To evaluate thinning effectiveness using the “fruitlet model,” individual apples must be labeled and measured two or three times to assess their rate of growth. While chemical fruit thinners can work fairly well on apples, the thinning effect is variable year to year. Growers are reluctant to make repeated thinner applications without knowing if the original application was effective and how many apples are going to persist on the tree. This natural hesitancy often results in the need for further thinning by hand, an expensive proposition. “It would be very useful to be able to accurately assess thinning response,” said […]