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Chart version of thinner sensitivity ratings
Weather data for Greenville RI.  Forecast values begin September 20, 2011
Estimated Apple Sensitivity to Chemical Thinners
     Other factors may outweigh the weather effects use for these estimates.  Other influences include: fruit diameter, fruit exposure to temperatures >=75 F, pollination, this year's cropload, last year's cropload, warm February-early April temperatures, frost and prolonged cool and cloudy weather during bloom, previous fall weather, foliage condition last summer)
     Ratings below are for the influence of weather on fruit sensitivity to chemical thinning agents.  Ratings assume fruit are less than 13mm diameter.  Dates in bottom rows are beyond 18mm diameter for most cultivars, and are intended only for late cultivars.
  Look at your fruit!  
Rough guess McIntosh King fruit diameter dates: 
12mm - May 26, Thursday         15mm - May 28, Saturday          18mm - May 30, Monday
Date after which fruit have exposure to 2 days of daily high temperature of at least 75 F:  Wednesday,  May 25
     Very warm night temperatures (average > 69F = 19 heat units in table) can lead to "EXCESSIVE THINNING RISK", especially if combined with cloudy weather, or if combined with use of NAA.

Warm nights + Cloudy days  ----->  Increased sensitivity, maximum thinning.
Warm nights + Sunny days   -----> 
Intermediate senstivity, moderate thinning.
Cool nights + Cloudy days    ----->  Reduced sensitivity
Cool nights + Sunny days     -----> 
Reduced sensitivity, minimum thinning. 
THINNER APPLICATION DATE
Estimates assume morning application.
For afternoon application use rating for next day.
Average
% CLOUD SHADING
on application day and the next two days.


< 20% = "sunny blue sky" 
> 40% = "cloudy"
Cloudy weather on 3 days after application increases thinning.
Average
NIGHT HEAT UNITS

= degrees above 50 F for 7pm--7am
for 3 nights after application. 
Example:  If average night time temperature is 55F, then value
= 5. 
   
Values above 10 for three nights after application increases sensitivity to thinning.
SUMMARY
I
nfluence of weather on sensitivity of fruit to thinning agents for 3 days following a morning application

Ratings assume that fruit
are within diameter range
of susceptibility for thinning.
McIntosh
95% Petal Fall
Fri, May 13   
sunny  5% 1 Reduced sensitivity
100% Petal Fall Sat, May 14      53% 3 Reduced sensitivity
 Sun, May 15      63% 3 Reduced sensitivity
 Mon, May 16      66% 0 Reduced sensitivity
 Tue, May 17      65% 2 Intermediate
 Wed, May 18      64% 5 Intermediate
 Thu, May 19      64% 6 Intermediate
Fruit Set Fri, May 20      49% 6 Intermediate
 Sat, May 21    37% 3 Intermediate
 Sun, May 22      62% 1 Increased sensitivity
 Mon, May 23      66% 11 Increased sensitivity
 Tue, May 24      44% 13 Increased sensitivity
 Wed, May 25    sunny  10% 9 Increased sensitivity
 Thu, May 26    35% 15 Stronger influence for Increased sensitivity -- fruit >12mm probably less sensitive to thinning due to size and exposure to 2+ days with high temps. > 75F
 Fri, May 27    sunny  11% 17 Stronger influence for Increased sensitivity -- fruit >12mm probably less sensitive to thinning due to size and exposure to 2+ days with high temps. > 75F
 Sat, May 28    38% 16 Stronger influence for Increased sensitivity -- fruit >15mm may have minimal sensitivity due to size and exposure to 2+ days with high temps. > 75F
 Sun, May 29    30% 19 Stronger influence for Increased sensitivity -- fruit >15mm may have minimal sensitivity due to size and exposure to 2+ days with high temps. > 75F
 Mon, May 30    sunny  19% 18 Stronger influence for Increased sensitivity -- fruit > 18mm are probably beyond predictable chemical thinning due to size and exposure to 2+ days with high temps. > 75F
 Tue, May 31    sunny  2% 15 Increased sensitivity -- fruit > 18mm are probably beyond predictable chemical thinning due to size and exposure to 2+ days with high temps. > 75F
 Wed, June 1    28% 16 Intermediate -- fruit > 18mm are probably beyond predictable chemical thinning due to size and exposure to 2+ days with high temps. > 75F
 Thu, June 2    sunny  14% 6 Stronger influence for reduced sensitivity -- fruit > 18mm are probably beyond predictable chemical thinning due to size and exposure to 2+ days with high temps. > 75F
 Fri, June 3    sunny  13% 4 Reduced sensitivity -- fruit > 18mm are probably beyond predictable chemical thinning due to size and exposure to 2+ days with high temps. > 75F
 Sat, June 4    sunny  3% 1 Reduced sensitivity -- fruit > 18mm are probably beyond predictable chemical thinning due to size and exposure to 2+ days with high temps. > 75F