Program Overview
This research program identifies, and develops pragmatic solutions to,
the key factors limiting consistent, sustainable, and profitable stone
fruit production. Research efforts study the genetic, horticultural, and
physiological components, as well as their interaction. Particular emphasis
is given to developing high efficiency sweet cherry orchard systems.
For Washington State farmers, sweet cherries are one of the most profitable commodities to grow. Northwest cherries are renowned for their superb quality and they remain highly sought-after in domestic and, especially, export markets.
Projects
Upright Fruiting Offshoots
“Improving labor efficiency will be important if cherry growers in the Pacific Northwest are to remain profitable,” “Our vision for the next generation cherry orchard is of superior cultivars on precocious, productive and size-controlling rootstocks trained to vertical or angled fruiting walls comprised of repeated upright fruiting offshoots. The architecture, we propose, must be readily compatible with automation and mechanization and take advantage of the natural sweet cherry growth habit.”