Helpful tools forfruit tree growers

Just in time for the 2008 growing season comes a new version of an old friend, “Crop Protection Guide for Tree Fruits in Washington.”
 
What’s new with this standard reference work that has been in print since 1946? It’s now online.
 
“More and more, we hear from Washington producers that they want cutting-edge tools, such as easily accessible Web sites, in order to stay current with scientific progress and regulatory changes,” said Jay Brunner, director of WSU’s Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center in Wenatchee.
 
The “Crop Protection Guide” is a synthesis of crop protection research conducted by WSU researchers specifically for Washington conditions.
 
In addition, a wealth of useful information on pesticide issues is provided with help from the Washington State Department of Agriculture.
 
The guide is part of a new suite of online tools developed by WSU researchers and their industry partners for growers.
 
Another valuable new tool is the online version of “Orchard Pest Management.”
 
“Orchard Pest Management: A Resource Guide for the Pacific Northwest” was originally published in 1993 by the Good Fruit Grower.
 
The book gathered in one place all the life histories, descriptions, and management recommendations of both pests and beneficial insects important in tree fruit production in the region, information which had previously been scattered through dozens of WSU Extension Bulletins.
 
The website contains all the information in the 1993 book, but with many new and enhanced features: new articles on brown mite, prionus root borers, weevils, apple leafcurling midge, and apple mealybug; many revised, expanded or updated articles; as well as more than 400 new insect and damage photos.
In a new section of the site called the “Photo Gallery.” The Web site draws on the expertise of over 45 authors from around the region.
 
“The state of the art of crop protection is changing fast enough that we wanted to be able to present current information in a timely way without having to go to the time and expense of tradition printed guides,” said entomologist Betsy Beers.
 
To access the Orchard Pest Management Web site visit: http://jenny.tfrec.wsu.edu/opm/
 
To access the Crop Protection Guide for Tree Fruits visit: http://jenny.tfrec.wsu.edu/eb0419/

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