Innovations through R&D and Extension, WSU by Horticultura & Poscosecha

Innovations through R&D and Extension

Stefano Musacchi Washington State University Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center (TFREC) Wenatchee stefano.musacchi@wsu.edu

Background

2018-Present (July 1st, 2018). Professor, Washington State University, Department of Horticulture (100% research). Endowed Chair of Tree Fruit Physiology and Management.

2013-2018 (August 1st, 2013). Associate Professor, Washington State University, Department of Horticulture (100% research). Endowed Chair of Tree Fruit Physiology and Management.

2002-2007 Instructor at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano. Frutticoltura (Fruit Crops) (60 hours per year of lessons)

2000-2013 (January 1st, 2000 – June 30, 2013). Assistant Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Scienze Agrarie (DipSA), University of Bologna.

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of the presentation • General information about Washington State • WSU and Role of Land-grant University and Cooperative Extension • Source of Funding in the USA (Federal, State, and Local) • Research priorities in USA and Washington • USDA Strategic Plan 2022-2026 • Apple Research Priorities in Washington • Example of collaborative projects

Layout

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https://agr.wa.gov/forms-and-publications/publications/crop-maps

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• Washington’s first apple orchard was planted in the 1820s • 70,820 hectares = 175,000 acres • Number of growers: 1,500 • $2.5-3.0 Billion Value • Represents 90% of U.S. apple exports • Top ten export markets: Mexico, Canada, India, Taiwan, China, Indonesia, Dubai, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong • Export Value $721M https://agr.wa.gov/washington-agriculture; https://waapple.org/ Stefano Musacchi©

Washington climate is arid, with high temperatures and intense radiation in the summer Rain 10.47 in 266 mm 11.9 in 303 mm 9.50 in 241 mm 8.53 in 217 mm 5.89 in 150 mm 1 2 3 4 5 AVG. 20092013 47.4233° N, 120.3253° W 3 Wenatchee, Coordinates 48.3667° N, 119.5811° W 1 Okanogan, Coordinates 46.6000° N, 120.5000° W 5 Yakima, Coordinates 46.2442° N, 124.0581° W 4 Columbia River, Coordinates 47.8411° N, 120.0464° W 2 Lake Chelan, Coordinates Area Elev. Okanogan1 1263 ft 385 m Lake Chelan2 1255 ft 383 m Wenatchee3 790 ft 241 m Columbia4 1180 ft 360 m Yakima5 840 ft 256 m Stefano Musacchi©

Land-grant University

• In 1862, the United States Congress passed the first Morrill Act which provided for the establishment of a Land-Grant institution in each state to educate citizens in the fields of Agriculture, Home Economics, the Mechanic Arts, and other useful professions.

• This law allowed states to sell public lands and use the profits to establish one college—hence, land grant colleges—that would teach agriculture and the mechanical arts.

• A land-grant (or Extension) university is an institution that provides research-based programs and resources for residents within their state.

• There is at least one land-grant institution in every state and territory of the United States, as well as the District of Columbia.

• The original land-grant institutions founded as the result of the 1862 Morrill Act include such prominent names as: Cornell, MIT, Penn State, Rutgers, Ohio State, Texas A&M, West Virginia, and the University of California—four dozen of the largest and best public universities in America.

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WSU Land-grant University

• Founded in 1890 (March 28, 1890; 132 years ago) and located in Pullman, Washington, Washington State University (WSU) is a public research university

• WSU offers program options for bachelor's, master's, professional and doctoral degrees in multiple fields of study

https://timeline.wsu.edu/

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STATEWIDE IMPACT

https://provost.wsu.edu/oae/programs/

True to our land-grant mission, our programs and initiatives support students across the state and initiate relevant and responsive partnerships with the communities we serve

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WSU

May 1914: Smith-Lever Act establishes national university extension program

https://timeline.wsu.edu/

• The act links cooperative extension services to land-grant universities • The program is designed to keep citizens informed about developments in agriculture, home economics, public policy, economic development, and other subjects

