2004 Annual Report for LNE03-182
Determining the commercial viability of an exclusionary production system using disease-resistant columnar apple and sweet cherry cultivars
Summary
The project manager continued to develop the 5 ‘exclusion’ sites (including 1 CSA farm (Community sponsored agriculture), 2 commercial farms, 1 historic farm, and one research site at Cornell's Hudson Valley Lab.). The disease-resistant columnar apple and dwarfing sweet cherry trees planted in a v-trellis high-density system was maintained for optimum growth in preparation for 2005 fruit production. The addition of wood chip mulches, weed removal, use of the drip irrigation, and development of the fixed-canopy spray system (HVL site only) are being used to familiarize fruit growers with an integrated pest management system to protect against insect and vertebrate pests, hail and in the case of cherry, rainfall, without the use of synthetic and in some cases, organic pesticides.
The winter of 2003-4 was severe, causing fruit tree injury and a marked reduction of fruiting buds on apple and cherry throughout the Champlain and Hudson Valley. The project trees being in their 2nd leaf did not produce fruit in 2004 and plans to conduct pollination and fruit related evaluations were postponed until 2005. Given the lack of fruiting potential and cost of exclusion netting, the placement of netting to reduce insect and vertebrate damage to the fruit was also postponed.
In September of 2003 the pomologist at Cornell’s Hudson Valley Lab resigned to take a position at Penn. State. The replacement of his position has not been scheduled anytime in the near future. This leaves a large void in the project, as much of the data collection required will now require fulfillment by other departments. The Department of Entomology has stepped up to the plate and will conduct the pomological portion of the data collection.
Objectives/Performance Targets
Three regional fruit producers will reduce chemical drift by >95% by eliminating airblast spraying within the production block, and will reduce apple production pesticide load by >50% through the use of apple scab and summer-disease-resistant varieties and exclusion netting. They will also eliminate the use of synthetic herbicides through the use of wood chip mulch. Three participating farm workers will have a safer work environment through reduced handling and spraying of pesticides within the exclusion fruit production block.
Objectives, Spring: 2004
The exclusion production system is to be developed on each of the 5 farm and research sites.
1. The bid process was conducted and a manufacturer of netting, PAK Unlimited, was chosen to produce netted panels to be fixed to the production system used for exclusion.
2. Overhead spray system continued to be developed for canopy applications at the HVL site.
3. Continuation of weed management through the application of weed barrier of composted chipped hardwood for optimum tree growth.
4. Maintenance of plots for optimum tree growth was continued.
Summer 2004
Growers and researchers will begin management protocols while making evaluations throughout the growing season.
1. Researchers to maintain detailed records and costs of inputs to conventional, IPM, and organic blocks while following exclusion management protocols.
2. Pomology team was to conduct fruit tree trunk and canopy volume measurements for growth baseline initiated (Pomologist no longer resides at the HVL and a substitute department will conduct horticultural data in 2005).
3. Entomology team to collect foliar and trunk data. Ground cover management evaluated.
Fall 2004
Year-end report to be sent to researchers, growers and NESARE.
1. Write–up and analysis of data in each area of applicable study for year one.
2. Expenditures for establishment and management of each system compiled.
3. Foliar analysis for nutritional analysis.
Accomplishments/Milestones
Spring:
A total of 93.5 cubic yards of composted wood chip was added to the 5 sites to maintain weed control.
No additional nitrogen was required as manure at planting provided adequate supplies for the second growing season.
Summer:
Technical time spent on weed removal was reduced by 75% from the previous year as reduction in weed composition was accomplished through the use of the second year mulch applications.
Fall:
Soil and foliar analysis was taken and evaluation confirm adequate nutritional status in production plots with higher levels of both available nitrogen and organic matter compared to the commercial plots as well as neutral pH levels.
The exclusion production system was well maintained on each of the 5 farms and research site in preparation of the 2005 fruit production season. Growers and researchers began management protocols while making evaluations throughout the growing season.
Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes
The development of the exclusion system and education of growers to become involved with function of the exclusion system continued in 2004.
Elimination in the use of herbicides to manage weed competition through the use of wood chip mulch and elimination of fungicide applications for disease management through the use of disease resistant cultivars has dramatically reduced the number of chemical applications required for this system of fruit production. Elimination of chemical drift and worker exposure are apparent consequences using this method of pest management. Yet costs for labor in weed management have offset any monetary savings that might have been realized in chemical and application expenses.
Poster display at the NESARE conference and distribution of information regarding the establishment of the project was conducted. Poster kiosks describing the project are established on farm sites and in retail markets affiliated with individual project farms and will continue in the spring to broaden the community awareness of the project and its implication on fruit production, as well as benefits to apple and cherry consumers.
Grower and community interest in non-spray apple production in commercial, historical / visitor based site, and pick you own sites where projects are visible, continue to develop.