ECOLOGICAL FACTORS IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE DETERIORATION OF PEACH PLANTINGS AS EVIDENCED BY A STUDY IN OTTAWA COUNTY, OHIO DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By CARL SPENCER BITTNER, B.S., M.S. The Ohio State University 1 9 5 7 Approved by: Adviser Department of Horticulture ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This study covered a period of years and the writer is indebted to many individuals for their cooperation. To the owners of the Peninsula, Miller, Balduf and Kalb orchards go his thanks for making the orchard facilities available for field studied. The guidance of the late Dr. J. H. Gourley and the assistance of the late Dr. Guy W. Conrey in soil classification are respectfully remembered. The suggestions of Dr. E. N. Transeau, Dr. H, C. Sampson, professors emeriti of The Ohio State University and Dr. Paul B. Sears of Yale University relative to the plant succession phases of this work and the constant encouragement of Dr. R. E. Larson of the Pennsylvania State University were much appreciated. To Dr. Freeman S, Howlett, chairman of the Department of Horti­ culture at The Ohio State University go sincere thanks for invaluable help and direction of course work and the writing of his dissertation. The patience and help of Ruth E. Bittner, during the years of study, accumulation of data and preparation of the material for this degree is gratefully recognized and acknowledged. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS page Introduction ....••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 1 General Review of Literature.................. .. 3 Ottawa County Soils and Tree Vegetation ••••••••••••••• 9 Ottawa County Climate.......... .................... 11 Historical Development of Fruit Growing in Ottawa County ......... 15 Characteristics of Orchards Studied 23 Peninsula Orchard ..... 23 Miller Orchard ..... 26 Balduf Orchard ........ 29 Kalb Orchard ••••••••••••• 32 Experimental Methods and Materials 36 Original Vegetation Indicators 36 Soil Classification and Soil Tests...... ............ 36 Capillary and Non-capillary Soil Porosity •...»••••••• 38 Water Levels in Tile Wells ....... 39 Water Movement from Tile Wells ••••••••••••••• 4l Root Studies 42 Root Distribution •••.•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 43 Root Mass .... 43 Peach Leaf Studies •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 43 Peach Shoot Studies .... 45 Survival and Longevity Studies 47 Presentation of Data b8 Original Vegetation Indicators ••••••••••••••.•••••••• 48 Soil Classification and Soil Tests •..••••••••...... 50 Capillary and Non-capillary PoroBity ••••.......... 53 Water Levels in Tile Wells .... 59 Water Movement from Tile Wells 65 Root Studies 68 Root Distribution 69 Root Mass .... 75 Peach Leaf Studies ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.••••• 84 Peach Shoot Studies •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 88 Survival and Longevity Studies ........ 90 Discussion .... 98 Summary and Conclusions Ill Bibliography............. ••••••••••• 116 Autobiography 120 ill L E T OF FIGURES Fig, Page 1 Location of Weather Bureau Stations ..o..o...••••■ 14 2 Original Tree Map of Ottawa County ....... 37 3 Occurrence of Species in Four Orchard Sites ..•••• 49 4 Peninsula Orchard - Non-capillary Pore Space *•••• 55 5 Miller Orchard - Non-capillary Pore Space •••••••• 56 6 Balduf Orchard - Non-capillary Pore Space ••••••• 57 7 Kalb Orchard - Non-capillary Pore Space ..... 58 8 Water Level Readings to 45 Inches for 1941-1942 •• 62 9 Water -Level Readings to 55 Inches for 1942 63 10 Water Levels in the Four Orchards After Flooding • 66 11 Rate of Water Disappearance 67 12 Method of Root Mapping Using Tangential Trench ••• 7° 13 Root Distribution - Peninsula Orchard ••••••••.•• 71 14 Root Distribution - Miller Orchard •••••••••••••• 72 15 Root Distribution - Balduf Orchard .... •••••• 73 16 Root Distribution - Kalb Orchard •••••••••••••••• 74 17 Equipment Used to Secure Root Samples ••••••••••• 76 18 Root Material from Four Orchards ••••••«•••••••«•* 77 19 Peninsula Orchard May 1945 94 20 Miller Orchard May 1945 95 21 Balduf Orchard May 1945 ........................ ¥> 22 Kalb Orchard May 1945 .......................... 97 23 Soil Map of Ottawa County, Ohio.... SeA back iv cover LIST OF TABLES Table page 1 Climatic Data •••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 12 2 Ottawa County Fruit Statistics for 1872 17 3 Tree and Vine Plantings in Ottawa County - 1890-195^........................... 19 If Peach Tree Population in Ottawa County - 1935-195^ ............................ 20 5 Soil Test Comparisons of the Four Orchards » 53 6 Peninsula Orchard - Lucas Loam Soil ...... 