cherry growing in nsw

7/29/2019 Cherry Growing in NSW

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www.agric.nsw.gov.au

AGFACTS

AGFACTSAGFACTSCherry growingin NSWAg fact H5 .1 .2, Second Ed iti on, 2004Je remy Br igh t, Di stri ct Ho rti cu ltu ri st OrangeSue Marte, District Hor ticulturist Young

ORDER NO. H5.1.2 AGDEX 215/11

DESCRIPTION

The commercial sweet cherry is considered to be anative of the CaspianBlack Sea region extendingas far east as northern India. Cherries are classifiedunder the genusPrunusand belong to the family

Rosaceae. Only a few species of the subgenusCerasushave edible fruit, the most important being

Prunus avium, the sweet cherry, and Prunuscerasus, the sour cherry.

The leaves and fruit of the sweet cherry are largerthan those of other cherry species. Leaves emergefrom the buds folded lengthwise at the base of theleaf blades; on the petiole are glands which are

often bright red. Flowers are white petalled andusually single, and buds contain from 15 flowers.

Fruit varies from round through to ovate and heart-shaped. Oval-shaped fruit have shallow stemcavities. Deep cavities and prominent shoulderscharacterise heart-shaped fruit. The stylar scar and

Cherries are an increasingly-popular fruit in thestone fruit growing areas of the State.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this publication isbased on knowledge and understanding at the timeof writing in February 2004. However, because ofadvances in knowledge, users are reminded of theneed to ensure that information upon which theyrely is up-to-date and to check the currency of theinformation with the appropriate officer of NSW

Agriculture or the users independent adviser.

suture on the fruit are often noticeable. Skin andflesh colours range from yellow to shades of red toalmost black and the stone is free and semi-cling.

PLANTING AND PRODUCTIONSTATISTICS

The Young and Orange districts produce 70 percent of the cherries grown in New South Wales andapproximately 50 per cent of Australias totalproduction. Plantings are also found in the Batlow/Tumut region on the Southern Highlands; in theCowra, Canowindra and Forbes regions; and in theMurrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA) and aroundHillston. The MIA and Hillston districts are theearliest season followed by Cowra, Young, Orangeand Batlow. The picking season can start in the

third week in October and extend into January.This window of availability is important formarketing strategies as well as offering consumers aquality product for a longer period of time. Othermajor areas of production in Australia are Victoria,South Australia and Tasmania.

The 2001 census showed 1200 hectares planted tocherries in New South Wales, 40 per cent beingnon-bearing.

Cherries have been grown at Young since 1847; thefirst commercial orchard was planted in 1878. The2001 census includes 700 hectares of cherries in the

Young district, representing 60 per cent of theStates total planting. In recent years, seasonalvariations at Young have meant the crop has variedfrom 500,000800,000 cartons (25004000 tonnes).


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Cherry growing at Orange began as asupplementary operation to pome fruit productionwith this changing in recent years. The district isexperiencing a growth in cherry planting. Someorchardists are removing all of their pome fruittrees and replanting with cherries while others areincreasing the number and variety of cherry treeson their blocks.

Cherry production at Orange, like Young, fluctuateswith seasonal conditions and is greatly influencedby rainfall during the harvest period. Rain cancause extensive losses due to cracking with someearly varieties particularly susceptible. Drought canhave significant effects on cherry yields, size, andproduction times.

Cherry growing on the Tablelands is generally moredifficult due to the high-incidence of bacterialcanker in young plantings. This is a particularlyserious problem in the colder and wetter areas of

the Tablelands. A strategy of spraying programs andmaintaining healthy trees is required during theearly developing years to avoid tree losses.

Cherry trees grow on most soil types exceptheavy clays provided that the soil is friable andwell-drained. They do not tolerate wet feet. Thetopsoil should have good depth and be well-structured. Slightly sloping country that is well-drained in wet seasons is preferred. Conversely,gully lines and seepage areas must be avoided.

However, where the soil is suspect, it can be

graded into raised beds with drainage provideddown row centres. This system has been madepractical by the availability of micro-irrigationsystems. In general, soil drainage, depth, andpermeability are more important than fertilitybecause nutritional imbalances can be corrected byfertilisers.

