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 The trial conducted in 1999 was established to evaluate two of the three scenarios that were
presented from last year's trial. Tree limitations allowed for us to only evaluate two of the parameters,
and not all three.
Multiple doses of Accel®were applied in concentrations that are not expected to produce a
thinning response. The main objective of these rates, and the overall trial, is to improve cell division of
the fruitlet, and therefore increase final fruit size. A thinning response was noticed, with multiple low
rates, in the trial that was conducted last year. This year the trial was expanded to not only evaluate the
sizing effect of multiple low rates, but also the thinning effect multiple low rates and their timing may
have on apples.
A ten-year-old block of 'Liberty' apples on M26 trained to a central leader system was used to
conduct this experiment at the Rutgers University, Snyder Research and Extension Farm in 1999. This
trial was conducted in a randomized complete block design containing four replications with multiple
branches on single tree treatments. Although the variety Empire was used to conduct the 1998 trial, we
felt the highly precocious, difficult to thin, and inherently small-fruited nature of Liberty made it a
cultivar that would clearly express any treatment affect.
Extremely mild temperatures during February and into the month of March caused the trees to
break bud about two weeks early this spring. Below average temperatures were then experienced
during most of the month of April and May, which slowed bud advancement, and allowed bloom to
settle into the traditional window for our region. Bloom was heavy on Liberty's in 1999, due partially
to their highly precocious nature. A sufficient bloom period (+7 days) produced only 1 day of adequate
sunlight (75% full) containing warm temperatures (+65ºF).
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Table 1: Treatments__________________________________________________
TREATMENT #1 - Untreated control
TREATMENT #2 - Accel®- 10 gm(ai)/a apply at Petal Fall
and every 5 days for 6 applications
Note:(Not adjusted for TRV)
6 applications = 60 gm(ai)/a total
TREATMENT #3 - Accel®- 10 gm(ai)/a apply at Bloom
and every 7 days through 2nd cover
Note:(Not adjusted for TRV)
6 applications = 60 gm(ai)/a total
TREATMENT #4 -Accel®- 15 gm(ai)/a apply at Bloom
and every 10 days through 2nd cover
Note:(Not adjusted for TRV)
4 applications = 60 gm(ai)/a total
TREATMENT #5- Accel®- 15 gm(ai)/a apply at Petal Fall
and every 7 days through 2nd cover
Note:(Not adjusted for TRV)
4 applications = 60 gm(ai)/a total
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