MSU Fruit Resources
Michigan is a major fruit producing state with over 125,000 acres of fruit on about 2,400 fruit farms. Michigan State University's Extension Service and Agriculture Experiment Station have invested significant resources into helping the fruit industry thrive and prosper. Some fruit research and extension is funded by Project GREEEN.
These pages are meant to link all MSU's diverse fruit resources on the web at one site. Clink on a fruit or other topic at the left to go directly to that fruit. Pest management is a major part of fruit production and has its own heading (Fruit IPM). The MSU Fruit CAT (Crop Alert Team) Newsletter is a major pest management resource to the Fruit Industry.
The MSUE Fruit Extension effort is coordinated by the Fruit AoE Team composed of fruit researchers and extension specialists on the MSU campus, and field extension agents working together to solve problems facing the Michigan Fruit Industry. Because of the many diverse types of fruit the Fruit AoE team is further broken down into smaller teams made up of individuals who work with specific crops or group of crops.
The major thrusts of the fruit extension education effort are on increasing the profitability and productivity of Michigan fruit growers. Profitability is a problem of major importance to all Michigan growers. Productivity can be increased by improving cultural practices, increasing yields or fruit quality, improving insect or disease control while reducing inputs such as labor, fertilizers and pesticides.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is practiced by all fruit growers to reduce costs and maintain fruit quality. One extension focus is the discovery and adoption of improved IPM and practices. A new focus has emerged from IPM, Integrated Crop Management or ICM looks at all aspects of crop inputs to maximize return on inputs and reduce unneccessary inputs and costs. ICM often looks at incorporating benefits and knowledge from other production systems such as organic agricluture and incorporating them into conventional fruit production.
Plum Pox,
a serious disease of stone fruit was found in Michigan in 2006, when a single plum tree
with plum pox was found at SWMREC in August of 2006. An extensive surveys of stone
fruit in 2006, 2007 and 2008 have found no new plum pox in the area.
Don't see what you are looking for? Search all of MSU's web sites for it.
These web pages are maintained by Mark Longstroth.
Created 10/10/98 Last Revised 8/7/08