Avoid soils in which tomatoes, potatoes or othersolanaceous crops have been grown during theprevious 10 years, as cherries are susceptible to theVerticillium wilt fungus. Old apple-growing areasmay also need to be thoroughly cleared of left-overroot material, deep-ripped and, possibly, fumigatedbefore tree establishment to avoidArmillaria andother associated replant diseases.

As cherries blossom early, the fruit buds aresensitive to spring frosts just preceding and duringthe opening of flowers. Therefore, look carefully atlocal temperature data to avoid crop losses fromfrosts. Sloping land generally provides good airdrainage. When exposed to strong winds, trees cangrow lopsided meaning that the harmful effects ofany dry periods will be accentuated.

Planting of windbreaks is also a good idea as bee

activity is restricted by winds during blossoming.This often means that less fruit is produced on theexposed side than on the leeward side where beescan more satisfactorily carry out pollination.

Cherries are also very susceptible to wind bruising,especially when approaching maturity. Heavy lossescan therefore result, particularly on early maturingsoft varieties. Cherries are a perishable crop so theymust be harvested, cooled and marketed quickly toavoid over-maturity and loss of quality. Because ofthis, it is important to have sufficient seasonal labouravailable to handle the crop quickly.

ROOTSTOCKS

The main rootstocks used in New South Wales areMazzard, Mahaleb and Colt. Growers in the Youngarea tend to favour Mahaleb, whereas Orangeorchards are usually planted to Mazzard. Bothdistricts have also used Colt with new plantings.Rootstock trials are underway in various locationsto find stocks which can aid in dwarfing, diseaseresistance and consistent production.

In the Young district, Mahaleb rootstocks are often

planted in the field at least one year before theyare grafted. This practice is an inexpensive way ofestablishing or replanting an orchard but, in somecases, it takes longer for the planting to becomeestablished.

Mahaleb

Mahaleb, which has been the main rootstock at Youngfor many years, has a deep root system that enablestrees to withstand dry conditions. The lighter, free-draining soils at Young are therefore ideal for thisvariety. Mahaleb, however, has been unsuccessful inmost other districts due to its intolerance to shallow

soils and its susceptibility tophytopthora. The originalMahaleb was grown from seed obtained from localtrees and, more recently, from virus-tested sourcetrees. There is still some variation in the performanceof these stocks. Recently, two clonal selections ofMahaleb have become available to the industry.St Lucie 64 (SL 64) and St Lucie 405 (SL 405) areproving to be significant improvements on the originalMahaleb.

Trees on Mahaleb are not as free-growing as thoseon Mazzard. However, they produce large treesunder good growing conditions and start bearing atan early age. Trees on Mahaleb have a more

spreading growth habit than those on Mazzard.Mahaleb stock has a tendency to show partialincompatibility with some cherry varieties.

Varieties to avoid with Mahaleb include EagleSeedling, Burgsdorf, Regina and Van. Cases ofincompatibility have also been reported with RonsSeedling. The resulting condition appears to dwarftrees and reduce their productive life. Mahalebseedlings can also exhibit some variation in type.Selection of virus-tested stock is, therefore, preferable.

Mazzard

Wild sweet cherry seedlings, commonly calledMazzards, cross-pollinate readily with most sweetcherry varieties with the resultant seedlings oftenhybrids of an unknown quality.


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Therefore, only select free-growing seedlings with awell-developed root system.

Nurseries often have difficulties in getting a goodgermination of Mazzard seed with some nurseriespropagating this stock by using virus-tested rootpieces. Mazzard seedlings typically produce largetrees which are slow to reach full production but

which are long-lived. All commercial cherryvarieties are compatible with Mazzard with goodbud unions resulting.

The East Malling clonal strain of Mazzard F12/1 hasrecently been planted in various districts andappears to show some resistance to bacterialcanker. Trees worked high on this stock alsoestablish better where canker is a problem.

Colt

Colt is proving a useful stock for replant situationsas Colt rootstock propagates easily. Trees havesimilar vigour to F12/1 with wide-angled branching.Colt, though, will generally fruit earlier than F12/1with an increase in productivity and larger fruit.Colt is not drought-tolerant. This rootstock ispatented and only available from licencednurseries.