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Cooperative Extension System

The

Cooperative Extension educators or agents translate

for the

engage the public to act, prepare people for a better

provide

response in disasters, develop partnerships, and connect people online

At the national level, Extension is coordinated by the Extension

on Organization

Policy (ECOP) https://www.nifa.usda.gov/about-nifa/how-we-work/extension/cooperative-extension-system

•

Cooperative Extension System (CES), operates through the nationwide land-grant university system and is a partnership among the federal government, primarily USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and state and local governments •

science

public,

life,

rapid

•

Committee

and

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Funding

National Science Foundation (NSF) Stefano Musacchi©

• Agricultural Research Service (ARS) • National Institute of Food

Agriculture (NIFA) • Economic Research Service (ERS) • National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) 4 of these

Research,

and Economics Resources (REE):

USDA (United State Department of Agriculture) have 18 agencies

and

Agencies make the

Education,

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USDA Strategic Plan 2022-2026 Strategic Goals: 1. Combat Climate Change to Support America’s Working Lands, Natural Resources and Communities 2. Ensure America’s Agricultural System is Equitable, Resilient, and Prosperous 3. Foster an Equitable and Competitive Marketplace for All Agricultural Producers 4. Provide All Americans Safe, Nutritious Food 5. Expand Opportunities for Economic Development and Improve Quality of Life in Rural and Tribal Communities 6. Attract, Inspire, and Retain an Engaged and Motivated Workforce that’s Proud to Represent USDA

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Research and Development

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/about-nifa/how-we-work/extension/cooperative-extension-system

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FAS (Foreign Agricultural Service) Funding system

ARS

USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

TASC (Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops) Organic Agriculture Program

(Agricultural Research Service) NIFA (National Institute Food Agriculture) BRDI (40M) (Biomass Research and Development Initiative) INFEWS (Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy and Water Systems) SCRI (10M) (Specialty Crop Research Initiative) AFRI (Agriculture And Food Research Initiative) OREI (2M) (Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative) FAS Foundational and Applied Science Program SAS (10M) Sustainable Agricultural Systems ORG (Organic Transitions)

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ARS (Agricultural Research Service)

The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency.

• ARS’s job is finding solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day from field to table.

• Here are a few numbers to illustrate the scope of the organization:

• 660 research projects within 15 National Programs • 2,000 scientists and post docs • 6,000 other employees • 90+ research locations, including overseas laboratories

• $1.5 billion fiscal year budget

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FAS (Foreign Agricultural Service) Funding system

TASC (Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops) Organic Agriculture Program

USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

ARS (Agricultural Research Service) NIFA (National Institute Food Agriculture) BRDI (40M) (Biomass Research and Development Initiative) INFEWS (Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy and Water Systems) SCRI (10M) (Specialty Crop Research Initiative) AFRI (Agriculture And Food Research Initiative) OREI (2M) (Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative) FAS Foundational and Applied Science Program SAS (10M) Sustainable Agricultural Systems ORG (Organic Transitions)

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NIFA

• Advance the competitiveness

American

• Bolster the U.S. economy • Enhance the safety of the nation’s food supply • Improve the nutrition and wellbeing of American citizens • Sustain natural resources and the environment • Build energy independence

NIFA: Three mission areas

provides leadership and funding for programs that:

agriculture

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NIFA Funding Categories (FY21) • Competitive programs – $1,087M • AFRI programs – A1701, A1711 and others • Non-AFRI such as CPPM, SCRI • Non-competitive capacity funds – Hatch funds supporting multi-state activities, Cooperative Extension, etc. – $787M AFRI, 490.8, 45% SCRI, 83.9, 8% CPPM, 24.7, 2% SBIR, 27.7, 2% Others (24), 419.1, 39% Slide by: Rubella Goswami, PhD., Division Director, Plant Protection Emmanuel Byamukama, PhD., NPL Plant Protection Division Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transfer Programs (SBIR/STTR) Crop Protection and Pest Management Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Specialty Crop Research Initiative

Capacity

The specific purpose of Hatch MRF funding is to conduct research by institutions within a State and by institutions in multiple States to solve problems that concern more than one State • For example, NC-140 Multistate project to evaluate rootstocks

Grant Programs. The Hatch Act of 1887 (Multistate Research Fund) •

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NC140: "Improving economic and environmental sustainability in tree fruit production through changes in rootstock use."

