1999 NC-140 New Jersey, 1994 Semi-Dwarf Apple Rootstock Planting
Snyder Research and Extension Farm, Pittstown, New Jersey

Annual Report

Cooperating Agencies and Principal Leaders:

New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Hunterdon County Board of Chosen Freeholders

Winfred P. Cowgill, Jr., * Professor
Department of Agricultural and Resource Management Agents
Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Hunterdon County
4 Gauntt Place Flemington, NJ08822

Cooperators:

Jeremy Compton, Rutgers University
North Jersey Tree Fruit Technician
Snyder Research and Extension Farm
140 Locust Grove Road Pittstown, NJ 08867

Gary Donato, Rutgers University
Plant and Soil Science Technician
Snyder Research and Extension Farm
140 Locust Grove Road Pittstown, NJ 08867

Martha Maletta, Research Associate
Rutgers Cooperative Extension of
Hunterdon County
4 Gauntt Place Flemington, NJ08822

Tara Hausamann, Rutgers University
Plant and Soil Science Technician
Snyder Research and Extension Farm
140 Locust Grove Road Pittstown, NJ 08867

Objective 1.

To evaluate rootstocks and multiple genetic systems in different environments.

1999 Progress of Work and Principal Accomplishments:

Trees were established and trained to a Central Leader training system with a 2"x 2" wood stake.
In 1999, leaders were left unheaded, and are beginning to reach the maximum volume that can be
allowed by this training system. Dormant pruning was done this year to open up the lower 2/3's of the
canopy as well as correct structural defects, and to thin out overcrowded wood in the upper 1/3 of the
tree canopy. Excessive numbers of scaffolds continue to be removed. Overall tree vigor was
moderate for the 99 growing season and cropping on many of the trees was full.

Due to no crop and three applications of Ethrel in 1998, a snowball bloom occurred in the spring of
1999. Chemical thinning was done at early petal fall with 20gm(ai)/A Accel and then a follow up

application of 1 qt Sevin^®XLR Plus/A was made 2 weeks later, during the 8 - 12 mm fruit stage.
Three days of full sun along with warm temperatures during the bloom stage provided adequate
pollination. Hand thinning was completed in the third week of July to thin out overcropped trees and
some of the fruit on one-year wood.

The block was maintained following New Jersey's IPM spray schedule utilizing weekly scouting,

pheromone traps, onsite weather and Skybit^®predictions. European Apple Sawfly damage was
extensive this year.
An application of Lorsban 50WP (3 lb/100) was made on 9 Aug. for dogwood borers.

Stem-end cracking and Internal ring cracking were extensive problems this year.

1999 North Jersey Tree Fruit Annual Report

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