College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

Non-AFRE Co-Principle Investigators: (PI) Matthem Grieshop, (Other (Co_Pi's) Mark Whalon, Larry Gut, John Wise, James Miller, Gergory Lang, Ronald Perry, James Flore, and George Sudin, (Entomology and Other Depts.)

This USDA funded project creates a multidisciplinary, multi-institutional research and extension team from three of the major fruit-producing states to develop, evaluate, and deliver resource-efficient, innovative management technologies and tactics for apple and cherry production systems. It will establish innovative delivery technologies for canopy and orchard floor inputs (including high efficiency irrigation systems, precision-activated micro-emitters, and reduced risk pesticides) to address critical fruit production needs as identified by commodity PMSPs and the Technology Roadmap for Tree Fruit Production.

Direct outcomes of system implementation that will be analyzed include: economic (enhanced fruit yields and quality, reduced labor and energy costs, reduced agrichemical costs, and improved crop management decision-making) and agroecosystem (enhanced natural control of insect and disease pests, improved pollinator services, and reduced spray drift) impacts. Sociological research will focus on how these integrated technologies impact urban-farm relations, barriers to grower adoption, and how these factors can inform better extension and educational programmatic efforts.

Implemented by the Entomology Department at MSU.  Participation also from faculty in other MSU Departments and AgBioResearch.  Implementation  Sept. 2011 – Sept. 2014

View CRIS Information on this grant/research project.