Tart Cherry Trees Research Articles

Quantitative Survey of ‘Montmorency’ Tart Cherry Orchard Design in Utah

‘Montmorency’ tart cherry trees (Prunus cerasus L.) are grown commercially in the United States in low-density systems. Commercial tart cherry orchard design has not changed significantly over the past 50 years, but there is some variation from farm to farm in management strategies, including tree spacing, training, and pruning, and the resulting orchard production and turnover. Canopy dimensions and dynamics are important considerations for evaluating and improving orchard management strategies but are not well documented for tart cherry systems. Current orchard design and canopy management strategies were surveyed along a gradient of orchard age across five commercial farming operations in Utah. Trunk cross-sectional area and various canopy dimensions, including spread and volume, were quantified to capture tree size and canopy architecture. The survey indicated a surprising lack of deviation in orchard design in the region over the last several decades with higher variation among blocks within a farm than across farms. As a result, the survey revealed trends in tree growth and canopy structure across the range in orchard ages despite differences in management approaches of the surveyed farms. These trends were useful in illustrating canopy development and space fill. Tree age between 11 and 15 years after planting was determined to represent a transition between establishment and mature growth, where canopies filled available row space and began experiencing senescing canopy structure. Based on the distribution of ages captured in the survey, a significant number of orchards in Utah are at an age range of 11–15 years, perhaps contributing to superior yields per land area reported for the region. The confluence of space-fill and canopy development described in this study highlights a critical period for tart cherry orchard management at the transition of canopy establishment and maturity. These baseline dynamics will provide benchmarks for evaluating strategies for refining and improving orchard management systems for tart cherry in the Intermountain West region.

Some features of one-year-old tart Cherry shoots of cv. Sehattenmorelle

The purpose of this study was to obtain data on the relationship between the length of 1-year-old shoots and their fruiting, and both their terminal and lateral growtn produced in the current year. The measurements were taken in 1977 and 1979 from the tart cherry trees of cv. Schattenmorelle grafted of <i>Prunus mahaleb</i> L. or <i>Prunus avium</i> L. grown in loose sandy soil. In 1977 there were more shoots of over 30 cm than in 1979. The longer the shoots, the more lateral shoots were there. Only the shortest shoots (1-10 cm) bore more fruit per unit length as compared to the longer shoots.

Differences in Body Size and Egg Loads of Rhagoletis indifferens (Diptera: Tephritidae) From Introduced and Native Cherries

The western cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis indifferens Curran, infests introduced, domesticated sweet [Prunus avium (L.) L.], and tart cherries (Prunus cerasus L.) as well as native bitter cherry, Prunus emarginata (Douglas) Eaton. Bitter cherries are smaller than sweet and tart cherries and this could affect various life history traits of flies. The objectives of the current study were to determine 1) if body size and egg loads of flies infesting sweet, tart, and bitter cherries differ from one another; and 2) if any observed body size differences are genetically based or caused by the host fruit environment. Pupae and adults of both sexes reared from larval-infested sweet and tart cherries collected in Washington and Montana were larger than those reared from bitter cherries. In addition, flies of both sexes caught on traps in sweet and tart cherry trees were larger than those caught in bitter cherry trees and females trapped from sweet and tart cherry trees had 54.0-98.8% more eggs. The progeny of flies from naturally-infested sweet and bitter cherries reared for one generation in the laboratory on sweet cherry did not differ in size. The same also was true for progeny of sweet and bitter cherry flies reared in the field on bitter cherry. The results suggest that the larger body sizes of flies from sweet and tart cherries than bitter cherries in the field are caused by host fruit and not genetic factors.