In general, rootstocks vary in performance indifferent environments. It is therefore best to selecta number of rootstocks that are believed to havepotential for the chosen district and to comparethese on-site. Rootstock trials are currently beingrun nationwide. These trials include a number ofGeislas, dwarfing, and semi-dwarfing stocks (G5,

G6 and G7), the Weiroot series (CERs), GM series(Inmil, Damil and Camil), CAB (Italy) and the MxMseries from the United States which includes therootstock Ma x Ma 14 which was originally selectedin France. More information regarding rootstocks,their performances, and their traits, can be obtainedby contacting NSW Agricultures Young districtoffice or Orange Agricultural Institute.

PROPAGATION

Because cherries do not produce uniform seedlings,vegetative propagation is necessary to producetrees that are true to type. Grafting is favoured forthis, although some nurseries prefer budding.Stocks are grafted during July and early August. Thetiming is important because, once the stock beginsto grow, the take usually decreases in proportionto the stage of growth. Scion wood should only beobtained from certified virus-tested trees.

POLLINATION AND COMPATIBILITY

When selecting varieties or planting out newblocks, the issue of cross-pollination should beconsidered. This is because unsatisfactory croppingof many blocks has been traced back to insufficientor ineffective pollination. Varieties of sweet cherriescan be either self-fertile or cross-fertile. Because of

this, all cross-fertile varieties should be plantedtogether and with an arrangement made to obtainbees for pollination.

It is also important to ensure that varieties withsimilar flowering times are planted together toensure adequate cross-pollination. Wherepollinators have not been planted or are insufficientin number, pollination can be achieved by graftinglimbs of selected varieties onto trees throughout theblock. Information is usually available from thenursery where trees are purchased regardingflowering compatibility and pollination.

VARIETIES

When deciding on varieties for planting, considerthe following points:

varieties should be true to name and free of off-types;

they should be compatible and able to cross-pollinate one another;

varieties should be selected to provide acontinuity of fruit if a longer harvesting period isdesired;

preference should be given to firm varieties withsome resistance to weather damage;

varieties should be grown which suit the market;and

varietal differences between districts should beconsidered.

There are more than 50 varieties of sweet cherriescurrently available. Remember though that varietalsusceptibily to cracking and weather damage variesgreatly.

ALWAYS READ THE LABEL

Users of agricultural (or veterinary) chemicalproducts must always read the label and any Permit,before using the product, and strictly comply withthe directions on the label and the conditions of any

Permit. Users are not absolved from compliancewith the directions on the label or the conditions ofthe Permit by reason of any statement made oromitted to be made in this publication Microsprinklers have gained popularity due to

their high efficiency.


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Early season varieties

Early Burlat

This variety originated in Morocco in 1936. The fruitis mediumlarge, rounded with red skin and flesh.It is susceptible to cracking and also requirescareful handling from harvesting onwards. Itblossoms mid-season and is a good quality, very-

early season variety.

Burgsdorf

A seedling that was developed at Harcourt inVictoria. It is the first main commercial varietyharvested each season. Burgsdorf is a dark-fleshedcherry of comparatively good size and firmness. Indry seasons, trees tend to overcrop on Mahalebstock with lighter crops of better fruit size observedin drier years on Mazzard stock. Trees are vigorousand develop to a large size, if allowed. This varietyblossoms very early, meaning that pollination ofearly blossom can be a problem.

EmpressA seedling of unknown parentage from Young. It isa round cherry with a dark redmahogany skincolour and reddark red flesh. It blossoms veryearly in the season and has an upright, spreadingform. It can, however, show incompatibility onMahaleb rootstock.

Lewis Seedling

An early variety, dark, and generally good-quality.Fruit is very sweet with medium-length stalks. It isthought to have originated in Victoria.

Merchant

This large, rounded fruit comes from the UnitedKingdom. It has dark-red skin and red flesh. It is auniversal pollen donor, blossoms mid-season, and isone of the earlier varieties to mature. There are alsoindications that the variety possesses resistance tobacterial canker (pseudomonasspp.). This variety isonly available in Australia from licenced nurseries.

Supreme

A seedling of unknown parentage selected by Mr CSackett at Young. The fruit is large and redblack.Fruit size and shape tend to resemble that of theRons Seedling variety. The flavour of the Supreme

cherry is excellent, particularly for such an earlymaturing variety. Flesh firmness is good but thisvariety is known for splitting after the smallest

amount of wet weather. The mortality rate of treesis also high during dry spells.

