Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/331109
www.goodfruit.com GOOD FRUIT GROWER JULY 2014 29 Early comparisons between WA 38 on Geneva 41 or Malling 9 Nic 29 rootstocks show better canopy devel- opment with better branching, shoot extension, and leaf area with G.41 than with M.9 Nic 29. Cumulative yield for the Quincy trial in bins per acre is based on the 38 trees planted in 2008 on M.9 337 root- stock. The yield per acre is calculated using 1,452 trees per acre and 870 pounds net weight per bin. Data are shown in Figure 4. The fruit WA 38 has not shown high sensitivity to sunburn (compared to Honeycrisp or Gala) nor bitter pit. Storage disorders such as internal browning, lenticel breakdown, soft scald, or superficial scald have not appeared in fruit stored for ten months. Fruit size is moderate to large (with an average of 65 percent or more in the 64 to 80 size range). WA 38 has been picked at starch clearing of 1.5 to 2.0 (see Figure 5) on the Washington 6-point starch scale, which occurs around September 21 in Mattawa to October 1 in Quincy. This fruit has stored with minimal loss of flavor in long-term CA (controlled atmosphere) storage, even when not treated with MCP (1-methylcy- clopropene). Fruit has also been harvested at 3.5 to 4.0 on the 6-point starch scale and stored well in RA (regular storage) through January and CA until May. Although we have used several pick dates in our trials, we have also strip picked fruit and stored it successfully. Trials are planned for the 2014 season to better delineate the rela- tionships of harvest maturity (as related to one pick), fruit history (such as bud type), or crop load to flavor in fruit stored for six months or more. WA 38 eating quality is good when fruit is picked early or late. Consumer taste tests have shown WA 38 apples COSMIC CRISP reflects stellar qualities W ashington State University has named its WA 38 apple variety Cosmic Crisp. The name was chosen to emphasize the apple's outstanding crispness and its Honeycrisp heritage. Dr. Carolyn Ross, a WSU food scientist, led the lengthy naming process and hosted focus groups in Pullman, Yakima, and Seattle, Washington, where participants discussed a list of potential names. Ross said the apple has conspicuous lenticels that some thought looked like starbursts, so participants were interested in names relating to outer space and the cosmos. The "Crisp" part of the name relates to the variety's crisp texture and links it to Honeycrisp, which is one of its parents. The other is Enterprise. In addition, Proprietary Variety Management, which has contracted with WSU to work on branding and licensing of the variety and collect royalties, surveyed shoppers on the potential names. Fruit won't be widely available in grocery stores until 2019. The university held a drawing this spring to assign the limited number of trees available to growers for planting in 2017. —G. Warner WA 38 will be known as Cosmic Crisp. Unmatched Performance, Quality Built and Affordable! ENGINEERING RELIABILITY & PERFORMANCE 2921 Sutherland Park Dr., Yakima, WA 98903 509-248-0318 fax 509-248-0914 hfhauff@gmail.com www.hfhauff.com Best Technology We have been using Victair Sprayer on our own farm for 40+ years. When I went into business for myself, the Victair was a natural choice. It has exceptional coverage (what else do you buy a sprayer for), it's easy to maintain, and using lower HP tractors saves on fuel costs. While in the commercial application business for 35 years, we have sprayed grapes, almonds, tree fruit, citrus, walnuts, and pecans. This sprayer can handle them all. Because of the small droplet technology (50 micron), we can use less water while maintaining coverage and, therefore, less chemicals—usually 30 to 40 percent less. This is the compact sprayer that can really handle the big jobs. It's the best technology on the market. Larry Meisner, Kerman, California H.F. HAUFF COMPANY INC. Figure 3. Secondary bloom and blind wood on two-year-old grafts near Quincy, 2014. Figure 2. WA 38 fruit singles out naturally (Quincy, May 21, 2014).