c. 



- 9 - 



Faculty: W.J. Bramlage and Michael R. Shtpway (Graduate 

 Research Assistant), Department of Plant and Soil Sciences 



II. Evaluation of Alar, A Growth Regulator for Apple Trees 



A. Purpose: Determine the response of Delicious apple trees 

 to annual applications of Alar. 



B. Method: Two studies will be continued during 1969, one 

 of which was initiated in 1965, and the other in 1968. 

 One set of Delicious trees will receive their fifth con- 

 secutive annual application of Alar applied either in 

 July or August at the rates of 1000, 2000 or 4000 ppm. 

 Other trees will receive their second consecutive annual 

 application of Alar at the rates of 500 or 1000 ppm in 

 mid-June or mid-July. The effect of the Alar treatments 

 on tree growth, fruit size, fruit flesh firmness, repeat 

 bloom and the occurrence of watercore and internal break- 

 down will be determined. 



C. Faculty: W.J. Lord, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences 



III. Chemical Weed Control 



Purpose: To evaluate the performance of new herbicides 



under Massachusetts conditions and to determine herbicide 



persistence in soil, and the response of fruit crops to 

 herbicides. 



Method: Initiate or continue studies to determine: 



1. Tree response of Jerseyland peach trees to annual 

 applications of simazine and simazine plus paraquat 

 mixture (initiated in 1966). 



2. Simazine residues in soil and mulch under Mcintosh 

 apple trees receiving annual applications of this 

 herbicide (initiated in 1964). 



3. The concentration of simazine in soil that is toxic 

 to apple trees (initiated in 1968). 



4. The response of Delicious and Mcintosh apple trees 

 and Earli-Red-Fre and Richhaven peach trees to annual 

 applications of dichlobenil (initiated in 1965). 



5. Effect of simazine on microorganism population in 

 orchard soil (initiated in 1968). 



Faculty: Regional Fruit Specialists - D.A. Marini and 

 G.E. Wilder; W.J. Lord and H.B. Gunner, Professor of Soil 

 Microbiology. 



