An Organic Apple Production System For New York

Abstract

Several NY apple growers have indicated they see a marketing opportunity for NY grown organic apples (both fresh and processed products) and have requested a Cornell University led effort to develop a system of organic apple production for NY. In 2003 we studied apple maggot management, and fruit thinning control tactics that are organically approved. We have evaluated an organic approved insecticides Entrust and Dipel for apple maggot control in the late season. Entrust gave good control of the internal worm complex including apple maggot. Entrust was slightly better than to Dipel. The late season control obtained with Entrust needs to be combined with early season pest control with kaolin clays (Surround) which we reported on last year. With organic approved thinning agents we had excellent success. The Fish Oil/Lime Sulfur combination gave excellent thinning efficacy and a wide window of application (full bloom to post petal fall). NC-99 also gave significant thinning but gave more phytotoxicity. Both products also resulted in a small improvement in fruit size.