Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The objectives of this project were: 1) To develop orchard and vineyard soil and groundcover management systems (GMSs) that integrate biological and cultural practices to produce high value fruit while promoting soil and water quality; and 2) To provide research-based information for niche-market fruit crops such as organic and traditional cider apples, tree-ripened stone fruits, pawpaws (Asimina triloba), and antique apple varieties that are in high demand at local markets, or have other attributes useful for value-added production. In wine-grapes, on-farm research with reflective geotextile groundcovers showed that they increased substantially the amount of sunlight in the cluster zone, and doubled pruning weights, but did not improve fruit composition or yields enough to compensate for their added costs. In orchard GMS experiments, we found that various soil quality indices were influenced strongly by the GMS treatments. Soil nutrient availability, pH, organic matter content, tree root growth, and the potential for subsequent replant disease problems differed greatly among four common orchard GMSs (pre- and post-emergence herbicides, a mowed turfgrass, and composted bark mulch). However, these differences were not linked with improved tree health or fruit yields in an established orchard. A second year of nitrogen and phosphorus monitoring in runoff and leachate water was completed in each of the GMS treatments, and a nitrogen budget is being developed for each system. In a comparison of certifiable Organic and IFP apple production systems in a commercial orchard with the disease-resistant cultivar Liberty, we completed four years of observations. Yields were similar in the two systems, but the costs of organic pest management were much higher. Cosmetic damage from the sooty-blotch/fly speck summer disease complex, and phytotoxicity from lime-sulfur thinning and fungicide sprays were problems in the Organic system. Controlled hedonic preference and triangle taste panel evaluations showed that most consumers could tell the difference between Organic and IFP fruit, and ranked the latter higher for general appearance. However, there were negligible differences in fruit nutritional or antioxidant content during three years of evaluations. Research on fermentation methods and characteristics involving Liberty and several dozen other cider apple varieties showed that cider quality improved with yeast-available-nitrogen enhancement to 400 ppm, low fermentation temperatures (12 degrees C), and prefermentation heat treatments of cider from Liberty apples. PARTICIPANTS: Participants in this project included Cornell professors and staff, commercial tree-fruit and winegrape growers in upstate New York, and cooperative extension specialists around the state. Three PhD graduate students and one post-doctoral fellow were involved in the research, including the experiments and data collection, as well as the outreach activities disseminating the resultant information to commercial and amateur fruit growers. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience for this research included undergraduate and graduate students at Cornell University, approximately 700 commerical tree-fruit growers and 300 commercial winegrape growers in NY and the Northeast region, and home gardeners involved in organizations such as the Master Gardeners. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
This project was intended to provide more sustainable methods for orchard and vineyard soil and groundcover management, by evaluating and refining the economic, environmental, and physiological factors in orchard and vineyard fruit production. Potential impacts of this research include reduced problems with surface and groundwater contamination, improved soil health and fertility, greater efficiency in the use of fertilizers and agrichemicals, and enhanced quality of life in rural communities where orchards, vineyards, and wineries are important sources of economic activity. Our work with alternative fruit crops and value added products could enable growers to diversify their farms into specialty fruit crops such as pawpaws and antique apples, where there is high demand and relatively little supply in the marketplace.
Publications
- Merwin, I.A., S. Valois, and Olga Padilla-Zakour. 2008. Cider apples and cider-making techniques in Europe and North America, (J. Janick, Ed.) HortReviews 34:365-414.
- Peck, G.M. and I.A. Merwin. 2008. Multi-level comparisons of organic and integrated fruit production systems for Liberty apple in New York. (Abstract) Proc. 16 IFOAM Organic World Congress, Modena, Italy, June 16-20, 2008.
- St.Laurent, A., I.A. Merwin, and J.E. Thies. 2008. Long-term orchard groundcover management systems affect soil microbial communities and apple replant disease severity. Plant and Soil 304:209-225.
- Leinfelder, M.M., I.A. Merwin, and M.G. Brown. 2008. Developing an orchard soil health protocol for sustainable soil management. (Abstract) HortScience 43(4):1292-1293.
- Peck, G.M. and I.A. Merwin. 2008. Organic and Integrated Fruit Production systems for the Northeastern US: Four years of research from the ground up. (Abstract) HortScience 43(4):1111.
- Merwin, I. A. 2008. Life after HoneyCrisp in a Proprietary world: A strategy for Niche Market apples. Proc. GLFW Meeting, Holland, MI, Nov. 5-7th.
