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THOUGHTS ON THE APPLE HARVEST PROBLEM 



Wn 1 iam J . Lord 

 Department of Plant and Soil Sciences 



Pomol ogi sts and Agricultural Engineers are frequently asked 

 to express their thoughts on orchard modifications that might en- 

 hance harvest of apples for the fresh fruit market. Many of these 

 workers are of the opinion that complete mechanization of harvest 

 is possible only through radical changes in our present cultural 

 practices. Trellised trees or free-standing trees in high density 

 plantings are considered cultural systems that would enhance com- ' 

 plete mechanization. 



The question arises as to what changes in cultural practices 

 to aid harvest can be currently suggested to growers. First it 

 must be emphasized that no mechanical device for the complete mech- 



anization of apple harvest is in sightl 

 author's opinion that the development of 

 must come first. Until such a device is 

 the tree spacing and tree size and shape 

 the harvester when it becomes available. 



Therefore, it is the 

 the mechanical harvester 

 available, we have no idea 

 necessary to accommodate 

 Until these answers. 



backed by research, are available the most logical approach for 

 growers is to continue the trend towards smaller trees and increased 

 tree population per acre. 



Several years of research plus one year of grower trials with 

 Alar show that this growth retardant has more promise in helping 

 to alleviate the harvest labor problem than any picking aid cur- 

 rently developed for the harvest of apples for the fresh fruit 

 market. Alar consistently inhibits preharvest drop and the rate 

 of fruit softening of Mcintosh. If growers apply this growth re- 

 tardant to a fraction of their bearing Mcintosh trees, firm apples 

 can be harvested from about September 10, to mid-October. This will 

 allow for a 5-week harvest period instead of the usual 3 week period 

 for Mcintosh . 



There is considerable grower interest in harvesting from plat- 

 forms with telescoping catwalks. Several of these harvesting aids 

 are in commercial use and the construction of others is being con- 

 sidered in New England. Of these devices, a fixed height platform 

 (7 feet from ground level) with telescoping catwalks that extend 

 11 feet appears most practical. 



Unquestionably, harvesting fruit from telescoping catwalks is 

 easier and less tiring than from ladders. Whether or not good 

 pickers can harvest more fruit from these catwalks than using con- 

 ventional methods is debatable. Our limited data on harvest rates 

 indicate no distinct increase in boxes harvested from the catwalks 

 in comparison to harvest from ladders. The principal problem is 

 the unproductive time while the pickers wait for others to finish. 

 The waiting time can be reduced somewhat with closer planting dis- 



