HORTICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF ONTARIO 
HORTICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, SIMCOE
ANNUAL REPORT OF COOPERATIVE REGIONAL PROJECT NE-183, Multidisciplinary
Evaluation of New Apple Cultivars
January 1 to December 31, 1996
John A. Cline and Mary Bom
I. Progress and Principal Accomplishments
Objective 1: Evaluate horticultural qualities and pest susceptibilities
of new apple cultivars, strains, and advanced selections at numerous locations
throughout North America to determine both the limitation and the positive
attributes of these cultivars.
1995 NE-185 Cultivar Trial (Tables 1 and 2)
The orchard site consists of a sandy-loam soil overlying a gravely-sand
calcareous parent material. Six trees died in the year of planting (1985)
followed by one additional tree in year 2 (1996), all likely related to
the severe moisture stress and canker experienced in 1995.
II. Usefulness of Findings
Objective 1:
Any observations on initial tree growth must be considered preliminary given
that the trial has been in the ground for two seasons. Nevertheless, there
do appear to be clear cultivaral differences in tree growth, habit, vigour,
and possibly disease susceptibility.
A much greater appreciation for cultivar differences in terms of tree growth
and fruit quality will be realized beginning in 1997 (yr 3) when the trees
are fruited for the first time.
III. Work Plans for 1996
Objective 1:
1) Continue data collection as outlined in the protocol developed by the
NE-183 technical committee (and sub-committees).
2) In conjunction with others, try to establish a common approach where
sensory evaluations could be conducted in an objective manner on each of
the cultivars. This would lead to the development of cultivar profiles which
could then be used to compare site differences in terms of fruit quality.