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
Resources for Little Cherry & X-disease management 2022
Multiple resources are available on symptoms, scouting, and sampling for Little Cherry & X-disease to encourage effective tree removal and management. Resource pages: X-disease phytoplasma…
Cold weather can be tough for trees and for bees. Strong colonies and lots of them is a good place to start
Cold temperatures keep bees from flying. This topic of bee flight and temperature comes up a lot. Almost everything I read says bumble bees and…
Using the Pear Psylla Phenology Model for “soft” (IPM) Programs
Using the pear psylla phenology model in the WSU Decision Aid System can increase the effectiveness of a pear psylla IPM program (i.e., a “soft”…
Managing your crop load in the craziness of Spring 2022
Chemical thinning and crop load management is difficult enough in a normal season, but what in the heck should we do this year? Here are…
2022 Fresh and Processed Pear Committee Research Grant Awards
Based on the recommendations of the Pear Research Subcommittee (PRSC), the Fresh and Processed Pear Committees (FPC & PPC) approved $255,575 to fund five (5)…
What does the X-disease/Little Cherry Disease Test Results Numbers Means in Terms of Disease Progression?
Summary by Corina Serban, WSU Extension, Scott Harper, WSU Plant Pathology. May 3, 2022. The little cherry and X-disease outbreak has become a singular threat…
Upcoming Events
5
Jul
Jul
Día de campo en WA38: Nutrición, vigor y estrés por calor. WSU- Huerta la Roza, IAREC. (WA38 Field Day in Spanish: Nutrition, vigor and heat stress)
WSU-Prosser Roza Orchard
Featured Videos
2022 Virtual Orchard Meetup Series – Labor session
This is the first presentation in the 2022 Virtual Orchard Meetup series, recorded on June 6, 2022. The 2022 series theme is Orchard Efficiencies: Labor and Technology. This first webinar focused on grower experiences with…
Cómo verificar si hay daños en la yema de la manzana en el árbol
¿Busca daños en los brotes de manzana? Observe cómo Bernardita Sallato, de la Universidad Estatal de Washington, muestra cómo cortar y evaluar rápidamente los capullos de manzana en el árbol e identificar los daños en…
How to check for apple bud damage on the tree
Looking for apple bud damage? Watch as Washington State University’s Matthew Whiting shows how to quickly cut and evaluate apple buds on the tree and identify flower part damage
Importance of Sanitation for Codling Moth
This interview was conducted as part of the 2022 Codling Moth Summit. It features expert advice from Mark LePierre, a consultant and farm manager who has 30+ years of experience. Specifically, he discusses the practices…
Codling Moth Orchard Management and Socioeconomic Considerations
A Codling Moth Summit was held in February 2022 to highlight and capture known research and best practices for IPM programs in codling moth control. This interview with Jill Tonne from Nutrien highlights essential practices…
Recent Publications
Soil Health Indicators for Central Washington Orchards
To help growers in Central Washington orchards, Washington State University scientists demonstrated that all soil health indicators should include measurements of water availability and root health in addition to standard fertility indicators to meet stakeholder…
Field scale application of Brassica seed meal and anaerobic soil disinfestation for the control of apple replant disease.
Study published June 2021 in Applied Soil Ecology shows potential of anaerobic soil disinfestation and biorenovation with mustard meals for mitigation of replant disease.
Towards rapid detection and mapping of powdery mildew in apple orchards
Chandel, Khot, Sallato Dec 2020. Powdery mildew (PM) in apples is a critical fungal disease that adversely affects yield and fruit quality. Conventional PM identification techniques are laborious. This study evaluated the suitability of non-destructive…
Photoselective Protective Netting Improves “Honeycrisp” Fruit Quality
Sara Serra et al. Dec 2020. High temperatures, wind, and excessive sunlight can negatively impact yield and fruit quality in semi-arid apple production regions. Netting was originally designed for hail protection, but it can modify…
Sweet Cherries
L. Long, G. Lang & C. Kaiser Dec 2020. This new book provides comprehensive coverage of the history, genetic improvements, production physiology of growth and cropping, orchard establishment and management, and harvest considerations for sustainable…
