Crop Management

$9.4M awarded to pest management research

The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded $9.4 million to support 25 research and outreach projects that will help mitigate pests, weeds and diseases on farms and in communities. The awards are made... more »

Reducing demand for pollinators could boost production

Production of seedless fruits is an under-estimated tool for improving food security, research shows. The opportunity to produce bountiful levels of vital food crops such as apples, tomatoes and watermelons could be boosted by reducing... more »

Light therapy may save bees from deadly pesticides

Treating bees with light therapy can counteract the harmful effects of neonicotinoid pesticides and improve survival rates of poisoned bees, finds a new UCL study. “Neonicotinoid pesticides are a persistent threat to global bee populations,... more »

Survey: Storage decays of apples prevalent in Washington

Many fungal pathogens cause decay on apple with significant economic losses for packers. The Washington industry is familiar with pathogens like blue mold, gray mold and bull’s eye rot, but other pathogens, known as the... more »

Tips to growing raspberries, strawberries in containers

Periodically growers have asked for information on growing strawberries and raspberries in containers. Thanks to our Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) high tunnel project, we can share some experiences on what worked for us this... more »

Trial and error a big theme during IFTA summer tour

New York state apple grower Jeff Smith showed off plantings of NY 1 and NY 2 during the International Fruit Tree Association’s (IFTA) summer tour in upstate New York. Ledge Rock Farms near Medina, New... more »

BioConsortia raises $12 million for multi-microbe product development

BioConsortia has raised this year a total of $12 million for future growth. Last week, BioConsortia closed an $8 million equity round of investment financed by existing investors, Khosla Ventures and Otter Capital, and earlier in... more »

California growers find new technique for controlling spray drift

Controlling pesticide spray drift has been an important topic in California given the potential human health impacts and new practical solutions are always in demand. Orchard growers have a new practice that can reduce spray... more »