Vista

Has been planted extensively in Canada and is nowthe main early variety. Fruit is large, sweet, dark-skinned and firm-fleshed and trees are vigorous.Some cracking has been reported but the variety is

not generally regarded as being highly-susceptible.

Mid-season varieties

Bing

Originated in Oregon in the United States in 1875.Fruit is a mediumlarge heart-shaped cherry withdark-red skin and red flesh. The variety blossomsmid-season and tends to be an upright, spreadingtree that crops moderately. This is the main cultivarin the United States but also grows well in suitableconditions in Australia.

Rainier

Selected in Washington State in the United States in1954 and first introduced in 1960. Developed as across between Bing and Van, it is a large, high-quality, white-fleshed cherry, very sweet and of asimilar shape to Van. The skin is yellow, highly-blushed and attractive with the flesh moderatelyfirm with clear juice. It has a small, relatively-freestone and thick stalks. Trees are hardy, vigorous,and of upright, spreading habit, very productive,and the tree starts cropping at an early age.

Rons Seedling

Originated about 1928 from a hand-pollinated crossby Mr SA Thornell at Young. Rons Seedling is amid-season variety that retains its firmness andquality through all stages of harvesting andmarketing and is generally regarded as the bestcherry variety in New South Wales. The fruit is

moderately resistant to splitting and very fleshy,

slightly fibrous and juicy. It has an exceptionally

good taste, and is dark redpurple colour when

fully mature.

Stella

Originated in British Columbia, Canada in 1968.The fruit is large, heart-shaped and of the Lambert-

type with a black skin. The flesh is black,moderately-firm and relatively coarse and thevariety is fairly-susceptible to cracking.

Table 1. This is not an exhaustive list of varieties. Check with local nurseries for the bestselections to suit your growing district.

Early season Mid-season Late season

Burgsdorf Bing Dame Roma

Early Burlat Rainier Kordia

Empress Rons Seedling Lamber t

Lewis Stel la Lapins

Merchant Van Sir DonSupreme Sir Tom

Vi sta Sw ee th ea rt


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Trees are vigorous, of upright, spreading habit, andproductive.

Van

Originated in British Columbia in 1944. The fruit

has raised shoulders and resembles the Supreme

variety and is also sweet with a glossy, black skin.

Van is reasonably-resistant to cracking. The fruitsize is large and comparable to Bing although

sometimes it can overcrop which results in reduced

size. It is also noted for its precocious cropping

habit.

Late Season Varieties

Dame Roma

Black Douglas x Stella. This variety has recentlybeen released from the South Australian Researchand Development Institute and is currently beingtrialed in all cherry-growing districts. The variety is

available from licensed nurseries.

Kordia (Attika)

This variety came from the Czech Republic andfeatures mediumlarge heart-shaped fruit with adark-red skin and a red flesh. It blossoms late inthe season and matures midlate season.

Lambert

Originated in Oregon in the United States and is aNapoleon x Black Heart cross. It produces a large,heart-shaped fruit with dark-red flesh, reddark redskin and is susceptible to cracking.

Lapins

Originated at Summerland in Canada, from a Van xStella cross. The fruit is large, roundheart shaped,with dark redmahogany skin. It has good flavour

with red flesh that is firm and juicy. It blossomsearly in the season and is self-fertile. It is relativelysplit-resistant and bears good crops, with the fruit

tending to bear on young wood.

Sir Don

A Black Douglas x Stella cross, this variety hasrecently been released by the South Australian

Research and Development Institute and iscurrently being trialed in all cherry-growingdistricts. It is only available from licensed nurseries.

Sir Tom

A Black Douglas x Stella cross, this variety hasrecently been released by the South AustralianResearch and Development Institute and iscurrently being trialed in all cherry-growingdistricts. This variety is only available from licensednurseries.

SweetheartThis Van cross originated at Summerland in Canada.Fruit size is mediumlarge with a round shape,firm, but susceptible to cracking.

The skin is redmahogany with red flesh. This

variety blossoms early and is self-fertile. The tree isupright to spreading, can be precocious, and canalso over-crop. This late-season cherry is gaining

market acceptance and is only available in Australiathrough licensed nurseries.

TREE ESTABLISHMENTIn establishing trees, great emphasis is placed onthe importance of thorough soil preparation incherry production, especially the deep-ripping oftree rows. Ripping breaks up the soil and alsoimproves water infiltration, soil drainage, and rootpenetration.

