Pears
AgroFresh acquires postharvest tech company Tessara
AgroFresh Solutions Inc. has acquired Tessara, a postharvest solutions provider. The acquisition expands AgroFresh’s footprint in food waste reduction and freshness solutions for table grapes and berries and bolsters the organization’s impact in growing regions in... more »
Farm Credit salutes California Fresh Fruit Association growers
Every summer, people around the country enjoy luscious fruits like apricots, table grapes, kiwis, peaches and plums. Because California is the nation’s largest producer of those commodities, there’s a high chance the fruits were grown... more »
Sensors help trees tell growers when they are thirsty
The traditional method of using technology to alert growers of the need to irrigate involves soil-based sensors, which do well at relaying moisture data at a specific depth and location. Dendrometers, which measure the expansion... more »
Bug Barriers: Research studies netting effect on BMSB
Netting is being evaluated in apple orchards across the country. Sometimes it’s to protect the fruit from sunburn or hail, and sometimes it’s to improve thinning by keeping pollinators out. At North Carolina State University... more »
Coast-to-coast research battles fire blight in apples, pears
Fire blight can cripple apple production and kill young trees. The disease is also difficult to control. Researchers at Virginia Tech’s Alson H. Smith Jr. Agricultural and Extension Research Center in Winchester, Virginia, are studying... more »
California fruit association calls for more pest agency funding
The California Fresh Fruit Association joined dozens of other agricultural organizations in requesting increased funding for the USDA’s Office of Pest Management Policy. The office coordinates with the producer and user communities to ensure the... more »
New AI: early size profile available for pears
The U.S. is one of the top three pear producers globally, and work is under way in many areas of the supply chain to ensure more pears make it to market. From rootstock research and... more »
Never-ending rain leads to pest, disease concerns
A seemingly endless flow of water saturating their fields is burdening California growers with pests and diseases. Growers of strawberries and other fruits expect the heavy rains to delay some planting and harvesting and cause... more »