Fruit Grower Tools You Should Be Using

Fruit Grower Tools You Should Be Using. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

It’s interesting that no matter where I go or what I’m doing, it seems that someone else has a better idea. Of course you quickly grab on to that idea and use it until you find something even better. The same holds true for tree fruit growers. At a recent conference several growers were tasked with discussing tools, information and ideas. Vince Jones is with WSU.

JONES: WSU-DAS is a system that we’ve been working on for the last 4 years. When you look at DAS we have these time specific stories which come out at different times of the season that directly address problems that will be occurring very quickly. There’s weather data that we use from WSU-AWN, the Ag Weather Net system throughout the state. We use NOAA’s site specific forecast to project what the pest problems and disease problems and horticultural problems will be found in the next 2 weeks.

Jones says there are 10 different insect, 4 diseases and 2 horticultural models available.

JONES: We have time specific management recommendations that go with all those model outputs and what’s happening in the orchard. We have pesticide choice based on multiple factors and DAS is also bi-lingual so as more people, Spanish speaking growers and consultants occur then we already have this available for them to use.

More tomorrow on tools and ideas you should be using in the orchard.

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