Pears

Specialists forecast the fire blight season for 2015

Fruit Growers News asked specialists from several regions to discuss the prospects for fire blight in the coming season. Their observations, made in the last few days, are below.WestTimothy Smith, Washington State University: It rained... more »

Penn State: Fire blight alert this week

All predictive models indicate a high risk for fire blight infection this week due to the high temperature, humidity, and chance of rain showers in the forecast. Growers should begin protecting blossoms with streptomycin on... more »

Spreadsheet tool allows growers to evaluate chemical thinning applications

Chemical thinning is a critical annual apple orchard practice, and the most stressful and difficult practice to implement. Over time, new approaches to cropload management have been developed, and they have been receiving a lot... more »

MSU publishes Michigan regional fruit reports

Here are Michigan's regional fruit reports for April 7, courtesy of Michigan State University Extension.West MichiganWeather. A bit similar to 2014, spring is slow to arrive in 2015. Fruit growers tend to be pleased with... more »

Drones seen as a method to manage fruit production

Attached to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a thermal camera can record differences in soil heat with the presence of water – one of the major benefits of using visible color imagery in agriculture applications.... more »

Talkin’ Shop: Climate change

Fruit Growers News recently asked its readers: How are you adapting to the changing climate? Some of the responses appeared on Page 47 of the April issue. The full list of responses is below. In... more »

PSU: Learn from 2014 fire blight epidemic

For those of you who heard my fire blight presentation at the Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention and/or heard my talks during the 2015 winter meetings, you may be experiencing a sense of déjà vu…... more »

Refine plant growth regulator receives registration

Fine Americas, a manufacturer and marketer of plant growth regulators for the fruit industry, recently announced the federal Section 3 registration of its new Refine plant growth regulator. Refine features the active ingredient naphthaleneacetic acid... more »