Impact of Producer Risk Preferences on Selection of Fresh-Market Apple Training Systems

Two important choices for apple growers are which cultivar to grow and which training system to use. Stochastic dominance analysis was used in an economic evaluation of a 10-year study in Pennsylvania (USA) comparing three cultivars ('Crimson Gala', 'Ginger Gold', and 'Fuji') grown on four training systems (vertical axe, slender spindle, 4-wire low trellis, and offset V-axe). Stochastic dominance accounts for grower risk attitude in such decisions. Because of consistently high yields and prices, 'Fuji' is the only cultivar that ranks highly across all risk attitude categories. For growers willing to accept more risk for higher reward, offset V-axe and vertical axe are preferred training systems. Trellis systems are preferred by growers seeking to minimize risk.