US researchers Prof Lynn Long & wife Marlene gave excellent presentations at a recent field day.
Presentation highlights
Variety, rootstocks and yield
Scientists at Michigan State University have been trialling and just released in the USA, five sour cherry rootstocks that are dwarfing. They are Cass, Clare, Crawford, Clinton and Lake—all named after Counties in Michigan.
Other trials in the USA’s north-west showed that over a number of years, the average yield for the cultivar Regina on Mazzard rootstock was two kilograms per tree; on Krymsk 5 and Krymsk 6 rootstocks, the average yield was seven to eight kilograms per tree; while Gisela 12 regularly produced 12 kilograms per tree.
The difficulty with Regina is that it has a short ovulation period, which passes quicker in warmer weather. The product, Retain, is used to extend the flowering viability of Regina and other cultivars with similar fruit set problems.
For mainstream cultivars such as Bing and Lapins, the rootstock that produced a combination of high production with large fruit was Gisela 8.
Fruit growing tips
Renew all fruiting wood in the tree every five years on a rotational basis whatever the growing system.
Search online for Lynn Long at OSU to find manuals for pruning and more. Search for Gisela cherry and look for videos featuring Greg Lang of Michigan State University.
Post harvest tips
Marlene Long, Greg’s wife is a post harvest specialist and she presented some tips:
Lapins is harvested at colour 5.5
Sweetheart is harvested at 4.5
Do not harvest when temperatures exceed 29C
For each hour that harvested cherries stay in the orchard, one day of shelf life is lost.
Orchard tour
An orchard tour led by Chris Turnbull at Turnbulls Orchards followed the presentations. Much discussion took place with Lynn.
This was a great day, and those who missed it should search out further information on the web.
The Long’s visit to Tasmania, New South Wales and Victoria was part of the National Cherry Development program of the Cherry Growers of Australia, funded by the cherry levy and Horiculture Australia Limited.
For information, see Tree Fruit October 2014
