A new wax product that is sprayed on trees to prevent rain cracking can reduce losses by half, says the Washington State University researcher who invented it. But to be effective, it must be applied weekly during the month before harvest. Dr. Larry Schrader, horticulturist at WSU’s Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center in Wenatchee, said that the product, which is called RainGard, can’t just be applied when the weather forecast ­predicts rain. When developing the coating, Schrader tested one application, then two, and finally found that four applications gave the best results. The surface area of a cherry expands […]