New Orchard Provides Great Lab for Fruit Researchers Statewide
When the Washington State Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center was founded 70 years ago, it literally was out in the middle of nowhere. Gradually, though, the city of Wenatchee grew up around it, leaving no room for expansion and causing the imposition of restrictions on research activities.
A new orchard site just southeast of town is “large enough to accommodate our tree fruit research and education programs, but also provides the opportunity to expand into some other interesting areas of fruit research, such as wine grapes and some of the berries,” according to TFREC Director Jay Brunner.
Although Wenatchee is the hub of WSU’s tree fruit research program, Brunner points out that scientists in other parts of the state are also conducting important work that can benefit from the TFREC expansion. Notable examples are Gary Moulton’s cider apple production from the WSU Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center and Markus Keller’s advancement of the state’s wine grape industry from the WSU Prosser Irrigated Agriculture Research Extension Center.
Room to grow
The WSU Board of Trustees approved the purchase of Sunrise Orchards in March 2006 to help compensate for selling 70 of the TFREC’s original 100 acres three years ago to the Wenatchee School District because of encroaching housing development.
The TFREC office, labs and shop will remain on the 30 acres still owned by WSU in Wenatchee. The new site includes 150 acres of orchard property, 20 acres of highway frontage and 137 acres of undeveloped land.
Thousands of young apple, pear and cherry trees were planted at the new orchard in May. Washington nurseries, including VanWell, C&O and Columbia Basin Nursery, donated all of the trees. Similarly, local growers and businesses donated equipment needed for the planting.
Brunner said that some of the newly planted trees will be useful for research by next year, but the majority will require three years of growth before they bear enough fruit to study the effects of pathogens. -Kathy Barnard
Video
WSU Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center director Jay Brunner Talks about the New Research Orchard
Click here to watch a short video describing WSU's new tree fruit research orchard.
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