• The NC-140 Regional Research Project is designed to address a number of high-priority areas within the North Central Region as well as other parts of North America

Learn more about NC-140 at http://www.nc140.org/

• This project seeks to enhance economically and environmentally sustainable practices in temperate fruit production by focusing on rootstocks

• The project involves researchers from multiple states and is multidisciplinary

• Researchers involved in this project have leveraged Federal and State dollars to add significant resources to address this research area

• Lastly, outreach is integral to the project and includes electronic information transfer through web sites, written material for growers and other stakeholder groups, and numerous educational programs in individual states and at national and international grower and scientific meetings

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Participating Institutions (33):

• Auburn University University of California, Davis, California Cooperative Extension Colorado State University , University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, University of Idaho, University of Illinois, Iowa State University, University of Kentucky , University of Massachusetts, , University of Minnesota, University of Missouri, New Mexico State University, North Carolina State University, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University Utah State University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Washington State University, University of Wisconsin, Agriculture and Agri Food Canada, British Columbia, Canada, Agriculture and Agri food Canada, New Brunswick, Canada, Atlantic Food and Agric Center for Advanced Studies in Fruit Production, Instituto Nacional de Forestales Agricolas y National Institute of Forestry, Agriculture and Livestock Research), Mexico, USDA-ARS, USDA-ARS Plant Genetic Resources Unit

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FAS (Foreign Agricultural Service) Funding system

TASC (Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops) Organic Agriculture Program

USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

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AGRICULTURE AND FOOD RESEARCH INITIATIVE (AFRI) TOPICS: • Natural Resources • Food and Nutrition Security • Plants • Nematology • Business and Economics • Education • Animals • Food Science • Food Safety • Food Quality • Farming and Ranching • Environment • Advanced Technologies • Nanotechnology • AFRI Foundational and Applied Science Program Budget Fiscal year 2022: around $300M • AFRI Sustainable Agricultural Systems Budget Fiscal year 2022: $80M Average award range: $10M AFRI was established by Congress in the 2008 Farm Bill and re-authorized in the 2018 Farm Bill. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 funds AFRI for $445M Stefano Musacchi©

TASC (Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops)

FAS (Foreign Agricultural Service) Funding system

USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

BRDI (40M) (Biomass Research and Development Initiative)

ARS (Agricultural Research Service) NIFA (National Institute Food Agriculture)

Organic Agriculture Program

AFRI (Agriculture And Food Research Initiative) OREI (2M) (Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative)

ORG (Organic Transitions)

INFEWS (Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy and Water Systems) SCRI (10M) (Specialty Crop Research Initiative)

FAS (500K) Foundational and Applied Science Program

SAS (10M) Sustainable Agricultural Systems

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Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)

• The intent of the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) is to promote collaboration, open communication, the exchange of information, and the development of resources that accelerate application of scientific discovery and technology to solving needs of the various specialty crop industries

• Specialty crops are defined in law as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture

• SCRI will give priority to projects that are multistate, multi-institutional, or trans-disciplinary, and include explicit mechanisms to communicate results to producers and the public

• SCRI-funded projects are characterized by integration of research and extension activities and strong evidence of stakeholder involvement in project development

• Applicants to SCRI are strongly encouraged to propose a unique approach to solving problems facing the specialty crop industry using a systems approach

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Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)

Legislative Focus Area Priorities

• Research in plant breeding, genetics, genomics, and other methods to improve crop characteristics. Projects that seek to create improved cultivars through the use of biotechnology must demonstrate an understanding of the regulatory requirements involved in their release and must also present a plan for addressing the regulatory issues

• Efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, including threats to specialty crop pollinators

• Efforts to improve production efficiency, handling and processing, productivity, and profitability over the long term (including specialty crop policy and marketing)

• New innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening

• Methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production efficiency, handling and processing of specialty crops, including fresh produce

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TASC (Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops)

FAS (Foreign Agricultural Service) Funding system

USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

BRDI (40M) (Biomass Research and Development Initiative)

ARS (Agricultural Research Service) NIFA (National Institute Food Agriculture)

Organic Agriculture Program

AFRI (Agriculture And Food Research Initiative) OREI (2M) (Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative)

ORG (Organic Transitions)

INFEWS (Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy and Water Systems) SCRI (10M) (Specialty Crop Research Initiative)

FAS (500K) Foundational and Applied Science Program

SAS (10M) Sustainable Agricultural Systems

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Organic Apple • In US (2019) total value of Certified Organic Apple sales was $474.7M, with a production of 429,778 t • Washington state grows over 85% of us-certified organic apples. https://waapple.org/organics-and-environment/ • Washington state has over 6,500 hectares (16,000 acres) of certified organic apples https://waapple.org/organics-and-environment/

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Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI)

Approximately

• OREI (~$20M/year) was established by the 1990 Federal Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA), Title 21 of the 1990 Farm Bill, and the first grants were awarded in 2004 •

FY 2021 $25 million •

FY 2022 $30 million • OREI supports research, education, and extension programs that enhance the ability of producers and processors who have already adopted organic standards to grow and market high quality organic agricultural products

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Organic Transitions (ORG)

• ORG (~$4.0 M/year) was established by the 1998 Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act (AREERA) and the first grants were awarded in 2001

• The ORG program supports the development and implementation of biologically-based management practices that mitigate the ecological, agronomic and economic risks associated with the transition from conventional to organic agricultural production systems

• The program addresses new and emerging problems for producers transitioning to organic production

• The program helps develop innovative management strategies to inform transition choices and improve soil health and other ecosystem services of organic agriculture. It also invests in the development of alternative strategies following the loss of critical tools, like the use of antibiotics for disease management in organic systems

• It is important to note that ORG eligibility is limited to colleges and universities, while OREI is open to almost any U.S. entity

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TASC (Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops)

FAS (Foreign Agricultural Service) Funding system

USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

BRDI (40M) (Biomass Research and Development Initiative)

ARS (Agricultural Research Service) NIFA (National Institute Food Agriculture)

Organic Agriculture Program

AFRI (Agriculture And Food Research Initiative) OREI (2M) (Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative)

ORG (Organic Transitions)

INFEWS (Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy and Water Systems) SCRI (10M) (Specialty Crop Research Initiative)

FAS (500K) Foundational and Applied Science Program

SAS (10M) Sustainable Agricultural Systems

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Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC)

• The Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) program funds projects that address sanitary, phytosanitary, and technical barriers that prohibit or threaten the export of U.S. specialty crops

• Eligible crops include all cultivated plants and their products produced in the United States except wheat, feed grains, oilseeds, cotton, rice, peanuts, sugar, and tobacco

• Awards are for a maximum of $500,000 per year and for projects of up to five years

• The TASC program is intended to benefit an entire industry or commodity rather than a specific company or brand. U.S. non- profit, for-profit, and government entities are eligible to apply

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State Funds

•

Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) program

Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission (WTFRC) program

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Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) program: USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP)

• The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has a competitive solicitation process to award USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funds for projects that enhance the competitiveness and increase demand for Washington’s specialty crops

• Specialty crops are defined by USDA as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture)

• WSDA anticipates receiving approximately $4.7 million (2023) to award to projects enhancing the competitiveness of Washington’s specialty crops

• Grant requests can range from $25,000 to $250,000

• The maximum grant period for each award is three (3) years

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State Funding

•

Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) program

Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission (WTFRC) program

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WA COMMODITY COMMISSIONS ARE 21

https://agr.wa.gov/washington-agriculture/commissions

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Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission

https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=15.26&full=true

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A $32 million Endowment fund

• In 2013, Washington state tree fruit growers finalized a promise for a $32 million endowment fund

• Developed in partnership with the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission (WTFRC), the endowment was initiated through grower-voted assessments in the apple, pear, cherry, and stone fruit industries

• Endowment supports priority research projects, modern test orchards and equipment, outreach efforts, and personnel energizing WSU’s Tree Fruit Research and Extension Program

• Priorities are guided by the Tree Fruit Endowment Advisory Committee (EAC).

