White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1933-06-15
Drought Spot Found
In Orchards of County
(By County Agent E. c. Durdle)

Drought spot of apple, which first
appears as little browning of the
surface of the apple and later runs
into a decided sunken area, these
sometimes growing open and often
with brown streaks extending to the
core of the apple, has been found in
a number of orchards in the county
within the past week or two. This con-
dition has been observed for the past
several years. Specimens OF apples sent
to the horticultural department at the
state college in the past has brought
the information that this trouble is
due to some form of root or tree in
jury SO that the tree could not function
normally in the supply of water to leaf
surface and the fruit crop. Because OF
the fact that the leaf requires the
large amount of water in the develop
mes4s Ct foods within the leaf. water
is drawn from the fruit crop in order
to supply the leaf surface when the
root system cannot supply enough to
provide both leaf and fruit. Under
this condition cells OF the fruit are
deprived of water and hence this usual
starting at the surface and, as 1t ex-
tends deeper, sunken area showing
up.
Observations in some of the orchards
seem to show quite closely that where
there was an abundance Of water the
trouble is practically -existant,
while in areas where the orchard re-
ceived normal irrigation there are
trees with the entire crop so affected.
We are rather of the opinion that the
trouble is due to soil condition and
that this is another evidence of the
need of good cover crop in the or
chard. Conference with Mr. Lovett,
former county agent of Yakima coun-
ty, while he was agent in that county
brought out the fact that orchards IN
sections of that county which were
showing poor development for fruiting
conditions were much benefited by the
seeding of sweet clover into these or
chards Mr.. Lovett brought out the
point that before the sweet clover had
had an opportunity to open up these
soils that these soils were very compact
| by that two years of sweet clover the
soil conditions were SO different that
one could hardly realize that it was
the same soil Soils which are compact
will allow fruit to penetrate much
more readily than soils which are loose
and this condition may have consid-
cradle effect on root injury.
!, Where the trouble Is found this year
and especially on trees where the ma
jority Of the crop is affected, 1t would
seem advisable to leave the tree with
out any furthr pruning SO as to allow
the tree to provide as much food as pos
{ sible to rebuild damage to tissue. An
other year, however, it probably would
be well to prune these trees more Sc
verely than the average tree so as to
reduce the leaf area and thus possibly
save the crop from this drought spot
| injury. Where the tree is showing in
jury to the point that there is poor
growth and poor leaf surface then II
would seem advisable to check these
trees closely as to root injury and ex-
pose the injured roots to the air al
short distance from the trunk. Il
the damage to the root system is very
severe-to the point that roots are
practically gone on one side Of the
tree-then it would seem advisable tt
plant seedlings on this side Of the
tree and graft these into the trunk
so as to provide new root development
Occasionally one gets sucker growth
from these roots little further ou
and these may be tied in by grating
This problem is being taken up witt
the horticultural department at thu
State College and any further infor
nation learned will be given out il
news item another week..