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
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…
Preharvest X-disease transmission risk
Warm spring weather may allow vectors to transmit X-disease in late May and June. We recommend broadleaf-specific herbicides and coordinating fruit fly sprays to also…
The Biology of Shoot Blight
Shoot blight is caused by fire blight bacterium Erwinia amylovora. It is critical to understand the migration of E. amylovora through the plant tissue so…
Pruning out Fire Blight Infections
It is important to quickly prune out fire blight infected materials soon after an infection occurs to reduce the bacterial ooze which insects and wind…
Postharvest bin handling conversations in Washington State
Handling of bins after fruit removal varies widely. Researchers and industry in Washington state and other parts of the United States are collaborating to help…
Upcoming Events
14
May
May
Pear Pest Management Discussion Group – Mites and Natural Enemies
Henry Building
18
Jun
Jun
Pear Pest Management Discussion Group – Secondary Pests and Natural Enemies
Henry Building
Get Connected
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…
