North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Alan Haigh <alandhaigh@gmail.com>]

I don't trust university evaluations of black knot resistance because I
don't know if they are evaluating them based on their own single site or if
someone is going to the trouble of polling commercial growers in their
state.  I'm not aware of any actual research on the subject done as a
controlled study- I would find that interesting.

Where the trees are positioned in the orchard could have a lot of influence
on susceptibility in terms of relative exposure to inoculum and who knows
what else.

The reason I don't trust them is Cornell's evaluations don't jibe with my
own experience and no university has ever warned me about Methely, which to
me is obviously much much more susceptible than any of the 20 or 30 other
types I grow (at probably 50 different sites).  If they are only going on
their anecdotal experience at their single experimental site it is a
limited evaluation indeed.  Doesn't require a PHD to recognize black knot
when you see it.