University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, ViennaDepartment of Crop Sciences

1

Spornberger Andreas, Ostojic Slaven, Telfser Josef, Keppel Herbert, Böck Klemens, Leder Leopold, Modl Peter

Division of Viticulture and PomologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria

Improvement of organic sweet cherry production in Austria

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, ViennaDepartment of Crop Sciences

Introduction – research questions

Is organic cherry production in Austria practicable? Control of pests (cherry fruit fly, aphids, …) and

diseases (leaf diseases, Monilia fruit rot, …) Which cultivars are suitable? Fruit quality?

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, ViennaDepartment of Crop Sciences

• Research orchard of BOKU, organically managed

• 12 mainly early mature cv. with 8 replications

• planted in autumn 2003

• rootstock Gisela5®

• 2,5m x 4m

• spindle

Cultivar trial

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, ViennaDepartment of Crop Sciences

Ranking of cultivars

4

• Bigarreau Burlat (Schreiber) ■• Merchant  ■• Bigarreau Moreau  ■• Hybrid 222  ■• Merton Premier ■• Burlat (VG)  ■• Early Lory  ■• Schachl  ■• Valeska  ■• Marzer Kirsche ■• Langstielige ■• Sweetheart ■

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, ViennaDepartment of Crop Sciences

Organic production with later ripening cultivars?

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, ViennaDepartment of Crop Sciences

Cherry aphid (Myzus prunavium, M. cerasi)

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, ViennaDepartment of Crop Sciences

Why fruit thinning?

Enhancing fruit quality (fruit size, …) Less Monilia (flower and fruit rot) …..

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, ViennaDepartment of Crop Sciences

Electroflor

(Effleureuse)

Mechanical thinning of flowers (2010 - 2012)

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, ViennaDepartment of Crop Sciences

Fruit thinning with Effleureuse

during full blossom (BBCH 65)~ 40% of the flowers removed

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, ViennaDepartment of Crop Sciences

Results: Attack with Monilinia laxa on flowers(2 weeks after full blossom, May 2010)

Monilinia laxa (may 2010)b

a

0,001,002,003,004,005,006,007,008,009,00

10,00

Control Effleureuse

% infested flowers

* = ANOVA (GLM), different letters show significancy (P<0.05)

*

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, ViennaDepartment of Crop Sciences

Yields and fruit weight

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Trial with flower treatments (2010)

mechanical variants:• Electroflor (April 11th)• Removing of young cherries with scissors = hand thinning (6th May)

spraying variants (April 11th, April 16th):• wettable sulphur (4%)• lime sulphur (3%)• IP- standard ATS (1.8%)

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, ViennaDepartment of Crop Sciences

27-Jän-2010 12Ökologischer Anbau von Süßkirschen

Research orchard B (2010)

14.5

1.3

34.3

15

7.5

12.3

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

25.Mär

27.Mär

29.Mär

31.Mär

02.Apr

04.Apr

06.Apr

08.Apr

10.Apr

12.Apr

14.Apr

16.Apr

18.Apr

20.Apr

22.Apr

24.Apr

26.Apr

28.Apr

30.Apr

Precipitation (mm)

Temp MIN

Temp MAX

M h t

Blaze StarMerchant

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, ViennaDepartment of Crop Sciences

Yields and fruit weight

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ResultsFruit setting, yield and flower infestation with M. laxain 2010 in orchard B (mean ‘Blaze Star’ and ‘Merchant’)

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, ViennaDepartment of Crop Sciences

Conclusions (cultivars)

Organic production of cherries practicable with low input with suitable early mature cultivars; recommendable:

Bigarreau BurlatMerchantBigarreau Moreau

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, ViennaDepartment of Crop Sciences

Conclusions (thinning)

Electroflor, manual thinning of young fruits, lime sulphur > thinning effect + fruit size

Larger fruit size could only partly replace yield losses due to thinning No influence on fruit diseases and internal fruit quality Electroflor more suitable for farmers than manual thinning Sulphur and lime sulphur reduced flower infestations with M. laxa

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, ViennaDepartment of Crop Sciences

Thank you for your attention!

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andreas.spornberger@boku.ac.at

Division of Viticulture and PomologyDepartment of Crop SciencesUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesA‐1180, ViennaAustria