Little Cherry Disease Testing Pt 2

From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with today’s Fruit Grower Report. Testing for Little Cherry Disease right before and during the early stages of Northwest Cherry harvest is key to preventing its spread.

Corina Serban, Extension Coordinator for WSU’s Little Cherry Disease Program, says testing early is important, but knowing where to test is key …

SERBAN … “I mean testing every tree isn’t cost effective or, like, practical for the grower and also there are not enough labs to do that work.”

So, Serban says here’s what to look for …

SERBAN … “It’s best to focus on trees that are symptomatic to see what pathogens you have, if you don’t have it confirmed in your block. or asymptomatic trees next to the symptomatic ones to see if it has presence in your orchard.”

But, there are also common sense areas to search in …

SERBAN … “I would say you could also focus on trees in high-risk areas such as the first few rows of an orchard, next to infected plantings, or around where you have removed the trees previously or your planting is very important.”

Serban says WSU has a program to help subsidize some of the testing …

SERBAN … “It’s not free because testing includes

extensive labor and reagents that they are using, but it does reduce the overall cost if you look at the big picture.”

For more information on the WSU Extension Little Cherry Disease program, go to www.treefruit.wsu.edu