Since this fruit-cracking topic appeared, along with the photos, I have
found two 30 year old Empire trees on which a single branch or scaffold
has produced several fruits with symptoms apparently identical to those
in the photos from Maine. On one tree about 4 inches length of the
branch base, where connected to the central leader, was 90% girdled by
dead bark, possibly an infection from a small pruning wound there. In
the other tree, the affected scaffold showed a significant percentage of
older leaves that were small and rolled, some with white chlorosis along
central rib. More recent leaves looked normal. Other scaffolds on the
tree were normal, and only the abnormal scaffold produced cracked fruit.
These observations suggest to me that nutritional
deficiency of some sort may be involved, in these cases, related to poor
movement of water
and/or other nutrients in the vascular system. From now on, if I find
more examples, I will
look for signs of injury, such as winter freezing, drought, disease, or
physical damage to
tissues that carry nutrients to the affected fruit.
Absence of any comment by others of nutrient-stress indicators on
Karmijn may indicate that
we are looking at very different disorders.
David Kollas
Kollas Orchard
Tolland, Connecticu
On Friday, August 3, 2007, at 06:11 AM, Con.Traas wrote:
Richard,
I do get similar cracking on my Karmijn from time to time, but not with
too much severity, so I never went into it too carefully. It is clearly
year-dependant, but why is a more difficult issue. I have not associated
the problem with cold post blossom weather, as we often get that, but
perhaps it is a factor. I think wet summer weather may play a part also.
I do feel that the trees with a lighter set are more prone, as are
trees that don't get a program on GA4+7 for russet reduction. However,
the crop load on trees getting the GA treatment is usually higher than
that on trees which do not get it, so whether it is an indirect or
direct effect of the GA is difficult to guess.
I do also feel that there are some trees that seem more prone
year-on-year than others. Is this clonal variation, or a rootstock
effect, or could there be a contributing latent virus, either in the
rootstock or scion?
As you can see, I am contributing no answers to your question; only
more questions. However, I do think that treating the tree in such a
way to maximise crop load (which is seldom too heavy on Karmijn)
reduces the problem.
By the way, I was intrigued to read that Derry's Karmijn are under
cover. I would love to hear more about this.
Con Traas
The Apple Farm
Ireland
-----Original Message-----
From: apple-crop@virtualorchard.net
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Richard J. Ossolinski
Sent: 27 July 2007 12:36
To: Apple-Crop
Subject: Re: Apple-Crop: Fruit cracking/splitting
Thanks for the response, Derry, though the mystery remains unresolved,
as, FWIW, we had no unusually cold weather here just after bloom. Fun,
though, ain't it?
Richard
On Jul 27, 2007, at 1:33 AM, derry&bill wrote:
Richatrd,
I've had the same cracks in my russeted apples : Golden Russet, St
Edmunds Pippin and Roxbury Russet.
I think this cracking is different from the cracking seen on Cox's
Orange which usually is circular around the calyx and usually appears
later in the season.
I sometimes see the circular cracking in Karmijns and I associate it
with the Cox's Orange parentage.
I spoke to Ed Fackler about this a few years ago. In particular I was
discussing Hudson's Golden Gem another russeted apple.
Ed thought the cracking was associated with cold weather just after
bloom i.e. as the young apple was developing.
I do not have cracking in my Karmijns but my Karmijns are all under
cover so they are somewhat protected from the cold temps after
pollination. My russeted apples are in the open.
Richard, in a separate email, I will attach some jpgs of cracked
russeted apples. I don't have cracks in any other apples.
I noticed the cracks in early July, but I'm sure the cracks were there
from at least early June.
I have temporarily misplaced my pollination chart for 2007, but it was
approximately to the first ten days in May.
Derry Walsh
South Coastal B.C.
http://derrysorchardandnursery.ca
Richard J. Ossolinski wrote:
Anyone have a clue as to what causes this splitting/cracking?
(Thanks to Glen Koehler at UMO for creating this link)
http://pmo.umext.maine.edu/apple/nosearch/cracked-apples-Oz.htm
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
----
The 'Apple-Crop' LISTSERV is sponsored by the Virtual Orchard
<http://www.virtualorchard.net> and managed by Win Cowgill and Jon
Clements <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>.
Apple-Crop is not moderated. Therefore, the statements do not
represent "official" opinions and the Virtual Orchard takes no
responsibility for the content.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 'Apple-Crop' LISTSERV is sponsored by the Virtual Orchard
<http://www.virtualorchard.net> and managed by Win Cowgill and Jon
Clements <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>.
Apple-Crop is not moderated. Therefore, the statements do not represent
"official" opinions and the Virtual Orchard takes no responsibility for
the content.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 'Apple-Crop' LISTSERV is sponsored by the Virtual Orchard
<http://www.virtualorchard.net> and managed by Win Cowgill and Jon
Clements <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>.
Apple-Crop is not moderated. Therefore, the statements do not represent
"official" opinions and the Virtual Orchard takes no responsibility for
the content.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 'Apple-Crop' LISTSERV is sponsored by the Virtual Orchard
<http://www.virtualorchard.net> and managed by Win Cowgill and Jon
Clements <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>.
Apple-Crop is not moderated. Therefore, the statements do not represent
"official" opinions and the Virtual Orchard takes no responsibility for
the content.
