While yields of stone fruits planted to traditional orchard systems have been lagging behind our modern apple plantings in the northeast, research is actively being conducted to utilize improved rootstocks and modern, narrow training systems to increase productivity and reduce labor costs in peach and cherry systems. 

In this webinar, we will be joined by Dr. Jim Schupp, Dr. Greg Lang, and Dr. Terence Robinson, as they review modern strategies for growing peaches and cherries in the northeast.

Agenda:

11:00am: Welcome and Introductions - Mike Basedow - Cornell ENYCHP

11:05 - 11:40: Future Directions for Peach Training Systems - Dr. Jim Schupp - Penn State's Fruit Research and Extension Center

Peaches are a labor-intensive crop, but peach yields per acre lag those of other fruit crops. Gains in orchard productivity and production efficiency are needed if peaches are to remain an important part of a fruit grower's portfolio. Intensive peach systems warrant our attention, as we search for more labor efficient methods of growing fruit, and for systems that can readily adapt to mechanization and automation. This presentation provides an update on two recent studies to evaluate tree density and rootstocks in high density peach systems.

11:40 - 12:15: The Evolution of Sweet Cherry Production Systems - Dr. Greg Lang  - Michigan State University

Sweet cherry canopy architectures and training systems for fresh market production have evolved over the past two decades, accelerated by the advent of vigor-controlling and precocity-inducing rootstocks. Training systems are dynamic and continuously evolving, as every grower and orchard site is different, with inherent traits that lead to subtle modifications of initial ideas and training concepts that can significantly affect their ultimate degree of success. It is important for growers to understand their orchard vigor factors, target markets, the fundamental aspects of sweet cherry growth and fruiting, and how the techniques used in different training systems affect those fundamentals.

12:15  - 12:50: New Rootstocks and Training Systems for Peaches and Cherries, Plums and Apricots in the Northeast - Dr. Terence Robinson - Cornell University

Dr. Robinson will discuss improved rootstocks for peach that can be combined with closer tree spacings to achieve greater productivity in northeast orchards.  On the cherry side he will also discuss new rootstocks and how they can be combined with closer spacings, and will provide management recommendations to achieve early and sustained production.

12:50 - 1:10: Grower Comments, Q & A, Final Wrap-Up