112
—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 11,1978
‘Success stories’ told
to apple growers
By JOANNESPAHR
LANCASTER - Orchard
practices which have
become, “success stories”
for apple growers in recent
years include the application
of ALAR, ethrel, and
promalin, according to Dr.
Marshall Ritter, Extension
pomologist with Penn State
University.
Speaking to a gathering of -
fruit growers from Lan
caster, Lebanon, and
Dauphin Counties last week,
Ritter detailed the positive
and negative affects of each
material and encouraged
orchardists to sample each
one.
ALAR, a compound,
reduced the size of apples as
well as hardens the flesh and
delays maturity of the fruit.
It also reduces shoot growth
on the trees.
Several of the above
mentioned properties are
advantageous to the or
chardist. For instance, the
hardening of the flesh is a
positive factor, since this
reduces the amount of
bruising that takes place on
the fruit. And, according to
Ritter, bruising is the
principle reason for the loss
of fruit once it is on the tree.
The delay in maturity can
also be a plus for the fruit
grower since this can slow
down the rush of harvesting.
The reduction in shoot
growth on the trees cuts
down on pruning bills and
allows for more color on the
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Dr. Marshall Ritter
apples. As Ritter puts it,
“Any time you have more
shade, you lose color, and
when you reduce color, you
reduce grade, and that
means you reduce the
price.”
ALAR also has its
detrimental points, as well.
Used at one to two pounds
per acre after three or four
years a lot of inactive spurs
are set up, the apple begins
to flatten, and the size begins
diminution.
“It has a cumulative effect
- at the end of the third year
lay off,” stated Ritter.
This material cannot be
applied with thinning
sprays, and it should be used
only as directed.
“It does work,” stated the
Penn State specialist, “but if
you cut corners - if you
skimp on it or confuse the
amount, the concentration,
the rate, or the time you can
cause pollution.”
Ethrel
Ethrel, another material,
increases the red color as
well as the rate of coloration,
hastens the Summer
development of seeds, and
shortens the time of
maturity by nine or 10 days.
The above characteristics
have their positive effects,
also. By shortening the time
of maturity the orchardist
can curb the rush of har
vesting and get better
colored apples.
On some varieties, the
apple grower is able to
combine ethrel and ALA to
come up with an apple that
ripens six to seven days
early, gets good color, and is
smaller but firm.
Pronudin
Promalin is another
“success story” according to
Ritter. This chemical gives
apples an elongated shape. It
also creates long - spurred
trees.
“It makes them look like
Washington State apples,”
notes Ritter.
He encouraged growers to
test the various materials
out on small sections of the
orchard.
“Now, don’t put this stuff
on all your acreage at one
time,” he stated with a
precautionary note, “but try
it out on a section of the
orchard and see whether you
like it.”
For further information on
ALAR, ethrel, and promalin,
contact the Extension office
in your area.
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