Effect of boron nutrition on nutrient uptake and fruit quality of tart cherry in Eastern Hungary

Effect of the foliar boron (B) application on nutrient uptake and fruit quality of tart cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) was investigated from 2008 to 2009 on mature four favourite Hungarian tart cherry cultivars like ‘Oblacsinszka’, ‘Érdi bôtermő’, ‘Újfehértói fürtös’ and ‘Petri’. Tart cherry trees grown in Eastern Hungary (Újfehértó) on an acidic sandy soil with low B content. Trees were treated with B by foliar application (0.5% B) at full bloom and untreated with B served as a control. B sprays strongly affected on B content of inflorescences. However, B sprays had no consistent effect on summer leaf B status. In our experiment stronger year effect was observed at leaf B status than flower B status. The effectiveness of early spring boron applications are limited and mostly affected the flower B status only. Moreover, treatments had inconsistent effect on studied fruit inner parameters. Monosaccharides, vitamin C and organic acid contents of sour cherry were stronger affected by cultivars than applied treatments.

Confirmation of European Brown Rot Caused by Monilinia laxa on Tart Cherry, Prunus cerasus, in Western New York.

Monilinia fructicola (G. Wint.) Honey and M. laxa (Aderh. & Ruhl.) Honey are two pathogens causing brown rot in the United States. While the presence of M. fructicola has been confirmed in all major stone-fruit-production regions in the United States, M. laxa has yet to be detected in much of the eastern production regions. In July 2008, a planting of tart cherries cv. Surefire in Appleton, NY developed severe shoot blight. Blighted shoots (>15% of first-year shoots) were wilted and light brown with the blight encompassing the distal end and often extending into second-year tissue with a distinct sunken margin. Leaves on symptomatic shoots had flushed, but were blighted. Blossom spurs were either blighted at bloom or bore fruit, which were subsequently blighted. Gummosis was commonly observed from cankers at the base of spurs. Both mature and immature mummified fruit in addition to spurs and shoot tissue were sporulating in a manner characteristic of Monilinia (2). Eleven branches displaying symptoms were removed for isolation. Sections of symptomatic shoots (5 cm long) were surface sterilized in 0.6% NaOCl for 1 min and rinsed in sterile dH2O. Cross sections of shoot tissue (3 mm thick), in addition to spores from fruit and spurs, were placed on potato dextrose agar amended with 50 μg/ml of streptomycin sulfate. Following incubation at 24°C for 5 days, 24 colonies exhibiting morphology consistent with that of M. fructicola (uniform colony margin) were obtained, along with nine colonies exhibiting lobed colony margins, commonly associated with M. laxa (3). All colonies resembling M. fructicola were isolated from fruit, whereas those resembling M. laxa were isolated from spurs and shoots. Conidia from both colony morphotypes were lemon-shaped, but those from putative M. laxa isolates were smaller on average (10.75 × 12.0 μm) compared with those from putative M. fructicola isolates (15.75 × 18.25 μm). Confirmation of M. laxa was also accomplished by inoculation of mature green pear (2). Pears inoculated with 104 putative M. laxa conidia per ml produced a region of white-buff colored mycelium but no spores within the inoculated area, while M. fructicola-inoculated pears sporulated abundantly. Identity was further confirmed by PCR amplification of the β-tubulin gene using M. laxa specific primers as previously described (1). Pathogenicity was proven by inoculating flowering shoots of tart cherry trees (cv. Montmorency) in spring 2009. Twenty shoots were spray inoculated with either 104 M. laxa conidia per ml or sterile dH2O and covered with plastic bags for 24 h. Shoots were monitored for symptom development on a weekly basis. Shoots inoculated with M. laxa developed characteristic shoot blight symptoms, while those inoculated with water remained healthy. M. laxa was reisolated from symptomatic shoots and spurs, but not water-inoculated tissues. The presence of M. laxa is reported for the Great Lakes region, which includes New York, but to our knowledge, this report is the first confirmed instance of economically devastating brown rot caused by M. laxa in New York. In the coming seasons, tart cherry growers must consider revising chemical management programs to protect against European brown rot infection during bloom.