53 7 Miller Orchard - Fulton Silt Loam Soil .... $k 8 Balduf Orchard - Toledo Silty Clay Soil •••• $k 9 Kalb Orchard - Fulton Silt Loam - Heavy Phase 5^ 10 Inches of Rainfall - January to December 19^1 60 11 Inches of Rainfall - January to December 19k2 6l 12 Root Diameters - Peninsula Orchard JQ 13 Root Diameters - Miller Orchard 79 llf Root Diameters - Balduf Orchard ••••••••••••• 80 15 Root Diameters - Kalb Orchard ..... 81 16 Condensed Table of Root Diameters.......... 83 17 Mean Leaf Area of Samples - from four orchards 8L 18 Mean Leaf Length of Samples- " " " 85 19 Mean Leaf Width of Samples - " " " 85 20 Mean Leaf Thickness of Samples-" " " 86 21 Mean Leaf Midrib Thickness of Samples - from four orchards ••••••••••••••••••••••• 87 22 Mean Leaf Petiole Thickness of Samples - from four orchards •••••••••••••••••••••••• 88 23 Mean Shoot Length of Samples - from four orchards 88 2k Mean Shoot Thickness of Samples - from four orchards .... 89 25 Peach Tree Survival - All Varieties •••••«•• 90 26 Tree Survival Elberta Variety, May 19^5 .... 92 27 Year of Removal and Tree Age of Elberta Variety .... 93 v ECOLOGICAL FACTORS IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE DETERIORATION OF PEACH PLANTINGS AS EVIDENCED BY A STUDY IN OTTAWA COUNTY, OHIO INTRODUCTION Peach tree population in Ottawa County, Ohio, decreased from 1,230,966 in 1900 to 153*15^ in 195^. A number of factors undoubtedly contributed to this decline in peach tree numbers* It is the purpose of this study to determine the possible relationship existing between the deterioration in peach tree population and the Influence of various ecological factors* For a number of years Ottawa County has been one of the leading peach growing counties in Ohio* However, trees grown in certain loca­ tions had considerable vigor and grew to maturity while trees planted on other locations grew fairly well at the outset but died before reach­ ing maturity* In the majority of cases the lack of tree vigor could not be attributed to poor orchard management but rather to factors beyond human control* Therefore, an evaluation of the ecological factors involved was made to determine sane of the reasons for the decline in the peach growing industry* In considering this problem it became evident that many contributing factors were involved* The Ottawa County area had a favorable climate but in general lacked many of the desirable features traditionally considered acceptable for peach 'growing* The general topography of the area, for example, is very low and flat with very little undulation, except in the Catawba Island section* In other areas of the county where peaches were grown the land is flat with ridges which vary from a few inches to a few feet higher than the surrounding land* These ridges were highly prized for peach sites but unfortunately comprised but a small portion of the total land devoted to peach growing in the county* In an area in which the soil surface is as gently undulating as in Ottawa County* the topography might seem to be unimportant* However* where the dif­ ference in elevation was but a few inches within an orchard* difference in peach tree performance on these elevations was pronounced* Other factors which contributed to the general variability were the soil types upon which peach plantings had been established* the soil and water relationships and the soil nutrients* The horticultural literature contains references to the correlation between original vegetation and the desirability of that site for fruit production* A. portion of this study has been devoted to this relationship* Occasional extremes in temperature, disease and Insect pests* as well as high and low price fluctuations all had their effect on Ottawa County peach tree numbers* Tree population fluctuations can be seen in Table 3* Certain growers continued as successful peach producers while others failed in the attempt* For the most part* such factors as sunshine* rainfall* proximity to large bodies of water* disease and insect problems* etc* were essentially the same for all growers* In order to avoid too much generalization* four orchards in Ottawa County were selected for detailed study* These orchards were chosen to include a vide range of conditions typical of those in the entire county* The four orchards v i U be referred to by the owners' names* except in the case of the Peninsula orchard which was company owned. Tree response differences in these orchards were due largely to natural factors* Differences In management of the operators was considered to be negligible* Each of the four orchards was subjectedto the same studies and to the same investigations* This problem will Include studies 1* to determine the original and existing tree vegetation, 2 * to evaluate the four orchards soils as to type and fertility, 3 * to find the water porosity values of the soils, to secure ground water level measurements, 5* to find rate of water movement In the soil,