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
Save the Date North Central Washington Tree Fruit Days January 20-22 in Wenatchee
Join us for WSU Tree Fruit Extension Programs in North Central Washington on January 20-22, 2026. Co-sponsored by Northwest Cherries, Pear Bureau Northwest, NCW Fieldmen’s…
Orchard Bee Association Annual Conference in Washington
The Annual Orchard Bee Association Conference will be held in Woodinville WA Oct 23-25 or via zoom.
Reduce Postharvest Rots: Key Tips for Harvest Preparation and Long-term Storage
Preventing storage rots begins well before fruit enters the storage room. Focus on effective preharvest disease management, thorough sanitation of bins and storage rooms, and…
Early Fall Defoliation in Sweet Cherry
In perennial species, natural leaf senescence in the fall is part of a remobilization of mobile nutrients and carbohydrates to wood, buds and roots.
Fire Blight Researchers from Around the World Met in Washington
Fire blight scientists, industry representatives and growers met in Richland at the International Fire Blight Symposium in June.
Effective Strategies for Managing Bacterial Canker During Fall
Bacterial canker in sweet cherries is caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (PSS) van Hall (Romoli, 1963, Latorre et al., 1980). This pathogen…
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Featured Videos
Virtual Orchard Meetups: Heat Session Grower Panel with Garrett Henry, WA & Steve Frecon, PA
Managing the Uncontrollable: Resilience to extreme events. Heat session Grower Panel.
Virtual Orchard Meetups: Heat Session with Randolph M Beaudry, Michigan State University
Managing the Uncontrollable: Resilience to extreme events. Heat Session with Randolph M Beaudry, Michigan State University.
Virtual Orchard Meetups: Heat Session with Lee Kalcsits, Washington State University
Managing the uncontrollable: resilience to extreme events
Fire Blight of Apple and Pear
This animation illustrates the biology of fire blight infections in apple and pear. Video produced by Tianna DuPont, Washington State University. Animation by Dani Abram. Funded by USDA SCRI grant #2020-51181-32158. Thank you to reviewers…
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,…
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…
