TFREC is the research and extension center of Washington State University dedicated to the tree fruit sciences. Located in the primary fruit producing region of the world, the center features a cooperative, multidisciplinary approach to tree fruit production in the 21st century.
Webinar: fire blight control without antibiotics
Dr. Ken Johnson of Oregon State University discusses the most current research related to control of fire blight without antibiotics, a situation organic growers may face in two years. The results can be helpful to any grower managing fire blight. Topics include fire blight biology, a new orchard monitoring tool, existing and new products, and integrated control. View at www.extension.org/pages/62448/fire-blight-control-in-organic-pome-fruit-systems-under-the-proposed-non-antibiotic-standard
Organic tree fruit trends
The most current statistics (2011) on organic tree fruit production in Washington State are now posted on line (csanr.wsu.edu/pages/Organic_Statistics), along with reports on the overall organic sector in the state. A comprehensive report on organic tree fruit with data from the past decade will be published later this spring.
AgTools Online Workshop forTree Fruits
AgTools™ Academy features an online workshop to explore the financial realities of orchard renewal strategies. The agenda includes a brief overview of the AgTools suite of software, benchmark production costs for three apple varieties, and the case study of Smith Apple Farms, where we present on a dilemma faced a family owned apple operation. The panel of lenders discuss what is required for a successful loan and how they see the situation of Smith Apple Farms.
To access this workshop go to: https://agtools.webex.com/agtools/ldr.php?AT=pb&SP=MC&rID=104636602&rKey=ee44d38d638536ec
Spotted Wing Drosophila counts down in 2011
WSU entomologists report much lower numbers of Spotted Wing Drosophila in 2011 than found in 2010. However, the fly will continue to be a pest in Washington orchards, and both growers and home owners should prepare to be vigilant in 2012. (More at the SWD web site...)
Establishing, Producing, and Packing Honeycrisp Apples
Production costs and returns for Honeycrisp apples is now available in a new publication from WSU economists, "2011 Cost Estimates of Establishing, Producing, and Packing Honeycrisp Apples in Washington (FS062E)." A separate spreadsheet (Excel) is also available for downloading.
USDA updates cold hardiness map
The USDA recently finished a new cold hardiness map. The results are of no surprise to growers who have been testing the limits over the last ten years, but they do make it somewhat official. The interactive map is available at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/InteractiveMap.aspx
Integrating New Insecticides--interactive presentation
Integrating New Insecticides Into a Strategic Plan for Codling Moth and Leafroller: the Apple IPM Transition Project has prepared an interactive presentation addressing topics related to implementing new insecticides for codling moth and leafroller control as the industry transitions away from organophosphate insecticides (more...)
WA growers invest $27 million in WSU
Apple and pear growers throughout the state have agreed to make a historic investment of $27 million over the next eight years to support tree fruit research and extension at Washington State University. It is the largest single gift in the university’s history (more...)
Organic Fruit 2012: From Research to Practice
Announcing the 2nd International Organic Fruit Research Symposium, 2012 June 18-21, Leavenworth, Washington; examine and discuss crop production, plant protection, genetics, soils and nutrition, post-harvest, markets, policy, and economics, and the impacts of organic fruit on the environment and people (more...)
Sunrise Field Day 2011 on Facebook
Please check out our Facebook photo album from the Sunrise Field Day 2011 we held on August 16. Our guests included WSU President Elson Floyd and CAHNRS Dean Dan Bernardo.
Enhancing biological control team adds educator
Dr. Angela Gadino joins the Enhancing Biological Control in Western Orchards team from Oregon State University as education and outreach coordinator for the multi-state project. Her research at OSU focused on the biological control of mites in vineyards using ecologically based strategies and innovatative technologies. We welcome her as she brings her experience working with the Oregon wine industry to tree fruit growers. Dr. Gadino will be working with the programs of both Dr. Jay Brunner and Dr. Vince Jones.
First 2011 Spotted Wing Drosophila
We have the first 2011 captures of SWD in eastern WA. We are recommending that growers in this region begin crop protection sprays when their cherries reach a susceptible stage (blush).
The WSU recommendations for Spotted Wing Drosophila control in eastern Washington cherries are now available. We will be deploying traps throughout April, and will send out alerts for each region’s first catch of SWD this spring, as well as posting them on the SWD website. Western WA small fruit growers can find specific information on the Mt. Vernon web site.
Note: the SLN (Special Local Needs, or 24(c)) for spotted wing drosophila control with Entrust was updated June 28, 2011.
Entomologist joins Ecology and Behavior Lab
WSU-TFREC welcomes Dr. Andrea Bixby-Brosi to our Tree Fruit Entomology Program. Andrea comes to us from the University of Kentucky at Lexington where she developed expertise in multitrophic interactions involving arthropods, plants and beneficial insects. She is joining the Insect Ecology and Behavior Laboratory overseen by Dr. Vince Jones where she will be engaged in research and outreach involving conservation of natural enemies for orchard biological control, as well as work with attractants and monitoring of natural enemy colonization into orchards.
PMTP newsletter begin 4th year
The Pest Management Transition Project's newsletter is entering it's fourth year with details in the current issue on the further phaseout of azinphos-methyl, or Guthion. The newsletter has become a valuable tool to growers looking to reduce their use of organophosphates and other less environmentally friendly materials (more)
Kupferman, Apple Citizen of Year
Congratulations to Gene Kupferman, recently retired WSU horticulturist, who was named Apple Citizen of the Year by the 2011 Washington Apple Blossom Festival. Gene earned this honor by providing three decades of leadership in understanding the postharvest management of tree fruits.