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Apple list of priorities WTFRC (2013-2022)

Soil Health and Water

• Interaction of rootstocks with rhizosphere x x x x

• Systems approach based on better understanding soil ecology and biology x x x x x

• Development of diagnostic tests with decision assist system x x x x x

• Conventional and organic systems x x x x x x x

• Clearer correlation between soil indices (mineral nutrition, soil ecology) and plant/fruit responses x x x x x

• Soil and rhizosphere ecology x x x

• Organic systems (including: managing organic soils and tree fruit production) x

• Water management (canopy development vs. cropping system support) x x

• Managing soils: how to measure, manage, and maintain soil fertility x x

• Water and nutrient management (balance tree growth and development to maximize cropping potential of premium fruit) x

Apple Replant Disease

• Develop practical, cost-effective management practices x x x x

• Focus on impact during both establishment and production x x x x x

• Provide better understanding of causal agents x x x x x

• Analyze rootstock host plant-pathogen-environment interaction x x x x x

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

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Apple list of priorities

Food

• Improve Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems x x x x x

• Enhance product traceability x x x x x

• Overhead cooling system x x x

• Risk Assessment x x

• Sanitation, implementation and validation x

• Outreach efforts x

• Holistic approach to food safety and sanitation x x

• Patulin: develop updated whole supply chain best practices to manage patulin, with special focus on organic apples x x

• Survival of microbes on waxed fruit x

• Disinfection in orchard (i.e. spraying ozone, chlorine dioxide) x

• Organic approaches to packing line food safety x x x

• Cost-benefit analysis of food safety controls x

• Optimized sanitation protocols and decay pathogen reduction of orchards pre-harvest x x

• Develop guidelines for drenching and fogging to avoid bacterial and fungal growth x x Stefano Musacchi©

2017

Safety 2013 2014 2015 2016

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Apple list of priorities

Post-harvest

• Post-harvest Handling x

• Honeycrisp Storage x x

• Enhance postharvest decay control methods, both field and pack-house components. x x x

• Post-harvest physiology x x

• Postharvest decay control, both field and packinghouse components x x

• Next generation maturity indices as risk assessment tools to manage fruit quality and physiological disorder prevention x

• Understanding maturation patterns and storage potential based on in-season climate (examples: frozen fruit protocol, heat damage of fruit, dramatic temperature drops in season, abnormal maturation patterns) x x Stefano Musacchi©

2017

2013 2014 2015 2016

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Apple list of priorities Technology projects 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 • High density systems for automation x x x • Non-destructive crop stress modeling x x x • Real time fruit growth measurement x x x • Smart Orchard Project x x • Economic analysis: for available and novel technologies (how to make the economics work), focus on Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) x x Labor 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 • Improve labor productivity and safety in the full range of horticultural tasks x x x x x • Improve horticultural production systems to facilitate mechanization and automation x x x x x x

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Apple list of priorities

General physiology and climate

• Sunburn x x

• Winterhardiness x

• Environmental stress and water relationships

• Fruit quality pre and postharvest x x x

• Systems approach to

• Climate science: understanding chilling requirements for apple trees

• Understanding the basis of fruit color development

• Develop a training program for postharvest water management strategies x

• Fruit maturity and storage management x

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

2013

x x x x x x

calcium disorder x x x x x x x x x

x x x

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Apple list of priorities

WA38 - COSMIC CRISP®

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

• WA 38 (Cosmic Crisp™): achieving sustainable production and consistent fruit quality x x

