Summary: The primary key to profitability in apple production is the ability to generate consistently high yields of quality fruit. Spiraling costs for labor and other inputs have put a premium on less expensive strategies to manage crop load including the use of chemical thinners and plant growth regulators. In this ongoing research, we sought to develop practical best use patterns for emerging chemistries for thinning and regulation of fruit set, fruit size, fruit quality, and flowering through a series of field trials. Further, we collaborated with other scientists and commercial interests in the development of new chemistries, models, and technologies to improve precision and reliability of commercial crop load management. Keywords: chemical thinning, PGR, return bloom
