Crop Protection

Woolly apple aphid Eriosoma lanigerum is a secondary pest whose outbreaks have occurred more often since about 2000. The increase in aphid outbreaks appears to be associated with the changes in pesticide programs and disruption of biological control. Nevertheless, there is a good opportunity for biological control of this pest in orchards under “soft” pesticide […]

Weed management in new wine grape vineyards was identified as the primary constraint to organic production in the region. This project investigates weed management options for establishing an organic wine grape vineyard and includes 5 treatments: standard weed control of rototilling and mowing, the Wonder Weeder, and three grain/legume cover crop treatments. Local growers and […]

Organic pear growers must balance the conflicting pressures between nitrogen levels and densities of pear psylla, a nitrogen-loving pest of pears. We are assessing in 3 certified organic orchards and 1 experimental orchard whether planting of alfalfa leads to improved tree nutrition and biological control of psylla. Alfalfa was planted in 2 ft wide strips […]

This study addresses management of damping-off in organic vegetables in central Washington, using pea as an early season, model crop. The disease is being examined under low soil temperature and high soil moisture conditions of early spring in the Columbia Basin, when damping-off is most severe. PhD student, Ana Vida Alcala, spent 2009 and spring […]