A soil survey is strongly-recommended prior to soilpreparation. This survey involves a soil pit dug todetermine soil type, structure, and uniformity,throughout the orchard. It also involves soil nutrientanalysis so that the grower knows what fertilisersneed to be applied to develop the right balance forfuture planting.

High-density plantings have recently becomepopular with tree-training systems allowing for treeheights of no greater than four metres. Breeders arecurrently reviewing several dwarfing rootstocks thatwill be made available, if successful, after fieldevaluations. This is likely to continue the trend forhigh-density plantings.

For a range of good reasons, (air movement,drainage, only available land), cherry blocks are

often planted on sloping land which can be proneto erosion. To prevent this potential loss of topsoil,plantings on undulating country should beestablished across the slope with a mown strip leftbetween the rows and weed control along the treerows.

For these high-density systems to produce goodyields early, it is essential that trees establish well.Water and nutrition are essential at this early stage.Irrigation should be scheduled according to a planthat takes into consideration: tree age; soil type andwater holding capacity; evaporation; time of year;

active root zone depth; and rainfall.To schedule waterings, growers need to have someknowledge of their soil, irrigation capacity and soilmoisture capacity. For assistance in this area,contact your District Horticulturist or NSWAgricultures Irrigation Officer.

Weed control is critical for any tree crop to beproductive. This assists in the retention of moistureand nutrients for the crop. There are severalchemicals that can be applied to control weedsaround cherry trees. (NOTE: Before applying anychemical, it is strongly-recommended that the butt

of the trees be shielded.) Shields usually consist ofcardboard or insulation tied around the base of thetree. Apart from protecting the plant from harmfulchemicals, it also prevents suckering from


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rootstocks, chewing from hares and rabbits and, inextreme cases, sunscald.

TREE PLANTING AND PRUNING

The move towards high-density plantings has meantthere are several growing systems now in place.These systems include: bush systems such as

Spanish and Aussie; central leader; and tie-downsystems such as Lenswood, Tatura and OpenTatura.

The qualities of each system must be weighed upbefore planting. For example, the central leader andtie-down systems are initially more work but, aregenerally, 1.52 years earlier yielding than the bushsystems. Growers should talk with other orchardistsabout the systems used within their district to get abetter idea of what options may be best for them.

In general, these systems offer the advantage of

higher early-production in the life of the tree aswell as limiting the need for ladders to access fruitat harvest. This advantage generally makes harvest-time more efficient because less time is spent pertree. It also addresses occupational health andsafety issues such as injuries from ladders and falls.Further information on managing high-densitysystems is available from your District Horticulturist.

The main pruning systems used in orchards arevase, central leader, and tie-down. All have slightvariations which are grower and district-specific. Itis important to pick a training system which suits

your district and persevere with it. This is becausethere can be lost production if your system ischanged after a couple of years.

After planting, cherry trees should be headed-backin the style similar to that used for other deciduousfruit trees. First, select leaders that will givesufficient spacing and balance to the tree. It is thenup to the grower to both encourage lateral growthand contain the vigour in the plant. Lateral growthcan be encouraged through chemicals such asCytolin or by cultural methods such as pruning orscoring. To encourage lateral growth of the treesystem, wedges may also be used. These wedgescan be toothpicks, skewers, timber pickets andstakes.

Avoid winter pruning because the trees will bemore susceptible to bacterial canker infection.Pruning should therefore be limited to summer inareas where bacterial canker is a problem. Pruningin late summer also means that the regrowth is lessvigorous as most of the energy is spent atflowering, in leaf development, and in fruitproduction. Heading the tree will also result in anumber of upright shoots developing just below thewhorl. Limit the number of limbs to about 10,

choosing those that are fairly upright and sturdy.

Summer pruning of young trees also helps to shapeand develop the trees framework and also

encourages earlier cropping. Any leaders that aregrowing too fast can also be checked at this stageby pinching the terminal bud. Pinching-back shouldbe confined to the young, tender part of the shoot.Remember to remove strong shoots growing inunsuitable directions.

Summer pruning is also recommended for trees that

have started cropping. Pruning may be carried outbefore or immediately after harvest and should berestricted to reducing the number of laterals andlight limbs, especially those in the centre of thetree. If leaders are growing too vigorously, growersshould look at modifying their fertiliser program, inparticular, the quantities of nitrogen applications.Another way of slowing vigour is to limit irrigation.

