December 2022 - 9

do that with fiberglass?
We tried drilling holes,
but they wore out the drill
bits quickly. And beware of
fiberglass getting splinters. "
Bakker said that
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based on some initial
engineering work, there
might be potential for
putting them in the ground
using cement-filled posts.
" I think that they're some
good alternatives here -
some opportunities to do
something other than wood, "
Bakker said. " There's more
work to be done yet. Right
now, I think we maybe
have more questions than
answers. And we don't want
to spend a lot of time and
energy on materials that
aren't readily available. "
Daylong activities
The Tree Fruit Field
Day at the West Michigan
Research Station began with
a morning pear meeting in
which MSU entomology
professor John Wise discussed
biopesticide application methods to
control pear psylla.
Participants learned about the latest
research and viewed demonstration
plots that have been established and
efforts that are being made in borer
research on stone fruit. Attendees
heard about the current uses for the
cooler rooms at the station.
Sessions were on farm stress and
an update was presented by MSU
Extension Tree Fruit Educator Emily
Lavely regarding ongoing projects at
the research center, which opened with
grower and industry support in 2021.
MSU research assistant Cory
Outwater gave an update on cherry
leaf spot trials taking place at the
An attendee checks the strength of a trellis post
at a Tree Fruit Field Day Nov. 1 at Michigan State
University's West Michigan Research Station in Hart.
center. In adjacent blocks, researchers
compared fungicides Bravo and
Initiate (chlorothalonil), captan
and Kocide (copper hydroxide).
Kocide, which they sprayed at 4
pounds per acre instead of the labelrecommended
3.5 pounds, was the
only product that provided seasonlong
protection.
Outwater said that spraying Kocide
at the higher rate provided greater
control, though phytotoxicity did
lead to some defoliation.
" The important thing is we are
holding onto the majority of the leaf, " he
said. " So, it might look really ugly early
on. But it is controlling the disease. "
Trials and data collection will
continue next year, Outwater said. FGN
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Anna Wallis, right, an apple production specialist for Michigan State University
(MSU) Extension in the Grand Rapids region, is part of a project that seeks to
identify trellis material options for growers. Here, she makes a presentation at
MSU's Clarksville Research Center near Clarksville, Michigan.
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FGN | DECEMBER 2022 | 9
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December 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2022