A Copper-based Fungicide Has Minimal Effects on Tart Cherry Fruit Quantity and Quality

Copper-based fungicides are effective for managing cherry leaf spot disease incited by Blumeriella jaapii (Rehm) Arx. However, their application has been associated with bronzing discoloration of tart cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) foliage. This work explored the consequences of foliar applications of a copper-based fungicide for tart cherry fruit quantity and quality. ‘Montmorency’ tart cherry trees were subjected to one of the following fungicide programs in 2007, 2008, and 2009: synthetic fungicides only, synthetic fungicides integrated with a copper-based fungicide, or not sprayed. Each year, the number of fruits per shoot and fruit fresh weight and soluble solids concentration (SSC) were measured three to six times during drupe development. Repeated measures indicated no collection date × fungicide program effect on the mean number of fruits (P ≥ 0.48) and SSC (P ≥ 0.14) in all years or on fresh weight in 2008 and 2009 (P ≥ 0.58). There was a collection date × fungicide program effect (P = 0.02) on mean fresh weight in 2007. On 6 July 2007, trees assigned to the integrated copper program were observed having 23% and 27% lower fruit fresh weights than trees assigned to the nonsprayed and synthetic programs, respectively. However, pairwise comparisons indicated no difference in fresh weight between the integrated copper and the nonsprayed programs (P = 0.26) and no difference between the integrated copper and synthetic programs (P = 0.25) on the final collection date of 2007. In 2007, fresh weight decreased slightly (slope = –0.08, P = 0.05) as leaf bronzing severity increased, whereas SSC increased slightly (slope = 0.31, P = 0.06). In 2008 and 2009, there was no relationship between bronzing severity and fresh weight or SSC (P ≥ 0.34). These results indicate that applied copper does not lead to fewer fruits per shoot or reductions in fresh weight or SSC of mature fruit and that the observed range of leaf bronzing severity had little to no influence on fresh weight and SSC.

‘Schattenmorelle’ Tart Cherry Response to Boron Fertilization

ABSTRACT The objective of the experiment was to examine the effects of soil and foliar applications of boron (B) on tart cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) tree vigor, yield, and fruit quality. The study was conducted during 2003–2004 on mature ‘Schattenmorelle’ tart cherry trees grown at a commercial orchard in central Poland on coarse-textured soil with low B content. Trees were supplied with B as foliar sprays or via soil application. Foliar B sprays were performed: (1) in the spring, at the white bud stage, when 5%–10% of flowers were at full bloom, and 5 d after petal fall, at a rate of 0.2 kg B ha−1 per each spray treatment; and (2) in the fall, approximately six weeks before the natural leaf fall, at a rate of 0.8 kg B ha−1. Soil B application was made at the bud-break stage at a rate of 2 kg ha−1. Trees untreated with B served as a control. Spring and fall B sprays increased flower B concentrations, but had no effect on summer leaf B status. Leaf B concentrations of trees with B supplied to the soil were higher than those of the control trees. However, soil B application had no influence on flower B level. Vigor and yield of tart cherry trees were not influenced by B fertilization. Also, mean fruit weight and titratable acidity of fruit did not differ among treatments. Fruit of trees with B supplied to the soil had higher soluble solids concentration (SSC) than those of the control plants. In conclusion, high yield of tart cherry can be obtained on soils with water-soluble B concentrations as low as 0.32 mg kg−1. It is also postulated that at low soil-B availability, under conditions of low-light intensity during fruit ripening, soil-B application increases SSC in tart cherry fruit.

