington State's Prosser site, the design was far advanced from a few lines and sprinklers strung through the trees. The new designs were the concept of John Nye of Trickl-eez Irrigation in St. Joseph, Michigan, and based on work done by Art Agnello and sprayer specialist Dr. Andrew Landers at Cornell University. SAVE MONEY WITH OUR 2015 LA ® GROWING CONTRACTS. GA LE GA ORDER BY JULY 15 ...from our full line of at Highly Competitive Prices. Grown in the U.S.A. H E L P I N G G R O W E R S G R O W ™ | W E N AT C H E E , WA S H I N G T O N P.O. Box 1339 Wenatchee, WA 98807 1/800-572-1553 8 July 2013 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com

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