fertilizer is 1 ounce of 10-10-10 or its equivalent. This 

 amount may be doubled each year to a maximum of 1 

 pound per bush at 5 years. Bushes low in vigor may be 

 fertilized again with 1/2 pound in late November. Fertil- 

 izer rates may be increased up to twice the recommended 

 amount where bushes are heavily mulched. Higher rates 

 are needed on sandy soils since nitrogen leaches readily. 



especially in the nitrate form. Lower rates at frequent 

 intervals help to minimize leaching. Fertilizers containing 

 muriate of potash (potassium chloride) are not advisable 

 since the chlorine may be injurious, particularly to young 

 bushes. Well rotted manures may be applied in late fall or 

 early sprmg using half as much poultry as cow or horse 

 manure. 



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Red Fuji is a Promising New Apple Cultivar 



Duane W. Greene and Wesley R. Autio 



Department of Plant & Soil Sciences, University of Massachusetts 



There is increasing interest on a world-wide basis in 

 identifying and evaluating new apple cultivars. Significant 

 shifts are occurring, particularly in places such as The 

 Netherlands, New Zealand, China, and Japan, from the 

 traditional cultivars toward those that have better taste and 

 storage characteristics. Of the new cultivars, one of the 

 most promising is Fuji, a cross between Ralls Janet and 

 DeHcious. It is a medium-sized apple that is green with a 

 dull pink or red stripe or blush over a yellow-green ground 

 color. Red strains show considerably more, but not out- 

 standing, red color. The flesh is yellowish green, dense, 

 crisp, and sweet. Fuji is a high quality apple! Several red 

 coloring strains have been identified, and they are sold by 

 various nurseries. It is the most popular apple in Japan, 

 where 44 % of the production is Fuji (including its red 

 coloring strains). It is the most widely planted cultivar in 

 China and the most talked-about apple in California. 

 Growers in the Pacific Northwest also are giving Fuji 

 considerable attention. 



At the University of Massachusetts Horticultural 

 Research Center, Belchertown, we propagated and 

 planted a strain of Red Fuji obtained from Roger Way at 

 the New York Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva. 

 The first fruit from these trees were harvested this fall. 

 Here we report briefly on the first year's results with this 

 strain of Red Fuji. 



Tree Characteristics 



Fuji is a moderate- to high-vigor, non-spur tree. It is 

 easily trained to a central leader, and has scaffold branches 

 that appear to require no spreading. The tree may have 

 some bUnd wood at the base of 2-year-old wood, similar to 

 that of nonspur Delicious (one of its parents). It blooms 

 mid- to late-season. It is a diploid amd thus should have 

 viable pollen capable of pollinating other cultivars bloom- 

 ing in the same season. In 1988 it set more fruit in our 

 planting than similar Marshall Mcintosh trees. Because it 



blooms and sets fruit at an early age, control of growth in 

 the orchard should not be difficult. Reports from else- 

 where suggest that it is susceptible to fire blight but may 

 have some resistance to apple scab. 



Fruit Characteristics 



Harvests of Red Fuji were made on October 20 and 24, 

 1988. At this time seeds were brown, and severe watercore 

 had developed in some fruit. Consequently, we feel that 

 the fruit could have been harvested some time prior to 

 October 20. Harvest was delayed because of the persis- 

 tence of a dark-green ground color. Fruit weight averaged 

 about 7 ounces. Because the trees are young, one could 

 expect fruit size on older trees to be smaller. Flesh 

 firmness was 18.5 pounds. Soluble solids (sugar) was over 

 15%, which is the highest that we have recorded for any 

 cultivar evaluated at the Horticultural Research Center. 

 The taste was sweet, fruity, slightly aromatic, subacid, and 

 pleasant. The fruit surface was slightly rough with raised 

 lenticels. The overall exterior appearance was very similar 

 to a well-colored Baldwin. We would rate the overall 

 quality of Red Fuji to be good but not exceptional. How- 

 ever, it is reported that Fuji does not produce a high quality 

 fruit on young trees. Fruit is now in air storage for periodic 

 evaluation of its storage potential. 



We believe that Red Fuji is worthy of trial in Massa- 

 chusetts. Anyone who can mature Rome should be able to 

 mature Fuji. Based upon reports from other parts of the 

 country and from Australia, we believe that fruit color and 

 possibly taste of Fuji grown in Massachusetts may be as 

 good as, if not superior to, those fruit grown in other 

 regions. If the potential for Fuji is greater than that for 

 Granny Smith, as some have suggested, then Red Fuji is a 

 cultivar that growers in Massachusetts should be watching 

 very carefully. 



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