May 17, 2017

WSU plans sunburn and delayed sunscald field visit

Washington State University Extension is offering a training session for growers and others seeking to learn more about sunburn and delayed sunscald in tree fruit.

The event will be held from 10-11:45 a.m. on May 25 inn the field at McDougall’s on White Trail Road. The block is just south of 9336 Rd U NW (Whitetrail) Quincy and 0.7 mi north of McDougall’s Whitetrail shop at 8463 Road U NW Quincy WA.

This training is of interest both for managers preventing problems in the field and postharvest professionals.

Sunburn and delayed sunscald can significantly reduce pack out. Join WSU for the latest research on preventing and managing sunburn.

Topics to be addressed include:

• Sunburn and delayed sunscald physiology and measurements. A review of the critical basics with Rob Blakey, WSU Extension Post Harvest.
• Predicting delayed sunscald. Carolina Torres, from the University of Talca in Chile has developed a model that better predicts delayed sunscald. Join her for a discussion of how this model can be used for decision making in the packing house.
• Practical tips for managing sunburn and delayed sunburn by Ines Hanrahan, Project Manager at the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission (WTFRC). Ines discusses findings from WTFRC sunburn trials and how to increase the effectiveness of sunburn mitigation and some potential pitfalls.
• WSU researchers are studying how netting in different colors addresses problems, such as sunburn and stress, that cost growers dollars. Visit a 12-acre block of Honeycrisp in the fourth leaf at McDougall and Sons orchard where researchers have installed red, blue and pearl netting. Lee Kalcsits, WSU assistant professor of horticulture will discuss how different colors of netting are impacting tree growth; fruit quality, storability and packout; and topics related to netting installation.

No registration is required, and a fee will not be charged. No credits are available. 

For more information, contact Rob Blakey, WSU Extension by email [email protected], or call (509) 608-9394.

The research funded in part by WTFRC.