"Sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) are typically grown as self-supported central or multiple leader trees. The new trellised "Upright Fruiting Offshoots" (UFO) training system for sweet cherry provides a narrow planar canopy to maximize light and spray distribution and increase orchard labor efficiency. Research determined training techniques at plant establishment that optimize early canopy development and yield potential. Bacterial canker (caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae) can reduce yields, cause loss of limbs, and even tree death, especially of young trees. Trellis wire and pruning wounds create opportunities for bacterial canker infection during tree establishment. Research to reduce such potential infections is critical to the adoption of new trellised training systems. Testing of possible control products for canker often yield variable results in the field and reliable testing protocols are needed. Experiments that focus on the effects of temperature, inoculum load, and plant wounding were conducted under controlled conditions to assess their impact on infection incidence. Infection potential due to trellis wire abrasion also was evaluated to determine the suitability of different wire types for cherry trellis systems. These studies contribute to the evolving development of systematic canker management recommendations for growers considering adoption of new cherry training systems. Successful canker management likely will be based on integrating environmental factors, plant susceptibility factors, timing of orchard tasks, and potential spray products."--Page ii.
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