22 



AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF ORCHARD REJUVENATION 



IN RESPONSE TO THE REDUCTION OR THE 



ELIMINATION OP THE USE OF ALAR*^") ^ 



Martha Kimball and Wesley R. Autio 



Department of Plant and Soil Sciences 



University of Massachusetts 



Since about 1966, Alar''" has been used to extend the harvest season 

 for Mcintosh apples by controlling preharvest drop and delaying fruit ripening, 

 enabling growers to efficiently manage harvest labor and cooling capacity. 

 Without Alar*"', the number of harvest weeks for long-term storage is 

 decreased, thus increasing the quantity of fruit that must be harvested per day. 

 To accommodate this higher harvest rate, picking labor and cooling capacity 

 must be increased, raising production costs. Alternative methods of extending 

 the harvest season would help alleviate this critical problem. 



This study examines the economics of replacing 50 acres of mature, 

 seedling-rooted trees (that are difficult to pick and lack good color 

 development) with dwarf and S(imi -dwarf trees that are more efficient to pick, 

 color well, and allow extension of the Mcintosh harvest. It is assumed that the 

 grower must replace this block over a 10-year period, rather than all at once, 

 so that income can continue to be generated each year. The objective of the 

 study >vas to determine the mix of different Mcintosh strains and rootstocks 

 that would best use farm resources under Massachusetts production and 

 marketing conditions during this orchard replacement. 



The study was conducted using a multiperiod linear programming model 

 that was developed specifically for Massachusetts apple growers to aid in long- 

 range ()lanning of cultivar selection. That model looked at replacing standard 

 Mcintosh acreages with 7 different cultivars. However, given the commercial 

 importance of Mcintosh in Massachusetts, we have chose to replant only with 

 McIntosh--but to use a mix of Mcintosh strains on semi -dwarf ing and dwarfing 

 rootstocks that will spread the harvest season, best use available resources, and 

 maximi/.e prof itablility of the orcliarl. 



We tried to achieve goals by selei^ting strains and rootstocks with specific 

 properties. Our goals and choices .vere: I) To produce trees smaller than 

 standard tliat will produce fruit witii hotter color and ripen earlier (Marshall 

 Mcintosh on M.7/V); 2) To produce trei^s sn^iller than standard but with fruit 

 ripening the same time as standard (Rogers Mcintosh on M.7A); 3) To produce 

 much smaller trees capable of producing fruit for rapid, early harvest (Marshall 

 Mcintosh on M.26); 4) To produr^e highly colored fruit ripening later than 

 standard (Marshall McI itosh on 0A.R1). Please note: OARl is an experimental 

 rootstock that !ias been found to delay ripening of Golden Delicious in Oregon 

 by about 10 days. 



^This study was supported by a grant from the Massachusetts Fruit 

 Growers' Association 



^Hanlon, W. L., C. E. Willis, and R. L. Christensen. 1976. \ framework 

 for long range apple variety decisions. Mass. Agrio. Exp. Sta. Bull. 621. 



