Project Number: 5350-22000-015-17
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jan 22, 2009
End Date: Jan 14, 2012

Objective:
This project will strengthen synergy between WSU and ARS in a collaborative effort to test and evaluate apple cultivars for resistance to fire blight. We will: 1. Conduct a replicated trial of 10 bittersweet and bittersharp cider apple cultivars to evaluate natural susceptibility to fire blight (Erwina amylovora). 2. Test fire blight susceptibility of selected cultivars under greenhouse conditions.

Approach:
We propose to establish a replicated randomized block of 10 bittersweet and bittersharp cider apple cultivars with 3 replications and 5 trees per replication at a cooperating orchard in the Wenatchee area. Cultivars selected for trial would include: `Kingston Black,¿ `Dabinett,¿ `Brown Snout,¿ `Vilberie,¿ `Yarlington Mill,¿ Amere de Berthcourt,¿ `Harry Masters¿ Jersey,¿ `Granniwinkle,¿ `Harrison,¿ and `Stoke Red.¿ Cultivar evaluation and evaluation of natural susceptibility to fire blight will be done by project staff in collaboration with Dr. Larry Pusey, USDA-ARS Wenatchee. In addition, Dr. Pusey will conduct fire blight greenhouse inoculation studies following protocols established for screening apple rootstocks for fire blight (Barritt et al., 2004). Studies will be in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications and will include the same 10 cultivars as the field study. Documents Non Funded Cooperative Agreement with Washington State University.