Date of Award:
5-1963
Document Type:
Thesis
Degree Name:
Master of Science (MS)
Department:
Plants, Soils, and Climate
Department name when degree awarded
Horticulture
Committee Chair(s)
David R. Walker
Committee
David R. Walker
Committee
R. L. Smith
Committee
Herman H. Wiebe
Abstract
The sweet cherry crop has always been the number one fruit crop in Utah until the last three or four years when it shifted to second place due to severe spring frosts. However, the outlook for its continued success is still very good. Even though there are drawbacks such as virus infestations, spring frosts, nutritional disorders, cracking, doubling, and bird injury, new plantings are being made each year in each of the important fruit producing counties. Utah is also important in the national production of sweet cherries and is presently sixth in the nation.
A nutritional survey of sweet cheries in the United States has not been published to the author's knowledge. Preliminary information obtained from questionnaires sent to Utah growers showed a wide variation in the management of sweet cherries and a desire to learn more concerning the nutrition of sweet cherries for improved yields.
The primary objective of this research project was to conduct a nutritional survey of the sweet cherry trees in Utah and determine the general nutrient-element levels by means of leaf analyses and locate areas in the state where deficiencies occurred. A secondary objective was to study factors associated with the evaluation of the general nutrition of sweet cherries. In this connection the following comparisons were studied: (1) the variation of nutrient-element levels between Bing and Lambert varieties; (2) the relationship between the nutritional status of a cherry orchard and the occurrence of the major virus diseases; (3) the seasonal trend of the nutrient-elements in cherry leaves; (4) the variation of the nutrient-elements due to the sampling position of the leaves on the tree; and (5) the effect of various washing procedures to remove contamination from the leaves. Comparisons were also made between nutrient-element levels according to the various management practices and conditions of the tree observed when collecting the samples.
Checksum
2b22bd6c755c2c2999cb2176748e31ae
Recommended Citation
Christensen, M. Dale, "A Nutritional Survey of Sweet Cherry Orchards in Utah" (1963). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023. 3815.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/3815
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