- Merwin, I. Some antique apples for modern orchards. 2008. New York Fruit Quarterly 16 (4):11-17.
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Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The objectives of this project are: 1) To develop orchard and vineyard soil and groundcover management systems (GMSs) that integrate biological and cultural practices to produce high value fruit while promoting soil and water quality; and 2) To provide research-based information for niche-market fruit crops such as organic and traditional cider apples, tree-ripened stone fruits, pawpaws (Asimina triloba), and antique apple varieties that are in high demand at local markets, or have other attributes useful for value-added production. In wine-grapes, on-farm research with reflective geotextile groundcovers showed that they increased substantially the amount of sunlight in the cluster zone, and doubled pruning weights, but did not improve fruit composition or yields enough to compensate for their added costs. In orchard GMS experiments, we found that various soil quality indices were influenced strongly by the GMS treatments. Soil nutrient availability, pH, organic matter
content, tree root growth, and the potential for subsequent replant disease problems differed greatly among four common orchard GMSs (pre- and post-emergence herbicides, a mowed turfgrass, and composted bark mulch). However, these differences were not linked with improved tree health or fruit yields in an established orchard. A second year of nitrogen and phosphorus monitoring in runoff and leachate water was completed in each of the GMS treatments, and a nitrogen budget is being developed for each system. In a comparison of certifiable Organic and IFP apple production systems in a commercial orchard with the disease-resistant cultivar Liberty, we completed the fourth year of observations. Yields have been quite similar in the two systems, but the costs of organic pest management have been higher. Cosmetic damage due to the sooty-blotch/fly speck summer disease complex, and phytotoxicity from lime-sulfur thinning and fungicide sprays have been problematic in the Organic system.
Controlled hedonic preference and triangle taste panel evaluations have shown that most consumers could tell the difference between Organic and IFP fruit, and ranked the latter higher for general appearance. However, there have been no significant differences in fruit nutritional or antioxidant content during three years of evaluations. Research on fermentation methods and characteristics involving Liberty and several dozen other cider apple varieties showed that cider quality improved with nitrogen enhancement to 400 ppm, low fermentation temperatures (12 degrees C), and prefermentation heat treatments of must from Liberty apples.
PARTICIPANTS: Collaborators on this project include three local vineyard/wineries, and commercial orchards in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Three Cornell University graduate students are involved in the subprojects, as part of their degree completion.
TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences are fruit growers and consumers in the northeaster US.
Impacts
This project will help to provide more sustainable methods for managing orchard and vineyard soils and groundcovers, by evaluating and improving the economic, environmental, and physiological effects of orchard and vineyard management systems. Potential impacts of this research include reduced problems with surface and groundwater contamination, improved soil health and fertility, improved efficiency in the use of fertilizers and agrichemicals, and improved quality of life in rural communities where fruit and wine production are important sources of economic activity. Our work with alternative fruit crops and value added products could enable growers to diversify their farms into specialty fruit crops such as pawpaws and antique apples, where there is high demand and relatively little supply in the marketplace.
Publications
- Kadzere I. C.B. Watkins, I.A. Merwin, F.K. Akinnifesi, J.D.K. Saka. 2007. Harvest date affects colour and soluble solids concentrations (SSC) of Uapaca kirkiana (Muell. Arg.) fruits from natural woodlands. Agroforestry Systems 69:167-173.
- Crassweller, R., R. McNew, D, Greene, S. Miller, J. Cline, A. Azarenko, B. Barritt, L. Berkett, S. Brown, W. Cowgill, E. Fallahi, B. Fallahi, E. Garcia, C. Hampson, T. Linsdtrom, I. Merwin, J.D. Obermiller, M. Stasiak, and G. Greene. 2007. Performance of apple cultivars in the 1999 NE-183 regional project planting. 1. Growth and yield characteristics. J. Amer. Pomol. Soc. 61(2):84-96.
- Hostetler, G.L., I.A. Merwin., M.G. Brown, and O. Padilla-Zakour. 2007. Influence of geotextile mulches on canopy microclimate, yield, and fruit composition of Cabernet franc. Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 58(4):431-442.
- Hostetler, G.L., I.A. Merwin., M.G. Brown, and O. Padilla-Zakour. 2007. Influence of undervine floor management on weed competition, vine nutrition, and yields of Pinot noir. Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 58(4):421-430.
