Washington State University scientists hope to find a better way to assess cold hardiness of apple and sweet cherry buds and blooms in early spring. Crop resistance to freezing temperatures depends on the stage of bud development, and this makes it difficult for growers to know when to protect their orchards. Scientists at the Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Prosser plan to develop a cold hardiness model showing the temperatures that buds will tolerate at all stages of development. Dr. Gerritt Hoogenboom, director of WSU’s AgWeatherNet, is leading the three-year project funded by the Washington Tree Fruit Research […]