Program Overview
This research program identifies, and develops pragmatic solutions to,
the key factors limiting consistent, sustainable, and profitable stone
fruit production. Research efforts study the genetic, horticultural, and
physiological components, as well as their interaction. Particular emphasis
is given to developing high efficiency sweet cherry orchard systems.
For Washington State farmers, sweet cherries are one of the most profitable commodities to grow. Northwest cherries are renowned for their superb quality and they remain highly sought-after in domestic and, especially, export markets.
What's New
Tree Fruit, Clean Plants, Gardens for Kids
Beef Nutrition, Stemless Cherries, Organic Ag
WSU research teams have been awarded more than $15 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture grants aimed at specialty crops such as tree fruit, wine grapes and potatoes
• $3.8 million to a team led by plant physiologist Matthew Whiting for “A Total Systems Approach to Developing a Sustainable, Stem-free Sweet Cherry Production, Processing and Marketing System.” Collaborators include cherry breeder Nnadozie Oraguzie; biological systems engineer Qin Zhang; Fran Pierce, director of WSU’s Center for Precision Agricultural Systems; plant physiologist and genomicist Amit Dhingra; and food scientist Carolyn Ross.
For more information contact: Matt Whiting, Associate Professor, Extension Specialist, Washington State University, Irrigated Agriculture Research & Extension Center, mdwhiting@wsu.edu,
(509) 786-9260
Sweet cherry research website