This should not be done during fruit developmentbut instead, after harvest.

Contact your District Horticulturist for details on

limiting vigour of cherry trees.Cherry trees have traditionally been allowed togrow tall. This, however, tends to elevate thebearing area with a subsequent loss in much of thelower fruiting wood. By reducing tree height,spraying and harvesting are made easier andcropping is more even. The central leader systemallows the leader complete dominance whichinfluences the vigour of lower branches and shoots.The leader can grow several metres before pruningis required. The main production area will be in thelower branches of the tree which are well-

established and at a wide angle to the main trunk.Shortening laterals and thinning out spurs is notusually carried out annually on cherries. Whenshortening laterals however, make the cut throughthe annual growth ring. If the lateral is unwanted,cut it out. Many cherry varieties have a habit of

Wood wedges are used here to keep the brancheslateral, note the leader has been allowed to takeoff, calming the rest of the tree.


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throwing out a whorl of strong shoots just abovethe annual growth ring. These shoots need to bethinned out during the growing season.

Pruning decreases yields proportionally to theamount of wood removed. However, the reductionin yield is compensated for by larger fruit size andincreased tree vigour. Experience indicates that

light pruning carried out regularly is preferable tosevere pruning periodically. Currently, pruningtechniques and theories are being challenged byseveral orchards resulting in many methods andtechniques designed to suit each situation.

SOIL MANAGEMENT

Cultivation

This practice should only be used in non-irrigatedorchards or as part of dryland farming. Soil iscultivated to control weed growth which therebyreduces the competition with trees for moisture andnutrients. In addition, cultivation also improveswater infiltration rates and the release of nutrients.Avoid deep cultivation which can damage the treesfeeder roots.

Cultivate orchards only when strictly necessarybecause too much cultivation can damage soilstructure. Depending on the soil type though, deep-ripping prior to planting may be advised as it canbreak-up the soil and also assist infiltration andaeration.

Sod Culture

This method is the preferable form of soilmanagement; where irrigation is available. This isbecause sod culture provides the best protectionagainst soil erosion by reducing the speed of run-off water, thereby allowing greater absorption ofmoisture into the root system. No cultivation meansthat the root system is not disturbed with feederroots developing in the topsoil, the area of greatestnutrient availability. Physical properties of the soil,especially structure, are also greatly improvedunder a non-cultivation system.

Another advantage of this system is that, after rain,machinery can move into sod-cultured orchardsearlier than into cultivated blocks.

With sod culture, moisture and nutrients must beprovided over and above the requirements of thetree. If these needs are not met, tree productivitywill suffer. A compromise involves a combinationof sod culture and strip herbicide or cultivationalong the tree rows which, for many situations, isoften the best system. To keep sod culture undercontrol, it must be maintained by slashing or

mowing. In Integrated Pest and DiseaseManagement (IPDM) situations, rows are alternatelyslashed. This allows an environment for pest andpredator species to remain in balance.

Weed Control

Many herbicides can damage trees. Althoughresidual herbicides are most effective in controllingweeds, they are also most likely to damage treesand leaves. Good results have been obtained usingknockdown sprays in the winter and spring whenweeds are actively-growing. Follow-up sprays are

required throughout the season to control newgrowth. Shield the butts of young trees duringspraying and avoid drift onto foliage. Herbicidesgive the best results if applied under calm, overcastconditions or late in the evening. It is important toskirt the lower branches of trees to above 60 cm sothat they do not have any contact with recentlysprayed weeds as many herbicides are translocatedvia green growth. Another option may be to use aControlled Droplet Application (CDA) system whichis covered by a dome to prevent drift.

NUTRITION

Annual soil and leaf analyses should be carried outto understand the status of the tree and itsrequirements.

Samples for testing are normally taken at least twoweeks prior to harvest. Nutrit ient imbalances canthen be corrected by applying fertilisers. Fertiliserrecommendations should be regarded as a guideonly, because of different soil type and soilmanagement practises.

Fertilising should, therefore, be based on regularobservations of tree growth, production and fruitquality standards. As an example, a mature orchardproducing 10 tonnes/hectare of cherries will beutilising 100kg N, 50kg K and 30kg P. Theseelements need to be replaced or made available tothe tree for the next seasons crop.