• Organic fruit storage (in conjunction with production and maturity management) WA 38 (COSMIC CRISP®) x x

• Determining the cause and developing management strategies to mitigate green spot in COSMIC CRISP® x x x

• Horticultural management: Develop SOP’s to achieve consistently high yields by ascertaining the development of fruiting wood on an annual basis, understanding fruit set/pollination/fertilization and rootstock interactions (including grafted trees) (highest priority for 2021) x x

• Greasiness: Develop practical solutions to mitigate the impact of greasiness on the ability to wax fruit, determine detailed protocols for use of ethylene action/synthesis inhibitors/promoters x x

• Determine detailed protocols for use of ethylene action/synthesis inhibitors/promoters x

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•

Apple list of priorities

• Return Bloom x

•

• Improve yield x x

• Physiological activity of chemical thinners x x x x x

• Improve application timing and techniques of chemical thinners x x x x x

• Improve robustness and versatility of mechanical thinning x x x x x

• Enhance uniform cropping x x x x x

•

• Utilization of genetic/genomic and other tools to understand the inherent mechanism that guide cropping system performance x x

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Crop load management

Consistent cropping x x x

Chemical thinning, Carbaryl replacement x x

Reproductive biology understanding of pollination biology/fertility x x x x x x x

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Apple list of priorities Orchard management 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Mechanical harvesting x

Diagnostic lab x x

Adaptable training systems x x

Develop practical, cost-effective management practices x

Development of diagnostic tests with decision support system x x

Overhead cooling system x x

Organic systems x x x

Orchard infrastructure engineering x x x Fire Blight 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 • Fireblight control with alternatives to antibiotics x x x x x Genetics • Improved scion and rootstock genetics x x x x x x x Stefano Musacchi©

•

SCRI project. "AppleRoot2Fruit: Accelerating the Development, Evaluation, and Adoption of New Apple Rootstock Technologies to Improve Apple Grower Profitability and Sustainability (2016-51181-25406)

INSTITUTIONS INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT

Cornell University Washington State University Michigan State University

University of Idaho Utah State University

Plant Genetics Resources Unit, USDA-ARS, Geneva, NY

Plant Pathology Unit, USDA-ARS, Wenatchee, WA

Objectives Obj 1. Rootstocks physiology • Evaluation of rootstocks for tolerance to soil biotic stresses • Evaluation of rootstocks for nutrient uptake capacity • Evaluation of rootstock effects on fruit quality and orchard management Obj 2. Molecular markers • Identify genetic markers linked to soil adaptability, nutrient uptake and productive capacity Obj 3. Economic analysis • Analysis of the costs and benefits for various rootstocks across orchard systems considering a 25-year time horizon • Calculate the expected internal rates of return for the various rootstock options • Detailed analysis of the economic impacts of the various rootstock options on labor usage and labor costs for the apple industry Obj 4. Extension

• Combination of traditional extension approaches and dynamic, rapid communication methods through social media to extend the project findings to apple growers nationwide Stefano Musacchi©

Higher the fruit Dry Matter (DM), greater the consumer acceptability. DM suggested as a fruit final quality predictor (Palmer

al., 2010). - CROP LOAD + + DRY MATTERM9- Nic29 rootstock

SCRI project: Precision Crop Load Management for Apples USDA-NIFA SCRI Funded Project

INSTITUTIONS INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT

Cornell University Washington State University Michigan State University

Penn State University Virginia Tech North Carolina State University University of Mass Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission MOOG Inc.

Physiological aspects 1

• Define the optimum fruit number per tree based on physiological studies in several climates

• Team: Terence Robinson, Tom Kon, Todd Einhorn and Stefano Musacchi

Compare bud load and crop load in 4 climates (NY, MI, NC and WA) for 4 years with Gala and Honeycrisp

Evaluate the optimum bud load and optimum crop load from an economic perspective to develop target bud and crop loads for each region.

