09/12/08 Conserving water in apple orchards

It's an annual event in Parma for Treasure Valley residents to see and taste new table grapes, peaches, nectarines, apples and other alternative fruit growing on the trees and vines at the University of Idaho Research Center. Pomologist Dr Essie Fallahi will also talk today about work he's doing to improve fruit quality will helping growers become more competitive. For ten years he's been experimenting with more than a dozen different irrigation systems in apples. FALLAHI"We are finding that certain types of drip are saving water compared to the sprinkler system by as much as 50 to 60 percent while it keeps the quality of fruit high." Fallahi will also show growers some of the methods he's using in the orchard to thin blossoms from trees to insure better fruit quality. FALLAHI "In the past we were doing thinning by hand but the program has been working on a number of chemicals and we have found some that are showing outstanding results. We are looking for ways that we can mechanically reduce the need for labor." Field day attendees will taste the results of an ever growing niche industry, Idaho table grapes. Fallahi calls this year's harvest 'fantastic.' Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott