1997 New Jersey Apple Thinning Studies with Wilthin Win Cowgill,Jeremy Compton, Robert Best
					Rutgers Cooperative Extension 4 Gauntt Place Flemington, NJ 08822 http://orchard.uvm.edu/win/
		This experiment was carried out in a commercial orchard. The cultivar was 40 year old Starkcrimson Red Delicious on seedling rootstock planted at a row spacing of 20 x 25. Treatments were replicated 6 times in a randomized complete block design with single tree plots. All treatments were applied on May 8, 1997 at 60% - 70% full bloom. Treatments were applied with an FMC airblast sprayer at 170 gpa. The low temperature the day before application was 34 F. Weather at time of application was 600F. The low the day following application was 370F with a high of 650F. A grower applied spray program consisted of normal fungicide and insecticide cover sprays This experiment was designed to include both the Northeast PGR Discussion Group suggested protocol for 1997 as well as other treatments of interest in Northern NJ. Seven total treatments were planned including two Wilthin applications at 60% - 70% full bloom with subsequent treatments planned for 8-10MM average fruit diameter. Due to poor pollination weather following bloom including two frosts, the 8-10MM treatments were not applied as poor fruit set was observed. The labeled rate of Wilthin is 2-3 pints per 100 gallons. As per the suggestion of Entek, the manufacturer, a much higher rate of Wilthin, 4 quarts/100 gallons plus 1 pt/100 Regulaid surfactant was utilized. It was indicated that this higher rate was needed to be effective on the east coast. The day following the application of Wilthin the blossoms were severely burned. However at harvest no statistical differences were observed in average fruit weight or in fruit size at either the 5 or 10% levels between the untreated control and the two Wilthin treatments.
			Means separation by Fisher's Protected LSD, .05% level