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Progress 01/01/06 to 12/31/06
Outputs
The main objectives of this new project are: (1) To develop and evaluate tree-fruit and wine-grape soil/groundcover management systems that integrate biological and cultural practices to produce high value fruit while promoting soil and water quality; and (2) To provide research-based information for niche-market fruit crops such as organic apples, tree-ripened stone fruits, pawpaws (Asimina triloba), and antique apple varieties that are in high demand at local markets, contain high concentrations of nutriceuticals, or have other attributes useful for value added production. In wine-grapes, two years of research on reflective geotextile groundcovers showed that they increased substantially the amount of sunlight in the cluster zone, and doubled pruning weights, but did not improve fruit composition enough to compensate for their added costs. In orchard groundcover management systems (GMSs), we found that soil nutrient availability, root growth, and root distribution
patterns differed greatly among four common orchard GMSs, but these differences were not linked with improved fruit yields or quality. In pawpaws, a series of controlled cross and self pollinations during 2006 revealed that this species is self fertile, but that its male and female flower development are asynchronous for much of the bloom period, and there are few effective pollinators active in the flowers during that time. In our comparison of organic and IFP apple production systems for the disease-resistant cultivar Liberty, we completed the third transitional year of observations. So far, yields have been comparable in the two systems, but the costs of organic pest management are considerably higher, and cosmetic damage due to the sooty-blotch/fly speck summer disease complex was unacceptably high during the wet summer of 2006. Our research on old European high-tannin cider apples showed that they are more precocious on M.9 and G.16 than on G.30 rootstocks, and that there was no
difference in leaf or fruit nitrogen content in trees that received single or split applications of 0, 20, 40, and 80 kg of N per ha during 2005-2006. Applications of standard chemical thinning agents such as carbaryl (Sevin XLR) and NAA were ineffective at thinning fruit set on most of these traditional English and French cider apple cultivars, and they have become biennial in bearing during the early years of fruit production.
Impacts
These experiments are intended to provide sustainable methods to manage soils and groundcover vegetation in fruit plantings, by testing the economic, environmental, and physiological impacts of different orchard and vineyard floor management systems. Our work with alternative crops could enable growers to diversify their farms into new specialty fruit crops such as pawpaws and antique apples, where there is high demand and relatively little supply in the marketplace.
Publications
- Valois, S., I.A. Merwin, and O.L. Padilla-Zakour. 2006. Characterization of fermented cider apple cultivars grown in upstate New York. J. Amer. Pomol. Soc. 60(3):113-128.
- Kadzere, I., C.B. Watkins, I.A. Merwin, F.K. Akinnifesi, J.D.K. Saka and J. Mhango. 2006. Harvesting and postharvest handling practices and characteristics of Uapaca kirkiana (Muell. Arg.) fruits: A survey of roadside markets in Malawi. Agroforestry Syst. 68:133-142.
- Kadzere, I., C.B. Watkins, I.A. Merwin, F.K. Akinnifesi, and J.D.K. Saka. 2006. Postharvest damage and darkening in fresh fruit of Uapaca kirkiana (Muell.Arg.). Postharvest Biol. and Technol. 39:199-203.
- Kadzere, I., C.B. Watkins, I.A. Merwin, F.K. Akinnifesi, J.D.K. Saka, and J. Mhango. 2006. Fruit variability and relationshjips between color at harvest and quality during storage of Uapaca kirkiana (Muell. Arg.) fruit from natural woodlands. HortScience 41(2):352-356.
- Hostetler, G. 2006. Effects of vineyard floor management systems on vine growth and fruit composition of red wine grapes. M.S. Thesis, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. 84 p.
- Purohit, Chandra Kumar. 2006. Groundcover management systems and nutrient dynamics in a New York apple (Malus X domestica Borkh.) orchard. M.S. Thesis, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. 144 p.
- Peck, G., I. A. Merwin, E. Volmer and K. Averill. 2006. Multilevel comparisons of organic (OFP) and integrated fruit production (IFP) systems for Liberty apple in a New York orchard. Ann. Mtg. of ASHS. New Orleans, LA. July 2006. HortScience 41(4):1032.
- Hostetler, G., I.A. Merwin, and M.G. Brown. 2006. Vineyard floor management effects on vine vigor, yield, and fruit composition in Cabernet franc and Pinot noir. ASEV Eastern Section Ann. Mtg. Rochester, NY. (Abstract).
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