Tree Fruit Research and Extension
WSU Tree Fruit Research and Extension develops and applies research-based information for sustainable tree fruit production in Washington and the world.
Recent News
Extension Specialist Karen Lewis named director of WSU Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Program
Tree Fruit Extension Specialist Karen Lewis is the new director of Washington State University Extension’s Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) Program Unit. Hired as ANR…
Codling Moth Task Force Formed
The Codling Moth Task Force was created to synthesize and evaluate past and current codling moth research and management recommendations, and to communicate that information…
Bio-Based IPM: Conserving Natural Enemies for Full Season Control in Pears
New research paper highlights the importance of natural enemies in pear orchards for biologically based IPM.
Managing your Bin Piles for Increased Codling Moth Control
Codling moth larvae that will overwinter leave the fruit in the fall, around harvest, and seek overwintering sites. Bins used during harvest are known to…
WA38 / Cosmic Crisp® pre-harvest virtual field day video recordings now available
The WA 38 / Cosmic Crisp® pre-harvest virtual field tour consisted of three separate events. The first event was a webinar intended for all stakeholders…
2020 Apple Residue Report
Since 2011, the WTFRC has conducted studies in apple and cherry to generate pesticide residue data for commonly used insecticides and fungicides to help Washington…
Announcement
Winter Educational Opportunities
WSU Tree Fruit Extension will provide a variety of learning opportunities this fall and winter in order to continue to bring growers research-based information while maintaining your safety from Covid19. Opportunities will include webinar series,…
JOBS
ITT Publications Coordinator for Tree Fruit Extension
Opportunity to work with the WSU Tree Fruit Extension Team to help deliver outreach across multiple platforms.
Upcoming Events
Featured Videos
Assessing Cold Damage – a Demonstration
This is the last of a four-part series from the sweet cherry cold hardiness webinar held on Oct 29, 2020. In this video, Assessing cold damage, Dr. Matthew Whiting, WSU professor, demonstrates how to assess…
New technology for reducing cold damage
This is the third of a four-part video series from the sweet cherry cold hardiness webinar held on Oct 29, 2020. In this video, New technology for reducing cold damage, Brent Arnoldussen, WSU PhD candidate…
Sweet cherry cold tolerance, dormancy & floral development
This is the second of a four-part video series from the sweet cherry cold hardiness webinar held on Oct 29, 2020. In this video, Jonathan Magby, WSU PhD candidate in the Horticulture Department, gives a…
Cold damage in tree fruit: An Overview
This is the first of a four-part series from the sweet cherry cold hardiness webinar held on Oct 29, 2020. In this video, Overview of cold damage in tree fruit, Dr. Matthew Whiting, WSU professor, presents…
Webinar recording: Co-Robotic harvest-aid platforms can aid harvesting speed
In this installment of the WSU-OSU Tree Fruit Extension seminar series, Dr. Vougioukas discusses how co-robotic harvest-aid platforms can aid harvesting speed by eliminating some of the issues faced by using fixed-zone platforms. Audience Q&A…
WA38 Cosmic Crisp® Grower/Manager Q&A Meeting 9/23/2020
This WA 38 Q&A session, hosted by Bernardita Sallato, focused on all issues related to production, preharvest, conditions of the crop, crop load volume and yield, size and color, fruit finish, weather and smoke related…
Recent Publications
Recent Achievements and New Research Opportunities for Optimizing Macronutrient Availability, Acquisition, and Distribution for Perennial Fruit Crops
Here, we highlight recent advancements and identify knowledge gaps in nutrient dynamics across the soil–rhizosphere–tree continuum for fruit crops.
RosBREED: bridging the chasm between discovery and application to enable DNA-informed breeding in rosaceous crops
This review presents a synopsis of the approach, deliverables, and impacts of RosBREED, highlighting synergistic global collaborations and future needs. Enabling technologies and tools developed are described, including genome-wide scanning platforms and DNA diagnostic tests.
Optimization of a Method for the Concentration of Genetic Material in Bacterial and Fungal Communities on Fresh Apple Peel Surfaces
Apples are the most consumed fruit in the United States and have recently been shown to exhibit some vulnerability to contamination across the supply chain. The objective of this study was to identify a reproducible…
Apple Scion and Rootstock Contribute to Nutrient Uptake and Partitioning under Different Belowground Environments
Soil environment strongly contributes to tree growth and development, affecting nutrient and water uptake. Composite woody perennials, like apple, are a combination of two genetically different parts: a rootstock and a scion, and yet, the…
Optimization of Light Interception, Leaf Area and Yield in “WA38”: Comparisons among Training Systems, Rootstocks and Pruning Techniques
As apple orchards have transitioned to high-density plantings, proper training systems are required to manage increased leaf area. Leaf area index (LAI) is defined as the ratio between leaf area to ground area (m2/m2) and…
