Harnessing Evolution as Cherry Production Systems Make Progress
One of the great challenges for optimizing cherry tree training in an orchard context is the fact that, in nature, sweet cherry is a forest tree species. While I’d long known this, last spring it was especially evident as I drove Michigan’s nearly deserted highways under COVID lockdown to some of my research trials two hours from the Michigan State University campus.
Instead of focusing on the usual 75 mph tractor-trailer rigs and other traffic, I could scan the forests adjoining the highway and was amazed at the number of towering trees with beautiful white blossoms interspersed among the stately oaks, maples, and cottonwoods sweet cherries!