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
“Ghosting” / Diffuse Skin Browning in ‘Golden Delicious’: Causes and controls
“Ghosting”, or diffuse skin browning (DSB), is a physiological disorder in ‘Golden Delicious’ that can be mitigated with step-down cooling and careful 1-MCP application.
Climatic Effects on Postharvest Cherry Quality
Seasonal weather affects sweet cherry quality. Heat waves and temperature fluctuations can reduce firmness, stem quality, and storability, making timely harvest and cooling critical.
Organic AVG (Retain®OL) Extends Apple Harvest Window and Maintains Firmness in Long-Term Storage
Retain®OL delays maturity at harvest and slows ripening in organic ‘Gala’ apples, preserving firmness through long-term CA storage.
Apple IPM in Hard Economic Times
Optimal pest control may not be possible when budgets are tight. But, by carefully balancing the damage potential of the pests with the cost of…
Critical Time For Codling Moth Management
The codling moth first generation egg hatch is underway in across Washington, and now is one of the most critical times to be controlling population…
Post-bloom nutrition priorities for Washington tree fruit orchards
As orchards transition from bloom into early fruit development and rapid shoot growth, tree fruits enter a period of high nutrient demand and increasing root…
Upcoming Events
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Pear Pest Management Discussion Group – Secondary Pests and Natural Enemies
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Featured Videos
Assessing your Lacewing Shipment
WSARE Project SW24-004 “Developing best practices for releasing lacewings in apples.” Led by Rebecca Schmidt-Jeffris, USDA, Tianna DuPont, WSU
Monitoreo y muestreo para la enfermedad de la cereza pequeña
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…
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…
Optimizing tree fruit nutrition for fruit quality
Bernardita Sallato described the basics of nutrient demand and their impact on fruit quality, tools to determine rate, and a review of monitoring strategies at NCW Stone Fruit Day 2025. Part of North Central Washington…
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…
