Mar 10, 2015

Penn State website includes Honeycrisp management tools

The Penn State Extension Tree Fruit Production website has a number of useful resources for fruit growers. Check it often for the latest resources on fruit diseases, insects, mites and beneficials and fruit culture.

Under “Fruit Culture,” (a tab on the left of the home page), Penn State recently added spreadsheet calculators to assist growers in making cost-effective decisions regarding Honeycrisp management to improve fruit quality. There is a Multiple Harvest Calculator to help you assess whether increasing the number of times you harvest Honeycrisp will be cost-effective based on potential reductions in premature fruit drop and bitter pit. Also, you will find a Stem Clipping Calculator to help you assess whether or not to stem clip Honeycrisp based on the potential increase in fruit packout versus increases in harvest costs.

These tools were developed by Lynn Kime, and sample calculations are based on 2014 Honeycrisp studies along with packer observations.

Click here for more information.