Develop targets for other varieties (NY1, WA38, Fuji, Maia)

Credit to Terence Robinson

Improve the models that guide chemical thinning Team:

• Universal Pollen Tube Growth Model • Refine Carbohydrate Model • Extend Carbohydrate Model to Western States • Improve Fruit Growth Rate Model • Develop methods to use fruit growth rate without measuring fruit diameters Pollen

Physiological aspects 2

Terence Robinson, Lailiang Cheng, Greg Peck, Sherif Sherif, Tory Schmidt, Todd Einhorn and Stefano Musacchi

Tube Growth Model

Credit to Terence Robinson

July 7, 2022 Sept. 9, 2022

TASC 1: Identifying and Managing Sources of Quarantine Significant Post-harvest Diseases in Pacific Northwest Apple and Pear Orchards

TASC 2: Early Detection and Mitigation of Major Quarantine Postharvest Pathogens of Apple and Pear in the Pacific Northwest (Crabapple replacement)

Stefano Musacchi, WSU, stefano.musacchi@wsu.edu

Mark Mazzola, USDA-ARS, mark.mazzola@ars.usda.gov

Parama Sikdar, WSU, parama_sikdar@wsu.edu

Karen M Lewis, WSU, kmlewis@wsu.edu

PROBLEM TO SOLVE

• Washington State is the leading apple producer and exporter in the

United States

In 2008, the Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program of the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDAAPHIS) was contacted by China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine (AQSIQ) regarding the detection of postharvest decay pathogens on ‘Delicious’ apples imported from Washington State

Between 2008 and 2011, three different quarantine fungal species causing postharvest rots were detected on Washington State apples exported to China: Neofabraea perennans (Bull’s eye rot), Phacidiopycnis washingtonensis (Speck rot or “rubbery rot”), and Sphaeropsis pyriputrescens (Sphaeropsis rot)

Subsequently, in 2012, AQSIQ closed the Chinese market to apples imported from Washington State, resulting in tens of millions of dollars in lost export sales

Primary goals: •

1.) Research decay management approaches of quarantine fungal pathogens causing postharvest rots in apple and provide outreach and educational materials to growers and packinghouses on how to mitigate the incidence of these diseases in their orchards and packing facilities

2.) Replace Manchurian crabapple pollinizer by identifying three to five alternatives less susceptible or tolerant to common apple diseases, particularly those pathogens which cause post-harvest decay

Conclusions

• US Research is strongly linked to specific needs of the system

• Stakeholders are involved at different level in the project evaluation

• The funding system is based on the connection among growers, extensionists and scientists (Land Grant University model)

• Seed money is used to leverage large projects to provide a sustainable solution to the grower’s problem or fill up the gap of knowledge on a specific subject

• Stakeholders like the use of seed money and support application to large Federal grants writing letters of support

Actual and Future topics for research

Interaction

Endowed

Managing soils: how to measure, manage, and maintain soil fertility

Provide a better understanding of causal

replanting disease

Water

nutrient

development to maximize cropping potential of premium

•

of rootstocks with rhizosphere (In 2023, a new position of

Chair on Tree Fruit Soil & Rhizosphere Ecology Science will be advertised at WSU) •

•

agents of apple

•

and

management (balance tree growth and

fruit)

Actual and Future topics for research

• Adaptable training systems • Climate science: • Understanding chilling requirements for apple trees • Understanding maturation patterns and storage potential based on inseason climate (examples: frozen fruit protocol, heat damage of fruit, dramatic temperature drops in season, abnormal maturation patterns) • Fruit quality pre and postharvest • Understanding the basis of fruit color development • Organic production Stefano Musacchi©

Actual and Future topics for research

• Precision crop load management and consistent cropping

Credit to Terence Robinson

Actual and Future topics for research

• Real-time fruit growth measurement

Actual and Future topics for research

• Environmental stress and water

relationships

Fog system

NO FOG system FOG system

Overhead cooling

Actual and Future topics for research

Systems approach to calcium disorder

Bitter pit

Acknowledgements