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When 8011-3 trees are three or four years old, cracking appears on the trunk above the graft union. PC 8011-3 originated from a cross of "In the last three to four years, two numbered selections made at Prosser by cherry breeder Dr. Tom Toyama in 1980, five years before he retired. The seedling was evaluated for about a decade, and second-test trees were planted at Prosser in 1990. The fruit ripens more than a week earlier than Rainier, with picking beginning they looked really bad, and we've taken them all out." —Lynn Long on June 13 in Prosser, on average. It has the same susceptibility to rain cracking and bruising as Rainier, and a firm, crisp texture. Flavor is said to be superior to Rainier. Whiting said it was suspected that a virus might be responsible for the prob- lems with the trees, so some wood was put through thermotherapy at the Clean Plant Center of the Northwest at Prosser. Four years ago, the virus-treated budwood was used to make several trees on Mazzard and Gisela 6 for testing at Prosser alongside trees made from infected wood, Whiting said. This year, trees from virus-treated wood are showing identical symptoms to trees made from untreated wood. Bill Howell, who is now retired from the Clean Plant Center, said it had been assumed that the problem was a virus, but the treatment seemed to make no dif- ference. He noted that the original seedling of 8011-3 had a "funny look" to the trunk. Although a scion-rootstock incompatibility has been considered as a possible cause, symptoms have been seen on trees on all different rootstocks, including Mazzard, Gisela 5 and 6, Edabriz, and Krymsk, Whiting said. Dead trees Mark Hanrahan of Buena, said he picked up some bargain 8011-3 trees on G.6 rootstocks eight years ago and planted a 3-acre block, which was on a windy site, and a 1.5-acre block in a more sheltered location. Hanrahan said the trees grew like weeds at first, but set very little fruit despite lots of flowers. By year three, he started to see blank wood. In year four, the trees produced a small crop of cherries peaking on 9 row, with some as large as 7.5 row, but started to crack around the graft union. In year five, the trees produced another small crop of extremely large fruit but were visibly declining. By year six, he had to install a trellis to hold up the trees, as they continue to decline or die. Still, the crop was less than a ton per acre. By year seven, 40 percent of the trees in the three-acre block had died, but the surviving trees set a monster crop and looked healthier, and he made money from the block. This year, he replaced the dead trees with Early Robin and he hopes to stop the decline of the remaining trees. Lynn Long, Oregon State University extension educator in The Dalles, said he planted 8011-3 on Gisela 6 in a variety trial in about 2000. The trees looked fine for a number of years, even after WSU made the decision to pull back on the vari- ety. But several years ago, the trees started to go downhill with a lot of blind wood and weak growth, even though there were no symptoms on the trunk. "In the last three to four years, they looked really bad, and we've taken them all out," he said. Omeg said his family's block was probably planted at around the same time, with the trees on either G.12 or G.6. After about year three, the trees began to col- lapse and runt out. They cut the trunks at the graft union to see if there were signs of incompatibility but saw none. Great cherry Omeg said he and his father had high hopes for the cherry initially. "I remem- ber my dad talking about them and really thinking this might be a great cherry to try," he said. Hanrahan said the cherry gives consumers an exceptional eating experience and the fruit has a long harvest window, which is a great advantage to the grower. Howell said the fruit has exceptionally good flavor and crunch. "It has a nice snap when you bite this cherry, and a lot of people enjoy that," he said. "If it hangs long enough on the tree, it gets a sweet flavor, but a little different flavor from Rainier." "I liked the cherry," Long said. "I thought it was very promising. The quality of the cherry was high." "It's still one of my favorite cherries for eating," said Whiting, who thinks the eating quality is better than Rainier. • WHY IN-PLACE? MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE. INCREASED DEPOSITION. BETTER COVERAGE. FOR MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE OF SPRAY SOLUTION IN-PLACE® is a deposition aid and drift management agent which reduces evaporation and drift of chemicals while increasing coverage and adherence on the target area by utilizing the best Drift Reduction Technology from Wilbur-Ellis Company. Increases Deposition Improves Coverage More Product on Target Maximum Performance For information only. Not a label. Prior to use, always read and follow the product label directions. WILBUR-ELLIS Logo, Ideas to Grow With and IN-PLACE are registered trademarks, and Every Tank Every Time is a trademark of Wilbur-Ellis Company. K-0512-313 www.goodfruit.com GOOD FRUIT GROWER JUNE 2012 27 Photo BY Mark hanrahan