I have had a request for information from Joe Guthrie at Canterbury Orchard
Services in New Zealand. His questions regard the management of perennial
ryegrass strips in apple orchard middles. Many of the questions are
relevant to the US as well. Below are his questions. Please let me know
ASAP if you have any thoughts on these questions. Thanks much.
-Chuck Ingels
UC Sustainable Ag Research & Education Program
UC Davis
caingels@ucdavis.edu
(916) 754-8546
Does the width of the grass strip play a major role in determining orchard
temperatures, by day, by night or both (e.g., summer and winter)?
Do bare soil and grass reflect about the same amount of sunlight?
They use 3 minute pulses of water through their microsprinklers every 30
minutes for frost protection. Is it best to have short grass or long grass
during such frost protection? Does the extra surface area on long grass
warm the orchard better by allowing more area to freeze water?
What effect does the length of grass have on fruit size, fruit color, and
sunburn?