Subject: [NAFEX] experimental method for sandwich bags on apples
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2004 08:46:55 -0400
Regarding experiments -
The researcher at University of Minnesota, Larry Zilliox, asked that
anyone planning to do a study contact him. He can tell you exactly what
his experimental design was, and the great thing is that he can do the
statistical analyses and then report your results along with his when he
publishes this year's results. His e-mail is
larry@mail.co.douglas.mn.us <mailto:larry@mail.co.douglas.mn.us>
or possibly lzilliox@extension.umn.edu (this one was listed in his first
report, the other in the more recent report).
If everyone who wants to try this out collaborates in the planning
stage, the data can be analyzed together. The results are stronger if
you all follow the same method. Also, Larry can tell you which
questions have already been answered satisfactorily, and which still
need to be researched. The questions now seem to be which apple
varieties are suitable - some are too short-stemmed - and whether
bagging leads to an increase in diseases. Apparently some cultivars
seemed to have more sooty mold if bagged.
As others have said, bagging may not be practical in large orchards, but
for home growers and organic growers it could be a very valuable technique.
Bagging with sandwich bags sounds interesting. ...
So I'm going to try giving it a shot with sandwich bags, paper bags, and
the proverbial control group with nothing. Expect a report in September
or thereabouts. If more people are willing to join in and someone with
knowledge about how to do a study properly wants to give advice on what
to do, that would be great. It is worth finding out whether this stuff
is feasible for home growers in the midwest, as opposed to places with
lower pest/disease pressure. The happy bagging stories seem to come from
Oregon and such, but that may not transfer.
[NAFEX] experimental method for sandwich bags on apples,
Louisa Rogoff Thompson, 04/21/2004