The purpose of this continuation of the
study was to gain further insights into the ef-
fects that ORG, CON, and INT farm manage-
ment systems have on horticultural and fruit
quality parameters. We compared the orchard
productivity and fruit quality of apples under
these farming systems in years 9 (2002) and 10
(2003) of this long-term study by evaluating
tree physiology, yields, and pest and disease
damage, as well as fruit size and color grade,
fruit physical and avor properties, and the
total antioxidant activity of the apples over the
course of several storage and shelf-life regimes.
Results from this study highlight the advantages
and disadvantages of employing alternative
farming systems in apple production.
Farm management treatments. The ORG
treatment used only approved organic practices
as mandated by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
(USDA) National Organic Program (Federal
Register, 2000) and the Washington State Dept.
of Agriculture Organic Food Program (WSDA,
2004). The CON treatment followed practices
used for the remainder of the conventional
apple blocks on the farm, which re ected
the crop protection practices of commercial,
conventional apple orchards in Washington
State (Martin, 2004). The INT treatment
combined practices from both the ORG and
CON farm management systems, including
integrated pest management (IPM) from both
systems and soil-building practices from the
Color grade, weight distribution, and
cullage analyses. All fruit from both harvests
of the 12 samples trees in each experimental
plot were brought to the USDA–Agricultural