2011 Crop Protection Guide
The 2011 version of the Crop Protection Guide for Tree Fruits in Washington (WSU Extension EB0419) is now available in printed form from the WSU Extension Online Store, as a download (pdf), or as HTML from the TFREC web site.
Welcome our new molecular biologist
WSU-TFREC welcomes Dr. Rosa Caiazzo to our Plant Pathology program. Dr. Caiazzo comes from the facilities of the Italian Agricultural Research Council at Scafati where she developed an expertise in the molecular genetics of fungi.
WSU introduces 'WA 5', a new apple
Bright, attractive, crisp, and juicy with a good sugar/acid balance describes the latest release from the WSU Apple Breeding Project. Growers can now apply for evaluation trees to be available spring 2011. (more)
Visual Guide to Adult Stink Bugs
The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug is an invasive species native to eastern Asia where it is considered a major economic pest of soybeans and woody plants. Its presence in the US was first discovered in 2001 in Pennsylvania, and has since spread west with detections as far as California and Oregon. As in Asia, this pest is known to attack our high valued tree fruit crops as well as vegetables and small fruit. (more at PMTP)
Organic Tree Fruit Management in the West
New concepts and techniques are featured in Organic Tree Fruit Pest Management in the West: Bringing New Science to Old Problems. The presentations from this symposium are now available on-line at www.tfrec.wsu.edu/pages/tforg/
Domestic apple genome published
An international team of scientists from Italy, France, New Zealand, Belgium and the USA have published a draft sequence of the domestic apple genome in the current issue of Nature Genetics. The availability of a genome sequence for the apple will allow scientists to more rapidly identify which genes provide desirable characteristics to the fruit and which genes and gene variants provide disease or drought resistance to the plant (more...)
Updated cost estimates for producing sweet cherries
WSU economists have released new data in the on-line publication, "2009 Cost estimates of establishing and producing sweet cherries in Washington" along with an Excel spreadsheet for grower use.
Field Day 2010 scrapbook
We've assembled a few of the highlights from the 2010 Sunrise Research Orchard Field Day held July 29 into an online scrapbook (and the TFREC Facebook page)
Pest Management Transition 2010 Handbook
The PMTP Handbook underwent a major update. The new edition added new pages including an explanation of Degree Days, more pest monitoring, updated web resources (indluding DAS 4.0), as well as changes to pages containing references to the Codling Moth model to reflect the no-biofix model. And, a Spanish edition of the Handbook is now available (more...)
Community Education Garden dedication
The Chelan-Douglas Master Gardeners dedicated the new Community Education Garden to the communities of Chelan and Douglas Counties on Thursday, May 20, 2010. This project is located at the Tree Fruit Research & Extension Center (more...)
WA 2: first WSU apple variety
After 15 years, the WSU apple breeding program has released its first apple cultivar. Currently known as ‘WA 2’ was released because of its outstanding eating quality, appearance and productivity and therefore it’s potential to be a successful cultivar in Washington State.
It is attractive with an orange-red to pinkish-red blush over a yellow background and has large and conspicuous lenticels which usually make it easily distinguishable from other cultivars and add to its overall pleasing appearance. The fruit has outstanding texture, being very firm, crisp and juicy and loses very little firmness in storage and on the shelf (more...)
Establishing and Producing Gala Apples in Washington
Since the first commercial plantings of Gala apples in the 1980s, the popularity of this cultivar has grown exponentially until today Gala is the second largest cultivar grown in Washington. This new WSU Extension Fact Sheet identifies typical practices and corresponding costs of a modern, well-managed Gala apple orchard. It indicates current trends in the industry, and as such, can be helpful in estimating the physical and financial requirements. (fact sheet)
Orchard Pest Management on web
OPM: a Resource for the Pacific Northwest is now available on the web. This valuable reference for anyone concerned with tree fruit arthropod pests includes 98 species and other accounts and a new gallery of over 900 photographs. Go to OPM...
Impact: the value of research & extension
Washington State University's Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center is well situated to meet the immediate and future needs of Washington's fruit industry. More...
Consumer Horticulture
The Consumer Horticulture Community at eXtension has a new web site to provide resources on backyard horticulture with such topics as composting, pollinators, and tree selection (go to eXtension).
WSU-TFREC Sites of Interest
- Popular links
Plant breeding
- Apple Breeding Program
Integrated Pest Management
- Pest Management Transition Project
- Western Orchard Pest & Disease Management Conference
- Enhancing Western Orchard Biological Control
- Survey results: pest management practices 1990 & 2000
- IPM Decision Aid System (DAS)
Orchard Management
- EB0419: Crop Protection Guide for Tree Fruit (web page format)
- Orchard Pest Management: a Resource for the Pacific Northwest
- Evapotranspiration predictor
- Soils & Fertilizers: a Presentation
- Peshastin Creek Areawide Organic Project
Harvest and Postharvest
- Market Diseases of Apples, Pears, and Quinces
- Cullage Assessment & Education Program
and More
- Climate prediction
- A Field Guide to Experimental Designs
- Additional online resources
- Jobs at TFREC