Insulation tree guards to protect the cherry treefrom herbicide, suckering and hares.


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Cherry trees grow vigorously. Experience showsthat, by limiting the supply of available nitrogen tothe tree, unwanted excess vigour can be controlledwhile still having enough N to produce quality fruit.The amount of N to apply will depend on factorssuch as: what N is already available, the soil type,tree age and the time of year. Nitrogen applicationsshould be split between flowering, fruit set andpost-harvest so that the new buds for next seasonhave resources to draw on. Too much availablenitrogen at fruit filling and harvest stage canpromote unwanted vigour, and have detrimentaleffects on fruit quality. These effects can include:reduced shelf life, late harvest, softer fruit andincreased susceptibility to physiological disorders.

Care should be taken not to apply nitrogen tocherries during dry autumnspring conditions, asuptake of the nutrient will be minimal.

Applications of phosphorus and potassium are

recommended in the autumn in split applications,depending on availability of the nutrients from thesoil. Nutrients can be applied in the soil, throughdrip irrigation (fertigation) or as a foliar spray.

In the past, the importance of micronutrients wasnot fully understood. It is now believed that theseelements are as crucial to the development ofcherries as are the macronutrients. Boron and zincimprove the vascular circulation and give the fruitbetter firmness. Calcium assists in the prevention offruit breakdown. For more information on fertiliserapplications, contact your District Horticulturist.

PESTS AND DISEASES

A number of pests and diseases attack cherries. Themost serious disease is bacterial canker(Pseudomonas syringae). Other diseases includebrown rot and shot hole. Virus diseases are also ofconsiderable significance. Insect pests include thecherry slug, cherry aphid, thrips and San Jos scale.

Details of spray treatments for pests and diseasecontrol are outlined in NSW Agricultures Orchard

Plant Protection Guide. Agfacts dealing withspecific pests and diseases are also available fromNSW Agriculture offices or on the Departmentwebsite: www.agric.nsw.gov.au.

Because cherries are the first fruit to ripen in thespring, bird damage often occurs in early-maturingvarieties. Cherries grown in isolated situations aremore likely to be damaged. Flying foxes can alsobe a problem in some areas. Currently, bird nettingis the best form of control providing total exclusionfor the cherry crop.

Other controls for birds include a combination ofscare guns, plastic or aluminium strips hung in the

trees, plastic hawks and various other visualdeterrents. Recent developments in bird and flyingfox control include the use of permanent enclosuresof synthetic nets. Growers contemplating high-

density plantings should seriously considerenclosing plantings to possibly incorporate hail orrain protective nets.

Rain Protection

A problem with cherry production is split ting due torain. The installation of rain covers can help to

overcome this risk. Costs, though, must be weighedagainst the benefits.

HARVESTING, GRADING, PACKING AND

MARKETING

It is important to harvest cherries properly so thatthe final product reaches the consumer in the bestpossible condition. It cannot be emphasised enoughthe importance of post-harvest handling andmaintaining the cool chain from the field to theconsumer.

Fruit is normally hand-picked into lugs andtransported to a hydro-cooler or cool room as soonas possible to remove the field heat from the fruit.Reducing the fruit temperature increases the storagelife of the product. Fruit is normally cooled prior tograding. Generally, the fruit passes over cutterswhich separate multiple fruits. The fruit is thensorted by size. This can be done in a number ofways, depending on the operation. After grading,fruit is packed into cartons. The standard size is a5 kg box, but cherries are also packed into 1 kgand 2 kg boxes, depending on the intended market.Clam shell punnets and pre-weighed bags are alsoused. Producing fruit requires constant monitoringof market and consumer needs and it is importantthat a grower can produce the fruit to meet thesedemands.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge the assistance ofNSW Agriculture Departmental staff in preparingthis publication, and to thank Orange growers KenPerry, Terry Rossi and John Sharp for their adviceand suggestions on content.

2004 NSW Agriculture

This publication is copyright. Except as permittedunder the Copyright Act 1968, no part of thepublication may be produced by any process,electronic or otherwise, without the specific writtenpermission of the copyright owner. Neither mayinformation be stored electronically in any formwhatever without such permission.

ISSN 0725-7759

Agdex 215/11Edited by David DixonInformation DeliveryNSW Agriculture, Orange, February 2004

cherry growing in nsw

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