Project Description
Sustainable & Organic Agriculture
Featured stories about sustainable & organic agriculture appear in this issue.
Gaining on mites
Short and stunted shoots are signs of damage from two new mites found in Washington State, grape leaf rust mite and bud mite. Washington State
In The Box
Today I was enjoying my monthly read of Good Fruit Grower, and noticed the article by Melissa Hansen "Making Sense of Global Warming" (January 1,
Reduced-risk strategy
A federally funded project designed to encourage tart cherry growers to transition to more benign pest and disease controls showed that plum curculio, a key
First Bite
In response to regulatory pressures, pest management in orchards will become more challenging and risky for producers. As federal and state regulations restrict the use
Last Bite
The letters on Dow's labels designated the area of origin. On occasion, fruit box labels bearing a prominent and distinctive blue C, O, E, or
Beware of returning pests
Western flower thrips is becoming an increasing problem in orchards It takes vigilance to prevent damage by some stone fruit pests because they can return
Good Stuff
NAA Available in Liquid FormFruitone (napthalene acetic acid), a plant growth regulator designed to thin fruit, enhance return bloom, and control preharvest drop in apples
Bait is top cherry fruit fly spray
Some cherry growers are still skeptical that the GF-120 bait can control cherry fruit fly as well as other pesticides do. However, the product is
Good Point
More than 50 percent of Washington farm owners are over 60 years old, according to data from the agricultural census. As this large proportion of
Strategies for Psylla
A cold winter, a lack of rain, and pear psylla's resistance to pesticides combined to create the perfect storm for pear growers last season, Dr.
Apple Matters
In today's global business and 24/7 news environment, the potential for a crisis in the apple industry is real. With more stakeholders, regulators, critics, and
Good to know
A research report from Drs. Vincent Jones, Gary Grove, and Jay Brunner, Washington State University While the tree fruit industry is no stranger to change,
Brined cherries face challenges
Reduced supplies of U.S. brining cherries and restricted supplies of imported brining cherries are making it hard for the U.S. cherry-brining industry to meet demand.
Apple maggot on the move
The apple maggot is slowly making its way north through central Washington's fruit growing areas, though it is not yet established north of Ellensburg, Tim
Australians like stemless cherries
Consumers in Australia prefer cherries without stems because they look fresh, a Washington State University study suggests. Dr. Matt Whiting, horticulturist with Washington State University
Pest boards play critical roles
Washington State county pest boards have authority to deal with unmanaged growth in former orchard sites, like this one at left, that can be a
What makes a good cherry?
Target fruit has become a buzzword in tree fruit production in recent years. It's what growers are encouraged to grow, but what exactly is it?
Out with the old, in with the new
Growers and researchers will learn together, says Dr. Jay Brunner. A program is under way to help Washington apple growers learn how to use new
Cultivation vs. chemicals
In the minds of the public, organic food production is associated with efforts to save the planet, but Warren Morgan, an apple grower and packer
What to choose
Orchardists now have about ten products to choose from for controlling the key pests codling moth and leafrollers, not counting the traditional organophosphate materials. Some
Organic cherry market is volatile
"Hang on tight and let her rip," is how West Mathison describes organic cherry marketing. "We get excited about organic marketing because it's crazy," the
Managing apple pests
A good pest management program targets multiple pests with the same material. It targets multiple life cycles, applies materials at the proper time, and uses
Organic cherries are doable
Orchardists interested in joining the growing organic-cherry movement need commitment, patience, and intimate knowledge of their block, a panel of organic cherry producers and marketers
Sniffing out pests
Imagine if your spray equipment could tell where the pests were in your orchard so you could treat only the infested parts of the trees,
Good Question
Last year, the stars aligned for fresh cherry growers, who produced a record crop in both volume and fruit size. The Pacific Northwest produced 14.5
Drifting away
This LIPCO tunnel sprayer can reduce drift by 90 percent compared to conventional sprayers, according to Dr. Andrew Landers. Sprayers set up improperly can create
Olympic grapes
Grower Tom Miller helps Kathy Charlton unload his grapes that were grown locally for Olympic Cellar's Nouveau wine. Kathy Charlton, motivated by findings of a
Stealth sprayer
A three-year trial of a stationary pesticide application system that uses irrigation lines to deliver pesticides shows promising results. Thus far, insect and disease incidence
New strategy for sucking pests
A new insecticide in the registration pipeline will give grape growers a chance to control sucking insects during the root-feeding stage, says a Washington State
Children learn to like fruit
A school snack program initiated by the province of British Columbia, Canada, is gaining national and international recognition as a model for promoting a healthier
Be wary of pesticide blends
Washington State University entomologist Dr. Doug Walsh is worried about a trend he is seeing in pesticide registrations of new compound materials, a trend he
B.C. orchardists call for more replant program funding.
Government funding and labor shortages were key issues at the annual convention of the B.C. Fruit Growers' Association in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, in January.