Written by Kari Peter, Penn State Fruit Research and Extension Center, January 10, 2025
Greetings! This is an invitation to participate in the 2025 Apple Tree Decline Summit on Monday, January 27, 2025, from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm EST.
This FREE EVENT will be held on the day before the official start of the 2025 Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable at the Hershey Lodge, Hershey, Pennsylvania. We will be meeting in person; however, participating in Zoom is an option. The zoom link will be provided closer the event.
What is the purpose of the 2025 Apple Tree Decline Summit?
There have been many instances of apple tree decline over the last many years: RAD, soilborne diseases, viruses, winter injury, herbicide injury – just to name a few. The purpose of the summit is to bring together folks of different backgrounds and expertise to discuss the latest research and observations involving apple tree decline. Due to the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the 2024 Apple Decline Summit on August 2, 2024, and the importance of apple tree decline, we decided to host another summit in 2025 with similar topics (RAD, soilborne diseases, viruses, winter injury, herbicide injury, etc.) discussed in 2024.
Who can attend?
EVERYONE is welcome! This event is open to anyone and everyone connected to the apple industry: growers, packers, nurseries, researchers (academic/ federal), Extension, state and federal agencies, consultants, agrochemical industry, etc.
To register:
If you are interested in participating (in person or via Zoom), please fill out this registration form.
Please register by January 24, 2025. (This is important for folks participating via Zoom so you get the link in time!)
Please note: If you are signing up on behalf of a group, each person must register separately.
Speakers:
- Anna Wunsch, Cornell: Understanding how irrigation water can be a source for soilborne diseases in the orchard
- Jason Londo, Cornell: Examining the potential role of cold damage in rootstock shank damage and decline
- Daniel Donahue, Cornell: Observations of apple decline over 11 seasons in Eastern New York
- Mike Basedow, Cornell University: Can trunk protection deter herbicide damage in New York orchards?
- Tami Collum, USDA-ARS: Apple tree decline research at the USDA-ARS Appalachian Fruit Research Station
- Oscar Pietro Hurtado-Gonzales, USDA-APHIS: USDA APHIS PPQ Pome Quarantine Program Update
- Kristy Grigg-McGuffin, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs: Update on Ontario’s tree collapse issues
- Jesse MacDonald, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada BC: Update on apple tree decline issues in Western Canada
- Sara Villani, NCSU: Fungi, fire blight, and beetles: A rapid update on Rapid Apple Decline in NC
- Cameron Mehalek. Penn State: Southern blight: A soilborne disease threatening Pennsylvania apple orchards
- Kari Peter, Penn State: Research update about Rapid Apple Decline (RAD) and other tree health issues in Pennsylvania
Tentative agenda for Monday, January 27, 2025 (Eastern Time Zone):
| 8:30 – 9:00 | Welcome and introductions |
| 9:00 – 10:30 | Updates from those currently working on apple tree decline |
| 10:30 – 10:45 | Break |
| 10:45 – 12:00 | Updates continued |
| 12:00 – 1:30 | Lunch on your own |
| 1:30 – 3:00 | Updates continued |
| 3:15 – 3:30 | Break |
| 3:30 – 5:00 | Updates continued; discussion |
Address of location:
Hershey Lodge (Cocoa Ballroom)
325 University Drive
Hershey, PA 17033
Contact:
Kari Peter, Ph.D.
Associate Research Professor – Tree Fruit Pathology
Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology
Penn State Fruit Research and Extension Center
717-778-4587
kap22@psu.edu
