Ron Perry
Professor
A338-C Plant and Soil Sciences
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1325
Phone: 517/355-5191, ext 1433
Fax: 517/353-0890
Email: perryr@msu.edu

Dr. Perry Field Experiments & Statistics  Rootstock Reports   
Publications Apple Orchard Articles  
Spacing Fruit Trees    Orchard and Vineyard Technology        

HRT Courses

HRT 331 -  Fruit Tree Rootstocks     Apple History     Planting Depth For Fruit Tree
HRT 206 - Training and Pruning Woody Perennials (co-taught with leader; Marcus Duck)
HRT 332 - Tree Fruit Production
HRT 430 - Exploring Wines and Vines

   

Joined Department:
   August 1, 1980
    

Appointment:
   50% Research
   50% Extension


Education:

   Ph.D., Horticulture, Texas A&M University, 1980
   M.S., Horticulture, Texas A&M University, 1975
   B.S., Fruit Science, Caly Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA, 1968

Research Interests:
Rootstock evaluation of tree fruit

A principal part of our research program is spent on evaluating new rootstocks for apple, cherry, peach and plum. The emphasis in apple is on finding new rootstocks that adapt to Michigan conditions and fit into high and moderate planting systems. These stocks are also being evaluated under various management systems. These trials serve a dual purpose in generation of data for research and as focal points in extension programming for workshops on rootstocks and training of high density apple systems. For tart cherry, we continue to recommend the standard Mahaleb rootstock and through our systematic trials have begun to change commercial sweet cherry growers over from the standard Mazzard seedling rootstock to the new clonally propagated MXM 2 and MXM 60 rootstocks. These rootstocks have proven to influence varieties to crop better and survive longer in less than optimum soil conditions. As a leader in the NC 140 Regional rootstock trial committee on pome and stone fruit rootstocks, we were able to organize new trials for evaluating dwarfing cherry rootstocks from Europe. Several of the German stocks in these trials have drawn considerable national and international attention.

Perennial root system studies related to soil dynamics

Over the years we have graduate students working on projects related to soil dynamics and physiology of fruit tree rootstocks and their root systems. Work was conducted on the relationship of soil stresses to the decline of cherry trees. Root system studies were conducted on the impact of root system health, morphology and longevity.

Integrated Pest Management for Apples

A large amount of time is now being spent on the coordination of a new project which involves a team of scientists in various disciplines in studying new ways to reduce chemical inputs in managing apples in high density orchards. Groundwater monitoring is being accomplished by the use of whole tree lysimeters in each of eight plots at the Clarksville Hort. Experiment Station.

Extension Program:

Technical Resource for workshops and field meetings for; tree fruit rootstocks, apple high density management systems, field diagnostics, nursery and propagation work, pruning and training techniques, and soil problems.

MSU Fruit School

Initiated in 1984 as a short course program for industry growers and related personnel. The fruit school was set up to be offered on a variety of topics with 20-30 hours of lecture format information delivered to growers during the winter time. Over 11 years, approximately 950 participants have taking these courses and over one-third of the participants derived from outside the state of Michigan. The course has developed an national and international reputation and its format has been duplicated in and outside the state for other topics.

Selected Recent Publications:

  • Gut, L.J., P.H. McGhee and R. Perry. 2005. Soil Mounding as a Control for Dogwood Borer in Apple. HortScienc. HortScience 40(7):2066-2070.

  • Rieghard, G.L., J.L. Anderson, R. Anderson, W. Autio, T. Beckman, R. Belding, G. Brown, W. Cowgill, D. Deyton, E. Durner, A. Erb, A. Gaus, P. Hirst, M. Kaps, N. Miles, F. Morrison, S. Myers, R. Perry, C.R. Rom, W. Shane, B. Taylor, K. Taylor, C. Walsh, and M. Warmund. 2001. Five-year performance of 19 peach rootstocks at 20 sites in North America. Acta Hort. 557: 97-102. 

  • Perry, R.L. and G.V. Byler. 2001. Effects of 19 Rootstocks on the Performance of Imperial Gala Grown in the V System. Proceedings of the VII International Symposium on Orchard and Plantation Systems . Acta Horticulturae. 557, Pub by ISHS, Leuven, Belgium, pg 77-81.

  • Perry, Ron, Greg Lang, Robert Andersen, Robert Anderson, Anita Azarenko, Tim Facteau, David Ferree, Alvin Gaus, Frank Kappel, Greg Lang, Frank Morrison, Curt Rom, Teryl Roper, Steve Southwick, Ghassem Tehrani and Chris Walsh. 1998. Performance of the NC-140 Cherry Rootstock Trials in North America. Acta Hort. 468: 291-296.

  • Fernandez, R. T., R.L. Perry and D.C. Ferree. 1995. Root distribution patterns of nine apple rootstocks in two contrasting soil types. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci.120(1):6-13.

  • Hooker, J.E., K.E. Black, R.L. Perry and D. Atkinson. 1995. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi induced alteration to root longevity of poplar. Plant and Soil Vol. 172: 327-329. 

  • Perry, R.L. 1995. A Recipe for Establishing Vertical Axe for Apples. Great Lakes Fruit Growers News 34(5):25. 

  • Perry, Ron, Greg Lang, Robert Andersen, Robert Anderson, Anita Azarenko, Tim Facteau, David Ferree, Alvin Gaus, Frank Kappel, Greg Lang, Frank Morrison, Curt Rom, Teryl Roper, Steve Southwick, Ghassem Tehrani and Chris Walsh. 1997. Performance the NC-140 Cherry Rootstock Trials in North America. Acta Hort. 451: 225-229.

  • Fernandez, R.T., R.L.Perry & J.A. Flore. 1997. Drought response of young apple trees on three rootstocks: Growth and development. J. Amer.Soc.Hort.Sci. 122:(1): 14-19.

  • Fernandez, R.T, R.L. Perry and J.A. Flore. 1997. Drought response of young apple trees on three rootstocks. II. Gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, water relations and leaf abscisic acid. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 122:847-848

  • Hooker, J.E., M. Munro, D. Atkinson and R. Perry. 1992. The effects of VAM fungi on the root morphology of Poplar. In, Root ecology and its Practical Applications. ed. by L. Kutschera, E. Hubl, E. Lichtenegger, H. Persson and M. Sobotik. Pub. Verein fur Wurzelforschung, A-9020 Klagenfurt. pg. 579-582. 

  • Atkinson, D., J. Hooker, O. Pauline, R. Perry and D. Blasing. 1992. The use of mini-rhizotrons and microrhizotrons to quantify root turnover in a range of tree species. In, Root ecology and its Practical Applications. ed. by L. Kutschera, E. Hubl, E. Lichtenegger, H. Persson and M. Sobotik. Pub. Verein fur Wurzelforschung, A-9020 Klagenfurt. pg. 291-294.

  • Lipe, W.N. and R.L. Perry. 1988. Effects of rootstocks on wine grape scion vigor, yield and juice quality. HortScience 23:317 321.

  • Perry, R.L. 1987. Cherry rootstocks. In: Rootstocks for Fruit Crops, R.C. Rom and R.F. Carlson (eds.), pp. 217-264. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York.

  • Layne, R.E.C., C.S. Tan and R.L. Perry. 1986. Characterization of peach roots in Fox Sand as influenced by sprinkler irrigation and tree density. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 111:670-677.

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