Apricot Rootstock Evaluation Plantings 1994
Pittstown and Cream Ridge, New Jersey

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

Objective 1.

Joseph C. Goffreda, Associate Professor
Fruit Breeder
Department of Pant Science, Foran Hall
Rutgers, The State University
New Brunswick, NJ08903

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

Two plantings were established in 1994, one at the Snyder Research and Extension Farm in Pittstown,
and another at the Fruit Research and Development Center in Cream Ridge. Both blocks consist of
Jerseycot as the scion cultivar on 6 different rootstocks. Recent introductions from the NJAES
breeding program are being evaluated for their scion compatibility and adaptability to conditions in the
Northeast region.
Trees are planted at a 16 x 20 ft spacing, and are being trained Central Leader.
The rootstock research follows 1994 NC-140 Peach protocol for design and data collection.

Report is based on the management and observation of the Snyder Farm, Pittstown, NJ site.

1999 Progress of Work and Principal Accomplishments

All nutrients were applied as per 1998 soil test results and tree growth and nutrient observations
.
Soil applied nutrients consisted only of 30 lb./a (actual) N (broadcast) to the trial this year.

Due to a severe regional drought, no measurable amounts of rainfall occurred between the end of May
and the end of August. Irrigation was applied on a weekly basis beginning 1 June and continuing on a
7 day schedule until 31 August. A full crop and dry weather warranted a precise irrigation schedule
this year, with the stage of fruit development influencing management decisions.

The block was maintained following New Jersey's IPM spray schedule that was determined by weekly
scouting, onsite weather and Skybit predictions.
A handgun application of Lorsban 4E (3 qt/100) was made on 22 September for Peach Tree Borers
and Lesser Peach Tree Borers.

1999 North Jersey Tree Fruit Annual Report⁵³