Volume 48 Number 1 Article 10 Pages: 37-37
Year 1994 Month 1
Title: The West Virginia University Ecosystem Project for Processing Apples: Comparisons Among 'Liberty,' 'Golden Delicious,' 'York' and 'Fuji' in the First Year of Growth
Authors: AR. Biggs, J.B. Kotcon, T.A. Baugher, A.R. Collins, D.M. Glenn, H.W. Hogmire, R.E. Byers, A.J. Sexstone and G.W. Lightner
Citation
Abstract:
The West Virginia University Eco
system Project for Processing Apples
was initiated in 1989 on a 14-acre site
at the University Experiment Farm in
Kearneysville, WV. In spring, 1990,
the site was divided into six 2-acre
main plots with each plot randomly
assigned one of two treatments, e.g.,
conventional or ecosystem-based pro
duction practices.
A Kentucky-31 (K-
31) tall fescue sod was established in
the ecosystem plots in May, 1990. The
sod was maintained for two growing
seasons in order to increase soil or
ganic matter and to favor develop
ment of nematode-suppressive soils.
Conventional plots were disked and
planted to corn in May, 1990 and
1991, and received fertilizer, nematicide
and herbicide treatments.
In
March, 1992, before planting the trees,
the sod was killed in the tree rows of
ecosystem plots with the herbicide
glyphosate.
In the conventional plots,
alleys were planted with K-31 and a
strip 8 feet wide under the trees was
treated with herbicide.
Each main plot
was divided into four subplots which
were planted in March, 1992, with one of four apple cultivars: 'Yorking,'
'Smoothee Golden Delicious,' 'Liberty'
(resistant to apple scab), or 'Red Fuji
#2' on M.26 EMLA rootstock.
Trees
were established at 8.0 x 18.0 feet
with every tenth tree a pollinizing
cultivar.
The experiment is arranged
as a randomized block, split plot de
sign with management systems as
whole plot treatments and apple culti
vars as subplot treatments.
Incidence
of foliar diseases, European red mite
(ERM), and rose leafhopper (RL), as
well as first season's tree growth and
leaf nitrogen were determined in 1992.
Differences due to management sys
tems included higher leaf N and a
lower level of apple scab in the eco
system plots.
For cultivars, in addition
to resistance to scab, 'Liberty' also
showed resistance to powdery mildew,
cedar-apple rust, and frogeye leaf spot.
RL was similar across cultivars.
All
cultivars showed similar increases in
trunk diameter; 'Liberty' and 'Golden
Delicious' were taller at terminal bud
set than 'York' and 'Fuji,' and tree
spread and numbers of laterals were
least for 'Liberty.'
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