Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/128999
Photo by WEnDy JonES, WSU-tFREc Photo by angEla gaDino, WSU-tFREc Field horticulturists from Chelan Fruit Cooperative examine beneficial insects during a hands-on workshop offered in February. Break-out exercises were part of the two-day Biocontrol Short Course held in February 2012. managers checked the traps and counted natural enemies. Each collaborator selected two blocks in which to monitor natural enemies, allowing them to compare how different pest-control programs impacted numbers of natural enemies. The collaborators shared their experiences in video interviews accessible on our Web site (http://enhanced biocontrol.org). We are repeating these activities with additional collaborators in 2013. WSU Decision Aid System A well-known and important outreach tool for the industry is the online Washington State University Decision Aid System. New information about pesticide effects on natural enemies generated by the project is being incorporated into DAS, which has been redesigned to make this information more apparent. In the near future, natural enemy models resulting from this project will be integrated with pest models in DAS. This linkage between pest and natural enemy models will allow users to select products and timings that will control pests while having the least negative impact on biocontrol. Future outreach activities and resources We are currently seeking funding to develop an online course that would interactively deliver information on the biology and function of natural enemies as well as how to monitor and enhance their activity. We also plan to create a natural enemy and pest identification guide that users could access either online or download as an application for iPhone and tablet computers. With these new tools, including advancements to DAS, we plan to continue engaging stakeholders in the adoption and promotion of biocontrol beyond this project. • This is the final article in an eight-part series highlighting results of a fiveyear USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative project to enhance biological control of orchard pests. The project involves researchers from Washington State University, Oregon State University, University of California Berkeley, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Yakima, Washington. When big isn't big enough! Get the results you want with KDL® 0-0-24, AGRO-K's foliar nutrient fruit sizing program BIG cherries with great color and high sugar offer growers the best returns. This year's large bloom and heavy crop set increases the risk of small fruit and uneven maturity. Maximize your returns by maximizing your fruit size and uniform maturity at harvest with KDL®, Agro-K's foliar cherry sizer! Peak demand timing for potassium in cherries begins at color break and should be supported by foliar potassium, in the right chemical form, to maximize cherry size, color and sugar and to encourage uniform fruit maturity at harvest. Agro-K's unique sugar-based potassium formulation, KDL® 0-0-24, applied beginning at color break, can dramatically improve cherry size, color and sugar, while encouraging uniform fruit maturity. KDL links potassium to a sugar complex that quickly penetrates fruit and leaf tissue – encouraging the sugar development process within the leaf and aiding in transport into the fruit – leading to increased sugar levels and improved color. KDL also maximizes cell bulking leading to larger, firmer cherries that ship better and store longer. Bulking, sugar content and color are all indicators of ripening fruit. By influencing these quality factors, KDL also promotes greater uniform maturity at harvest for less small green fruit. KDL is compatible with most pesticides used for powdery mildew and fruit fly. For more information on how KDL® can influence your cherry crop, contact Agro-K today. www.goodfruit.com AGRO-K CORPORATION Science-Driven Nutrition SM GOOD FRUIT GROWER May 15, 2013 13