Cherry Growing in NSW Agfact H5-1-2

AGFACTS AGFACTS Cherry growing in NSW AGFACTSwww.agric.nsw.gov.au Agfact H5.1.2, Second Edition, 2004 Jeremy Bright, District Horticulturist — Orange Sue Marte, District Horticulturist — Young DESCRIPTION Disclaimer The commercial sweet cherry is considered to be a The information contained in this publication is native of the Caspian–Black Sea region extending based on knowledge and understanding at the time as far east as northern India. Cherries are classified of writing in February 2004. However, because of under the genus Prunus and belong to the family advances in knowledge, users are reminded of the Rosaceae. Only a few species of the subgenus need to ensure that information upon which they rely is up-to-date and to check the currency of the Cerasus have edible fruit, the most important being information with the appropriate officer of NSW Prunus avium, the sweet cherry, and Prunus Agriculture or the user’s independent adviser. cerasus, the sour cherry. The leaves and fruit of the sweet cherry are larger suture on the fruit are often noticeable. Skin and than those of other cherry species. Leaves emerge flesh colours range from yellow to shades of red to from the buds folded lengthwise at the base of the almost black and the stone is free and semi-cling. leaf blades; on the petiole are glands which are often bright red. Flowers are white petalled and PLANTING AND PRODUCTION usually single, and buds contain from 1–5 flowers. STATISTICS Fruit varies from round through to ovate and heart- The Young and Orange districts produce 70 per shaped. Oval-shaped fruit have shallow stem cent of the cherries grown in New South Wales and cavities. Deep cavities and prominent shoulders approximately 50 per cent of Australia’s total characterise heart-shaped fruit. The stylar scar and production. Plantings are also found in the Batlow/ Tumut region on the Southern Highlands; in the Cowra, Canowindra and Forbes regions; and in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA) and around Hillston. The MIA and Hillston districts are the earliest season followed by Cowra, Young, Orange and Batlow. The picking season can start in the third week in October and extend into January. This window of availability is important for marketing strategies as well as offering consumers a quality product for a longer period of time. Other major areas of production in Australia are Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. The 2001 census showed 1200 hectares planted to cherries in New South Wales, 40 per cent being non-bearing. Cherries have been grown at Young since 1847; the first commercial orchard was planted in 1878. The 2001 census includes 700 hectares of cherries in the Young district, representing 60 per cent of the State’s total planting. In recent years, seasonal Cherries are an increasingly-popular fruit in the variations at Young have meant the crop has varied stone fruit growing areas of the State. from 500,000–800,000 cartons (2500–4000 tonnes). ORDER NO. H5.1.2 AGDEX 215/11 Cherry growing at Orange began as a Cherries are also very susceptible to wind bruising, supplementary operation to pome fruit production especially when approaching maturity. Heavy losses with this changing in recent years. The district is can therefore result, particularly on early maturing experiencing a growth in cherry planting. Some soft varieties. Cherries are a perishable crop so they orchardists are removing all of their pome fruit must be harvested, cooled and marketed quickly to trees and replanting with cherries while others are avoid over-maturity and loss of quality. Because of increasing the number and variety of cherry trees this, it is important to have sufficient seasonal labour on their blocks. available to handle the crop quickly. Cherry production at Orange, like Young, fluctuates ROOTSTOCKS with seasonal conditions and is greatly influenced by rainfall during the harvest period. Rain can The main rootstocks used in New South Wales are cause extensive losses due to cracking with some Mazzard, Mahaleb and Colt. Growers in the Young early varieties particularly susceptible. Drought can area tend to favour Mahaleb, whereas Orange have significant effects on cherry yields, size, and orchards are usually planted to Mazzard. Both production times. districts have also used Colt with new plantings. Rootstock trials are underway in various locations Cherry growing on the Tablelands is generally more to find stocks which can aid in dwarfing, disease difficult due to the high-incidence of bacterial resistance and consistent production. canker in young plantings. This is a particularly serious problem in the colder and wetter areas of In the Young district, Mahaleb rootstocks are often the Tablelands. A strategy of spraying programs and planted in the field at least one year before they maintaining healthy trees is required during the are grafted. This practice is an inexpensive way of early developing years to avoid tree losses. establishing or replanting an orchard but, in some cases, it