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
AgWeatherNet Spray Guide: Tool to Optimize Pesticide Applications in Washington
To help agricultural spray applicators and the community, AgWeatherNet (AWN) has developed a weather data and station-specific forecast driven decision support tool called Spray Guidance.…
2025 WA Tree Fruit Research Commission Grant Awards for Apple Horticulture and Postharvest
For 2025, the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission approved $292,480 to help fund four (4) new Apple Horticulture and Postharvest projects. This news flash details…
OSU Extension publication – Guide to identifying serious virus phytoplasma symptoms
Cherry virus and virus like organism publication from OSU.
Prepare for the season: Management of mildew and rot pathogens in apple and pear orchards
An effective preharvest disease management program encompasses good sanitation practices, the selection of most effective materials, and their application at critical times during the season.
An Update on the WSU Cherry Breeding Program
The cherry breeding program at Washington State University is excited to report on some of the key outcomes of our work since the relaunch of…
WSU Decision Aid System Update March 2025
Welcome to DAS 2025 Updates.
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Featured Videos

Surface mulches to buffer environmental stress in tree fruit
Kirsten Hannam, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, BC presented at the 2025 Soil Con: Soil Health Workshop for Tree Fruit February 27, 2025. Thank you to funding and sponsorship from the Soil Health Initiative, WSDA,…

Lacewing releases: Increasing your odds for success
Rebecca Schmidt Jeffris, USDA ARS covered updates on the best strategies for lacewing releases based on recent studies at North Central Washington Apple Day. Part of North Central Washington Tree Fruit Days sponsored by WSU…

New codling moth tools- NCW Tree Fruit Days 2025
Betsy Beers, WSU Entomology described efficacy information on new codling moth products at North Central Washington Apple Day. Part of North Central Washington Tree Fruit Days sponsored by WSU Extension, NW Cherry Growers, Pear Bureau…

Avoiding resistance in organic codling moth management- NCW Tree Fruit Days 2025
Tobin Northfield, WSU Entomology described the importance of rotating products and other strategies to slow virus resistance at North Central Washington Apple Day 2025. Part of North Central Washington Tree Fruit Days sponsored by WSU…

Codling moth management reminders – NCW Tree Fruit Days 2025
Dani Gray, WSU Extension described the importance of removing wild sources, mating disruption, coverage and cultural controls at North Central Washington Apple Day 2025. Part of North Central Washington Tree Fruit Days sponsored by WSU…
Recent Publications

Evaluation of biopesticides for the control of Erwinia amylovora in Apple and Pear
In a recent study, we evaluated non-antibiotic materials for fire blight control in 8 Washington, 3 Oregon, 3 New York and 2 Pennsylvania field experiments conducted between 2013 to 2022.
Investigations of Multiple Approaches to Reduce Green Spot Incidence in ‘WA 38’ Apple
A pre-harvest apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) disorder named “green spot” (GS) was recently identified on ‘WA 38’ apples. Previous work indicated a tentative association between GS and fruit mineral imbalance, and an influence of…

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…