Join WSU Extension for the latest research-based information. 3 WSDA and ODA pesticide update credits pending approval. Hybrid In-person and Virtual event. Co-Sponsor Pear Bureau Northwest.

North Central Washington Tree Fruit Days

Join us for WSU Tree Fruit Extension Programs in North Central Washington. Co-sponsored by Northwest Cherries, Pear Bureau Northwest, NCW Fieldmen’s Association, Chelan Future Farmers of America and the Okanogan Horticultural Association. These events provide the latest research-based information on horticulture, pest and disease management. We hope you will join us to network and learn this winter. Apple, Pear and Cherry Day will be held in Wenatchee, WA January 17-19, 2023 with a virtual webinar option. Okanogan Horticultural Day February 7, 2023. Lake Chelan Horticultural Meeting January 21, 2023.

Format

Events in 2023 will be held in person with a virtual option through zoom webinars for Apple, Pear and Stone Fruit Days.

Pear Day Topics

Session 1: Pest and Disease Management

• Post Harvest Pathogen Prevention
• Natural Enemy Releases
• Pear Psylla Management

Session 2: Production, Quality and Profits

• High Density Pears Virtual Tour
• Impacts of Hot Weather on Storage
• Optimizing Fruit Set

Credits

3 pesticide update credits will be available per day with WSDA and ODA approval.

Registration

Registration is required for virtual webinar attendance. In person attendees are welcome to register to have a back-up attendance method through the webinar link. Walk-ins okay for in person participation. Register for virtual attendance.

Lunch

Join us for the sponsored networking lunch which provides an opportunity to learn and network with your peers and visiting speakers. Sponsored lunch limited to the first 100 attendees per day. Register for lunch!

Agenda (Draft)

Session 1: Pest and Disease Management
9:00 AM Preharvest Management of Post Harvest Pathogens – Insights from Oregon (virtual)
Achala KC, Oregon State University

9:25 AM Integrated Rodent Management, New Invasive Rodent
A new invasive species the California Ground Squirrel. Life cycle, management timing, cultural management.

9:55 AM Potential and BMPs for Natural Enemy Releases
Rebecca Schmidt Jefris, USDA ARS
This talk will cover what natural enemies are commercially available for pear pests, best practices for conducting releases, and possible alternatives to purchased natural enemies.

10:20 AM Break

Session 2: Pear Psylla Management
10:40 AM Phenology-based integrated pear pest management step by step
Robert Orpet, WSU Entomology

Timing and efficacy of key cultural practices and insecticide applications through-out the season. Effectiveness in 2022.

11:20 AM Pear IPM Innovations on the Horizon
Rodney Cooper, USDA-ARS; Tobin Northfield, WSU Entomology
Effects of induced plant defenses and chemical elicitors and tree to tree communication on pear psylla. Gut content analysis reveals behavior.

11:50 AM Elections

12:00 PM Lunch

Session 3: Production, Quality and Profits
1:00 PM The Pear Floral Microbiome (virtual)
Robert Schaeffer, Utah State University
How orchard management and landscape can impact the pear floral microbiome.

1:20 PM High Density Pear Orchards Virtual Tour and Review (pre-recorded)
Stefano Musacchi, WSU Horticulture; Tianna DuPont, WSU Extension
A virtual tour of pear training systems from Washington, France and Italy.

2:00 PM Break

2:15 PM Impacts of Hot Weather on Post Harvest Storage in Pear
Carolina Torres, WSU Horticulture

2:40 PM Consumer Preferences for Pears (virtual)
Maria Montero Diaz, WSU School of Food Science; Karina Gallardo, WSU School of Economic Sciences

3:00 PM Closing and Pesticide Credits

Speakers

Achala KC is an Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology at Oregon State University. Her program focuses on pear and wine grape diseases of Southern Oregon including post harvest pathogens and fire blight.

Roger Baldwin is a Specialist in Cooperative Extension for the University of California at Davis. Baldwin’s program works to give growers solutions to wildlife pests.

Rebecca Schmidt-Jeffris, Research Entomologist USDA ARS. Her lab focuses on biological control of arthropod pests of tree fruit, including apples, pears, and cherries.

Robert Orpet has been a pear entomologist at WSU TFREC since 2019. He manages experiments and talks with people to create and share knowledge on how to integrate biocontrol, cultural tactics, and chemicals for pest management.

Rodney Cooper is a Research Entomologist whose research interests include the biology and ecology of Hemipteran pests of fruit trees. He is currently investigating host-plant resistance against the pear psylla, and interactions among psyllids, psyllid-vectored pathogens, and their host-plants.

Tobin Northfield is an Assistant Professor for WSU Department of Entomology. He leads an interdisciplinary task force comprising researchers and representatives from government and industry that works to improve management X-disease and Little cherry disease. He leads a project focusing on X-disease vector management including the use of cultural controls such as Surround and Extenday.

Stefano Musacchi is an Endowed Chair of Tree Fruit Physiology and Management for Washington State University. His work focuses on orchard management, training systems, rootstocks and cultivar evaluation, light interception, fruit quality, graft-incompatibility, and saline stress.

Vendors

To join the tradeshow please contact the NCW Fieldmen’s association at ncwfieldman@nwi.net

Credits Q&A

WSDA and ODA pesticide update credits have been approved for the workshop. To receive credits for online attendance, participants must:

1. Register each participant including pesticide license information. Make sure registrant name matches name on license.
2. Attend the full morning session. The webinar software tracks the number of minutes each attendee has participation. 3 credit sessions require 150 minutes of pesticide related content.
3. Respond to poll questions and check-ins during the workshop.

Common Zoom Problems and Trouble Shooting

• Cannot enter the webinar.
  • Early? If you are early you will receive a message that the meeting has not started yet. Just wait and we will have webinar open soon.
  • Enter the passcode: you can attend the meeting without a zoom account, but you have to enter the passcode to get in. Passcode: 1111.

• All online participants will be required to have a zoom account to sign in due to WSU security policies. Go to https://zoom.us/ to sign up (free) and don’t forget to check your email to confirm. Please make sure to sign in early and check that zoom is working for you and that recent updates have been downloaded.

• No sound
  • Check your audio settings in zoom. Click on the up arrow close to the microphone icon at the bottom of your screen. Choose audio settings and check that you have the correct speaker and microphone checked.
  • Check your audio in your computer settings.

• Still having trouble. Call (509) 293-8792. Note these phone numbers will be forwarded to volunteers during the hour before and after the webinar starts as Tianna will be running the meeting.

Common questions:

• Can I have multiple people watching on one computer? The webinar host can only verify attendance for each logged in participant. If it is not possible for each participant to login separately, please contact Tianna (509) 713-5346 in advance to designate a host for your site who can verify attendance.