Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/506700
MAY 15, 2015 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com After earning his doctorate at Michigan State University, Olmstead moved back to Prosser as a postdoctoral researcher and continued to evaluate the crosses he made and put them out in small trials in commercial orchards. He later left WSU to be the blueberry breeder at the University of Florida. In 2008, WSU hired Dr. Nnadozie Oraguzie, formerly a scientist with Hort Research in New Zealand, as cherry breeder. Iezzoni has continued to work as a consultant with the program. Tom Auvil, research horticulturist with the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission, said most of the selections currently being evaluated are from crosses that Olmstead made in collabora- tion with Iezzoni between 2002 and 2007. However, many of the mildew-resistant selections have been eliminated because of inferior fruit quality. Although growers consider mildew resistance critical for late-maturing varieties, eating quality must be superior to that of cherries already in the market because consum- ers don't care about disease resistance, he said. Norm Gutzwiler, a cherry grower in the late district of Wenatchee Heights, near Wenatchee, said he's been hoping for a new sweet dark cherry variety that would mature after Sweetheart and have some resistance to mildew and cracking, as well as good size, flavor, and firmness. He's been testing several selections that might be mildew resistant, but they all seem to mature earlier than Sweetheart, closer to Lapins or Skeena, he said. "When we started, the idea was to extend the season so we would end up with a better cherry than Chelan that was earlier than Chelan and a cherry that was better than Sweetheart and later than Sweetheart." Gutzwiler said he's not sure if WSU didn't understand what the industry wanted or just hasn't been able to come up with the right crosses. The hope was that selections could be fast-tracked so that varieties could be developed more quickly. "It's a little bit disheartening to know we haven't been able to advance and see something we could put out on that late end," he said. "We really need to continue our breeding program and work harder towards our goals of both early and late varieties." Concerns Dr. Jim McFerson, manager of the Research Commission, said the advisory committee and the industry in general have had concerns about the manage- ment and horticultural aspects of the program. Last November, WSU submitted its most recent proposal and annual fund- ing request for $180,000 to cover the cost of the breeding work and trials in Washington and Oregon. McFerson said the two commissions voted not to fund the proposal as submitted but agreed to provide up to $150,000 contingent upon WSU making significant program revisions. McFerson said the two commissions still support the program and are com- mitted to funding it, but want to see changes in how it operates to ensure that progress is made, that valuable germ- plasm is not lost, that communication about the selections is improved, and that the overall management is revised. There's a sense in the industry that opportunities have been lost, he added. "Yes, there's been progress, but it hasn't been of the quality and pace we expected. When we look at the apple breeding pro- gram under Kate Evans' leadership, we have confidence that's a program that's taking the industry where we want to go and we have the best breeding pro- gram possible to meet the needs of our growers." "We all agree that having a world-class cherry breeding program is essential," he stressed. "It's not about the program but about program management." • MELISSA HANSEN/GOOD FRUIT GROWER Thousands of own-rooted seedlings are planted in Phase 1 of WSU's cherry breeding SURJUDPDW3URVVHU7KHPRVWSURPLVLQJVHOHFWLRQVDUHPRYHGWR3KDVHIRUIXUWKHU WHVWLQJDWPXOWLSOHORFDWLRQV "We think in terms of quality…" Orchard-Rite® Wind Machines • www.orchard-rite.com W e are developing a 5-acre vineyard on Red Mountain. Last year, we had an October freeze and a hard winter right behind it, causing a fair amount of winter damage. Looking back, we realized a wind machine would have helped us harden off the wood before winter and also give us the protection we need in the spring. We think in terms of quality and this was just one more thing to get us there. We ended up purchasing an Orchard-Rite Machine because the growers that we have the most confidence in recommended Orchard-Rite. We like the Auto Start Preset, and are looking forward to a wireless connection to a weather station, or computer. 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