CHERRY, CONTROL OF TWO SPOTTED SPIDER MITE AND EUROPEAN RED MITE, 2003

This study was established to screen new materials and rates of miticides for control of TSSM and ERM in tart cherries. The trial was conducted at the Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Station in Traverse City, MI. Three-tree plots were established in a mature block of Montmorency tart cherry trees, and treatments then assigned in a RCB design with four replications. The test materials were applied at threshold on 7 Aug with an FMC 1229 airblast sprayer calibrated to deliver 60 gpa. Random samples were collected from four areas of the orchard on a weekly basis to monitor TSSM populations for action threshold levels of seven to ten motiles per leaf. A pre-application count of TSSM and ERM motiles was conducted on 6 Aug, and subsequent post-application evaluations were made on 11 Aug (4 DAT), 18 Aug (11 DAT), 25 Aug (18 DAT), 2 Sep (26 DAT), and 8 Sep (32 DAT). On each date, 50 randomly selected leaves were picked from the middle tree of each replicate, brought back to the lab, and passed through a mite-brushing machine. Motile forms of TSSM and ERM were then counted with the aid of a stereo microscope. Since ERM populations did not develop in this trial, no data are reported. All mite data are reported as the mean number of mites per leaf and were analyzed using ANOVA and means separation by LSD at P = 0.05.

Drip irrigation for application of potassium to tart cherry1

Abstract Fertilization of fruit crops through drip irrigation is an efficient method of meeting the crop's nutritional needs, though cumulative effects or interactions with native minerals may be pronounced in the restricted zone of application. Sources of potassium (K) for tart cherries have not been previously compared for their effects on tree performance and possible interaction with other nutrients under conditions of drip application in an orchard. Our objective was to evaluate these factors by drip application of four rates (0, 0.35, 0.7, and 1.4 kg K2O per tree) of three sources (KCl, KNO3, and K2SO4) of K to tart cherry trees during three consecutive growing seasons. Application of non‐Cl sources of K by this method maintained foliar K within the sufficiency range and increased fruit yield in one year of the study, but had no effect on fruit size or quality. Maximum fruit yield was obtained at 1.5–2.0% foliar K. Application of non‐Cl sources suppressed uptake of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) in relation to the amount of added K. High rates of KCl resulted in chloride (Cl) toxicity, suppression of phosphorus (P) uptake, and increased manganese (Mn) uptake during the third year of the study. Drip application of K is a satisfactory method of providing K nutrition for cherries if Cl sources are avoided and foliar K, Ca, and Mg are monitored to avoid excess K rates and related, undesirable interactions.

Cherry, Broad Spectrum Control with Insecticides, All Season Test, 1989

Abstract Mature tart cherry trees in Fennville, MI were treated with insecticides at the rate of 100 gal/acre of finished spray with an FMC 1029 airblast sprayer. Trees were arranged in a completely randomized design of single trees replicated 4 times. All materials were applied on 1 May (white bud), 22 May, 4 Jun, and 28 Jun. Cover sprays of Bravo, Ziram, and Tilt were applied separately to all blocks. Evaluation on 9 Jun was made by harvesting and examining 100 cherries/replicate for presence of plum curculio damage for a total of 400 cherries/treatment.

Tart Cherry, Cherry Fruit Fly Insecticide Test, 1988

Abstract Materials were applied to 30-yr-old ‘Montmorency’ tart cherry trees in an abandoned orchard near Mears, Mich. Treatment consisted of single unreplicated blocks of approximately 0.5 acre each. Treatments were applied with a 32 TGM Meyer airblast sprayer traveling 2.5 mph and delivering 100 gal/acre. All treatments were applied first at petal fall on 19 May for GFW and CU control and then again on 23 Jun and 5 and 19 Jul, beginning 1 wk after the first ammonia acetate yellow sticky board trap catch and continuing through to harvest. Early season GFW and CU evaluations were made on 2 Jun before the damaged cherries could fall to the ground. One hundred cherries per tree were examined for injury from 5 central trees of the block for a total of 500 cherries/treatment. Defoliation ratings for GFW damage were based on a 0-5 scale with a 5 denoting consistent and noticeable defoliation. Late season evaluations of the mature fruit for larvae consisted of blending 8 pints/treatment of cherries in a blender and seiving the resulting slurry to remove the pulp. The remaining material was then examined for larvae. Two control blocks, each at opposite’ends of the field, were used to better estimate differences in the population due to location or soil.

