Jul 16, 2019

WSU Tree Fruit Research Field Day set for Aug. 7 in Rock Island

The Washington State University Tree Fruit Field Day is scheduled for Aug. 7 in Rock Island, Washington.

This is an educational event for growers, packers, consultants, industry, university researchers and staff that highlights the latest research. It will be at 114 Sunrise Court, Rock Island, from 3:30 p.m. -6:30 pm followed by dinner.

The field day is hosted by Washington State University Tree Fruit Research and Extension.

Topics will include:

• Top grafted WA 38
• Stink bug netting exclusion
• Sterile codling moth and drone releases
• Pear rootstock breeding
• Pear IPM
• Cropload management
• Bitterpit predictive models
• Sunburn netting and evaporative cooling
• Replant disease
• Honeycrisp deficit irrigation

This third annual event will highlight the latest in horticulture, entomology, plant pathology and breeding projects. Horticulture highlights include a fourth leaf top-grafted WA 38 block with Stefano Musacchi and evaporative cooling and netting for sunburn mitigation with Lee Kalcsits.

Betsy Beers will showcase netting trials to exclude stink bug and do sterile codling moth drone releases with M3 consulting. Three types of particle films will be showcased. Attendees also can learn how to identify pear natural enemies with Louis Nottingham.

Visitors can take a sneak peek at pear rootstock breeding with Dr Teh. Learn about cropload management and bitterpit predictive models with Tree Fruit Research Commission’s Tory Schmidt and Manoella Mendoza.

Also learn how Loren Honaas is examining gene activity in multiple apple cultivars to find genes that relate to maturity in the search for new maturity indices.

Walk a newly-planted block where Extension Tianna DuPont and ARS’s Mark Mazzola are using biologically-based methods to prevent replant disease.

Join the presenters for dinner, networking and to honor the retirement of Jim McFerson,By adding legumes, the cover crop mixture may increase soil nitrogen, while still providing weed control. WSU TFREC director.

No registration is necessary to attend. No fee. To RSVP for dinner go to https://sunrisefielddaydinner.eventbrite.com.

More information can be found at treefruit.wsu.edu/events

The North Central Washington Fieldmen’s Association is sponsoring the event.