Christmas Tree Research

Christmas Tree Research

Christmas Tree Research

I'm Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

Christmas trees are a valuable commodity, with Washington Christmas trees having a production value of nearly $42 million in 2012. No wonder then that WSU researchers continue to study disease, pest management and the post harvest quality of cut Christmas trees. Katie McKeever, WSU Puyallup Research and Extension Center Graduate Research Assistant, explains that the 88 foot Engelmann Spruce from the Colville National Forest, chosen as this year's Capitol Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C., provided WSU researchers with valuable information during its 25 day trip across country.

MCKEEVER: I actually put in three sensors, which measure temperature and light. So, they went into the canopy of the Christmas tree and accompanied the tree through its journey to Washington D.C..

McKeever says that while she herself didn't travel with the tree, USDA Forest Service Employees from the Colville National Forest had sponsorships to travel with the tree, and during the course of the tree's journey they took foliage samples from inside the tree and sent them to WSU researchers. Researchers could then determine what amount of moisture loss occurred.

MCKEEVER: When we received samples we would take a fresh weight of the sample in grams and then dry it over night in an oven to reduce all the moisture and then take a dry weight. That let's us know how much water was in the foliage.

Tomorrow McKeever will talk about the insight researchers gained from the tree's sensors and how that information will help Christmas tree growers in the future improve moisture retention in cut Christmas trees, and help retailers understand how they can keep trees fresher for longer.

That's Washington Ag Today.

I'm Lacy Gray on the Ag Information Network.

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