Survey on the Current Status of Shade Netting in the WA Apple Industry

Survey on the Current Status of Shade Netting in the WA Apple Industry

Respondent Name/Operation: ______

Contact e-mail address/cell: ______

(Note: Your company name will not be identified when the survey response summary is published).

1. Do you use shade netting to protect your trees?YES_____ NO_____
2. If NO, do you plan to use netting in your orchard in the future?YES _____NO_____

1. Indicate in the table below yourreasons for using shade netting. Check all that apply.

Reduce fruit sunburn
Reduce damage from hail
Reduce damage from wind (limb rubs, etc.)
Bird or other wildlife exclusion
Insect exclusion
Water savings and avoiding wet soil problems and food safety concerns
Reduce tree stress and improve tree vigor
Other reasons (specify):

1. Do you use netting in conjunction with other sunburn protection strategies?YES_____NO_____

1. If YES indicate in the table below the sunburn protection strategy that is used in conjunction with netting. Check all that apply.

Particle films (kaolin, calcium carbonate, talc products etc.)
Sunscreen (Raynox)
Evaporative cooling
Other (specify):

1. Indicate inthe table below the apple cultivar, total acreage under netting of each cultivar, and respective tree age(s)and type of trellis system, if possible.

Cultivar / Total acreage under netting / Age/Ages / Trellis system – vertical or V

1. Indicate in the table below, the total acreage for apples, acreageunder shade netting, net color and net shading % used used for fresh market apples currently (2017) and in the future.

Current (2017) / Future
Total apple acreage
Apple acreage under netting
Net color
Netting shade %

1. Please indicate the type of netting product used. Check all that apply.

Extenday
GreenTek
Wilson
Other (specify):

1. Please indicate the type of netting arrangement used. Check all that apply.

Over the top of the orchard only
Both top and sides (exclusion netting)
Partial overhead (e.g., angled/louvered system)
Other (specify):

1. Do you have problems with fruit color under netting?YES _____ NO_____

If YES, indicate which cultural practice you use to improve fruit color. Check all that apply.

Reflective film (e.g., mylar, Color Up)
Reflective fabric (e.g., Extenday)
Evaporative cooling
No remedial action taken
Other (specify):

1. Estimated cost per acre forestablishing shade netting system (e.g., poles, cables, net, labor):

$/ac = ______.

1. Estimated annual cost per acre for maintaining the shade netting system once it has been established (e.g., furling/rolling up in fall and unfurling/rolling out in spring) $/ac = ______

1. Did you do a cost-benefit analysis beforeadopting shade netting? YES_____ NO _____

1. Have you determined a financial benefit ($/ac) for using nets? YES_____ NO _____
2. If YES, what would you estimate that value to be?$/ac = ______
3. For your netted orchards, did you retrofit an existing orchard after it was established or install the netting infrastructure at the time the orchard was established? Check all that apply.

Retrofit Existing Orchard ______Establish With New Orchard ______

1. For future orchards that you plan to cover with nets, will you install the netting infrastructure at the time of orchard establishment? YES_____ NO _____

1. What type of research-based information would be helpful for you and other growers to most successfully utilize this technology in the future? Any additional comments?

______

Note: this survey is part of the 2015-2018 WSDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program funded project “Physiological Responses of Apple Under Photoselective Hail Netting” (P.I. Lee Kalcsits, Co-PI’s – Stefano Musacchi and Desmond R. Layne)