-4- 



Growth regulators are less extensively used in the U.K. than in U.S. 

 orchards. For fruit thinning carbaryl is used almost exclusively -- when 

 thinning is needed. Alar* is used hardly at all because it has adverse 

 effects on size and storage quality of the fruit, especially Cox. In most 

 cases no alternative stop-drop spray is used because red color is generally 

 not important for English apples. There is essentially no use of Promalin* 

 in the U.K. but some growers are using a gibberellin mixture to improve 

 fruit finish of Cox. There is strong interest in potential use of the new 

 growth regulator PP333 (paclohutrazol ) to suppress vegetative growth as an 

 aid to controlling tree vigor in intensive production systems. 



Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is established in the tree fruit 

 industry. Its emphasis is on allowing beneficial predators to build up in 

 orchards, and private advisers provide guidance to growers on pesticide 

 usage. Mildew, scab, and canker are the most serious disease problems, and 

 red spider and caterpillars are the most troublesome insects on apples. 

 Rust mite and psylla are the leading insect problems on pears. Fireblight 

 is an increasing worry, especially because it can build up in the hawthorn 

 hedges that are very common in most apple growing areas. 



Calcium chloride sprays are very widely used, primarily to reduce bitter 

 pit of apples, and many growers also apply phosphorus sprays early in the 

 season to reduce the occurrence of disorders during apple storage.' 



Harvesting is done with local labor. The small tree size that is main- 

 tained allows picking from no more than short ladders. Pickers are usually 

 paid a daily rate plus a bonus for picking skill. 



Storage, packaging, and marketing of apples and pears is highly centra- 

 lized. Although some growers operate independently, most contract with 

 large privately owned companies to store and pack their apples and pears. 

 This centralization has aided the adoption of highly sophisticated storage 

 technology, which in turn had had an enormous impact on length of the 

 market season and quality of the stored fruit. Fruit analysis is used to 

 determine the storage potential of fruit and is widely used. The analysis 

 is carried out by the advisory service A.D.A.S. /M.A.F.F. , and is paid for 

 by the growers. 



The costs of producing fruit in England were revealed in an economic 

 analysis conducted in 1Q8?. To establish a typical orchard of Cox on M9, 

 trees cost the equivalent of about $3,000 and stakes about $1,600 per acre. 

 Annual costs of an orchard in full production were estimated to include 

 $ 450 for pest control, $ 150 for pruning, $ 75 for herbicides, and $ 50 

 for fertilizer. In contrast, the cost of storage (including prestorage 

 treatments) was $?,500 per acre. Thus, it was concluded that 70% of the 

 annual cost of producing these fruit was incurred after the fruit left the 

 tree! A high packout rate is essential for financial survival. 



*Irade name 



