Established 1989
The Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (SWMREC) is located in Berrien County, which is centered in the most horticulturally diverse region of the state. The Center supports these diverse agricultural communities by conducting variety evaluations of numerous fruits and vegetables at the 350-acre site. Additionally, research at the Center focuses on evaluating production practices, including the use of high tunnels for fruits and vegetables, innovative irrigation systems for annual cropping systems, and new training systems for several fruit crops. Woody ornamental, Christmas tree, and field crop projects add to the diversity of this Center’s research program. Recently, SWMREC has become MSU's epicenter for evaluation of cutting-edge sprayer technologies for fruit cropping systems, including smart sprayers, autonomous sprayers, and application drones.
News
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Michigan grape scouting report – September 23, 2026
Published on September 23, 2026
Concise, research-based updates on weather trends, vine development, pest pressure and disease risk. -
Southwest Michigan apple maturity report – September 23, 2026
Published on September 23, 2026
Golden Delicious and Jonagold are mature this week. Cooler temperatures this week should drive more color development, but it’s important to harvest at the right maturity. -
Michigan statewide apple maturity report – September 23, 2026
Published on September 23, 2026
Keep abreast of the latest apple maturity testing done in different cultivars around the state to optimize harvest times for storage and fresh picking.
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