RAIN CRACKING OF SWEET CHERRIES .2. INFLUENCE OF RAIN COVERS AND ROOTSTOCKS ON CRACKING AND FRUIT-QUALITY

The primary objective of this experiment was to investigate the effect of plastic rain shelters and Colt and F.12/1 rootstocks on the rain-induced fruit cracking of sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.). Fruit cracking on trees from Colt rootstock was significantly reduced from 63% on covered trees to 5% on uncovered trees. However, no significant difference in the total number of cracked fruits was observed from covered and uncovered trees on F.12/1 rootstock. Susceptibility to cracking was greater in fruits from covered trees on F.12/1 rootstock. Fruits from covered trees were associated with a 10% increase in weight. This paper will discuss the implications of tree covers and rootstocks as they relate to their effects on rain-induced fruit cracking and on fruit-quality characteristics.