Control of Peachtree Rorer on Tart Cherry, 1988

Abstract Materials were applied to 5-yr-old ‘Montmorency’ tart cherry trees in a commercial orchard near Sutton’s Bay, Mich. Treatments consisted of trees replicated 5 times in a completely randomized design. Materials were applied dilute to runoff to the lower trunk and to the soil in a 1-ft radius around the trunk until each area was soaked. Dates of application were 25 May (petal fall)–peak first-generation American plum borer emergence, 17 Jun–peak lesser peachtree borer emergence, and 25 Jul–peak peachtree borer emergence. Trees were evaluated by digging up the soil around the trunks with garden trowels to a depth of 10 inches and carefully examining the soil for larvae. Then the crown and upper roots were carefully examined for old and new damage and larvae. New damage was distinguished from old by the presence of fresh reddish frass and gummosis. Old damage had either no frass or dark brown frass and no gummosis. Extensive surface damage and tunneling meant that the larvae often had to be excavated with hammers and wood chisels from the roots. A damage rating of 0-3 was assigned for no, slight, moderate, and heavy damage and averaged as an index of values 1-3. This index does not distinguish between old and new damage.

Growth, reproductive development and dormancy characteristics of paclobutrazol-treated tart cherry trees

SummaryA single spring application of paclobutrazol (0.5 g a.i. in 1986 or 0.75 g a.i. in 1987) round the bases of five (1986) or seven (1987) year-old ‘Montmorency’ tart cherry trees decreased shoot growth during both the first and second growing seasons following treatment. Paclobutrazol treatment increased the proportion of flower buds to vegetative buds as monitored during the first dormant period following treatment. The date of full bloom in the field, in the spring following treatment, was advanced two to four days by paclobutrazol. The number of growing degree (°C) hours required to reach full bloom was decreased by 700–900 in paclobutrazol-treated trees. Rest intensity curves, based upon the amount of GA3 needed to cause vegetative bud break under favourable environmental conditions, indicated that rest was completed at least by early December and that lateral buds completed rest about one week before terminal buds regardless of treatment. Paclobutrazol tended to decrease rest intensity in both t...

Economic Benefit of GA3 Application on Young Tart Cherry Trees

Abstract Application of 50 ppm gibberellin (GA3) at full bloom + 2 weeks in 197981 on ‘Montmorency’ cherry trees planted in 1978 reduced flowering the year after application. Treated trees grew larger, presumably due to reduced early fruiting. Projected cumulative grower return during the period 5 years after planting was increased because of GA3 application the first 3 years.

Growth and Fruiting Responses of Young Apple and Tart Cherry Trees to Weed Control

Abstract Growth of 2-year-old tart cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) trees as measured by trunk circumference increase or total shoot elongation was significantly greater in plots receiving chemical or mechanical weed control within the tree row than in plots receiving between-row cultivation only. Shoot growth of one-year-old apple (Malus domestica Borkh. ‘Delicious’) trees responded similarly to weed control. Tart cherry trees in hand weeded and dinoseb or glyphosate treated plots had greater growth than those in paraquat treated plots. Tart cherry trees in plots receiving chemical or mechanical weed control out-yielded trees in unweeded plots during the first year of production. ‘Delicious’ apple trees in plots treated with dinoseb (6.7 and 10.1 kg/ha), the high rate of glyphosate (1.7 kg/ha), or mechanical weed control also outyielded trees in unweeded plots during the first year of production. Effects of weed control on growth and yield were less distinct during the 2nd year of production. Trees from treated plots came into production one year earlier than trees in the unweeded plots. Chemical names used: 2-(1-methylpropyl)-4,6-dinitrophenol (dinoseb); N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine (glyphosate); 1,1′-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridinium ion (paraquat).

The Growth of Red Tart Cherry Trees with Annual Applications of Simazine and Diuron

The Growth of Red Tart Cherry Trees with Annual Applications of Simazine and Diuron