Tree Fruit Breeding in Washington

Tree Fruit Breeding in Washington. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

This year’s Annual Hort Association’s Convention and Trade Show will once again delve into a myriad of fruit industry topics including a talk by Kate Evans, Pome Fruit Breeder at WSU’s Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center on tree fruit breeding.

EVANS: I have a presentation I’m going to give on tree fruit breeding in Washington, technologies, tools and teams. I’m also giving a presentation on pear breeding. Possibilities on pear breeding plus there’ll be a poster stand with some fruits to taste from some of our latest advanced selections from the breeding program.

Each year many growers and researchers use the gathering to premiere new products and machinery and Evans says they will follow suit.

EVANS: And we’re also releasing the first apple from the Washington State breeding program. It’s got the catchy name of WA2 so far and there’ll be a variety showcase on the Sunday afternoon before the hort show which is going to give people the opportunity to look at a whole load of the elite selections from the breeding program including WA2.

She says there will be a commercialization program to go along with WA2 and eventually a new name. She says there are always challenges in creating new apples.

EVANS: I guess the challenge is always to find something novel and something that will excite the growers enough to want to plant it.

More on Monday.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.