takes longer for the planting to become Cherry trees grow on most soil types — except established. heavy clays — provided that the soil is friable and well-drained. They do not tolerate ‘wet feet’. The Mahaleb topsoil should have good depth and be well- Mahaleb, which has been the main rootstock at Young structured. Slightly sloping country that is well- for many years, has a deep root system that enables drained in wet seasons is preferred. Conversely, trees to withstand dry conditions. The lighter, free- gully lines and seepage areas must be avoided. draining soils at Young are therefore ideal for this variety. Mahaleb, however, has been unsuccessful in However, where the soil is suspect, it can be most other districts due to its intolerance to shallow graded into raised beds with drainage provided soils and its susceptibility to phytopthora. The original down row centres. This system has been made Mahaleb was grown from seed obtained from local practical by the availability of micro-irrigation trees and, more recently, from virus-tested source systems. In general, soil drainage, depth, and trees. There is still some variation in the performance permeability are more important than fertility of these stocks. Recently, two clonal selections of because nutritional imbalances can be corrected by Mahaleb have become available to the industry. fertilisers. St Lucie 64 (SL 64) and St Lucie 405 (SL 405) are proving to be significant improvements on the original Avoid soils in which tomatoes, potatoes or other Mahaleb. solanaceous crops have been grown during the previous 10 years, as cherries are susceptible to the Trees on Mahaleb are not as free-growing as those Verticillium wilt fungus. Old apple-growing areas on Mazzard. However, they produce large trees may also need to be thoroughly cleared of left-over under good growing conditions and start bearing at root material, deep-ripped and, possibly, fumigated an early age. Trees on Mahaleb have a more before tree establishment to avoid Armillaria and spreading growth habit than those on Mazzard. other associated replant diseases. Mahaleb stock has a tendency to show partial incompatibility with some cherry varieties. As cherries blossom early, the fruit buds are sensitive to spring frosts just preceding and during Varieties to avoid with Mahaleb include Eagle the opening of flowers. Therefore, look carefully at Seedling, Burgsdorf, Regina and Van. Cases of local temperature data to avoid crop losses from incompatibility have also been reported with Rons frosts. Sloping land generally provides good air Seedling. The resulting condition appears to dwarf drainage. When exposed to strong winds, trees can trees and reduce their productive life. Mahaleb grow lopsided meaning that the harmful effects of seedlings can also exhibit some variation in type. any dry periods will be accentuated. Selection of virus-tested stock is, therefore, preferable. Planting of windbreaks is also a good idea as bee Mazzard activity is restricted by winds during blossoming. Wild sweet cherry seedlings, commonly called This often means that less fruit is produced on the Mazzards, cross-pollinate readily with most sweet exposed side than on the leeward side where bees cherry varieties with the resultant seedlings often can more satisfactorily carry out pollination. hybrids of an unknown quality. 2 Therefore, only select free-growing seedlings with a POLLINATION AND COMPATIBILITY well-developed root system. When selecting varieties or planting out new Nurseries often have difficulties in getting a good blocks, the issue of cross-pollination should be germination of Mazzard seed with some nurseries considered. This is because unsatisfactory cropping propagating this stock by using virus-tested root of many blocks has been traced back to insufficient pieces. Mazzard seedlings typically produce large or ineffective pollination. Varieties of sweet cherries trees which are slow to reach full production but can be either self-fertile or cross-fertile. Because of which are long-lived. All commercial cherry this, all cross-fertile varieties should be planted varieties are compatible with Mazzard with good together and with an arrangement made to obtain bud unions resulting. bees for pollination. The East Malling clonal strain of Mazzard F12/1 has It is also important to ensure that varieties with recently been planted in various districts and similar flowering times are planted together to appears to show some resistance to bacterial ensure adequate cross-pollination. Where canker. Trees worked high on this stock also pollinators have not been planted or are insufficient establish better where canker is a problem. in number, pollination can be achieved by grafting Colt limbs of selected varieties onto trees throughout the block. Information is usually available from the Colt is proving a useful stock for replant situations nursery where trees are purchased regarding as Colt rootstock propagates easily. Trees have flowering compatibility and pollination.

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