Michigan Apple Committee approves research funding for 2018
LANSING, Mich. – At their February board meeting, the Michigan Apple Committee board approved funding for 2018 research projects. MAC funds research annually for the benefit of Michigan Apple growers.
“Our governor-appointed board of growers each selects a grower from their region to serve on the Michigan Apple Research Subcommittee. That group looks at MAC’s research priorities and based on those priorities as well as the budget, they recommend funding to the board. The board then makes final approval on the research funding for the year,” said Diane Smith, executive director of the research subcommittee.
The research priorities are set to support industry success. MAC looks for projects that increase demand, improve quality and consistency, improve production efficiency, and enhance food safety systems. MAC wishes to support innovative research that helps achieve MAC’s mission by enhancing the reputation of Michigan Apples, improve their share of sales in target makers and aid the profitability and sustainability of Michigan’s apple industry.
“MAC accepts proposals from many different research institutions and centers of excellence,” said Smith. “We are fortunate to have a world-class agricultural instruction right in our back yard with Michigan State University, and most of the proposals we receive are from MSU researchers.”
For 2018, projects were funded for more than $230,000 on research topics ranging from harvest technology to pest management to varietal research. For the complete list of projects, see below.
The Michigan Apple Committee is a grower-funded nonprofit organization devoted to marketing, education and research activities to distinguish the Michigan apple and encourage its
consumption in Michigan and around the world. For more information, visit www.MichiganApples.com.
2018 Funded Research:
Todd Einhorn
Optimizing Apple Thinning ………………………………………………………..$33,916
Improving Orchard Establishment and Early Returns Via Containerized Nursery
Trees ………………………………………………………………………………..$17,537
New Apple Models to Predict Development and Maturity of Honeycrisp, Gala and
Fuji ………………………………………………………………………………….$19,175
Matt Grieshop
Field Scale Evaluation of ozone fro Management of Apple Insect and Disease
Pests …………………………………………………………………………….…..$8,448
Larry Gut
Management of Codling Moth Using Sterile Moth Releases …..………………..…$15,300
Manipulating Symbiotic Bacteria to Manage Brown Marmorated Stink Bug………$10,200
Managing Invasive Pests to Maintain Fruit Quality and Profitability.……….….….$16,150
Amy Irish-Brown
Apple Fruit Russet Assessment for High Value Varieties ………………….………$3,479
Renfu Lu
Development of New Apple Picking-Aid Technology to Enhance Harvest Efficiency and Ergonomics ………………………………………………………………………….$8,500
Philip Schwallier
Honeycrisp and General Horticulture Proposal 2018 …………………….…………$15,874
Determine Optimal Leaf and Fruit K Levels for Mitigating Bitterpit Problem in
Honeycrisp …………………………………………………………………………..$12,426
Bill Shane
Evaluation of Apple Germplasm for the Fresh and Processing Industries ..…….…..$5,739
Evaluation of MAIA Apple Germplasm ………………………………….………….$4,464
George Sundin
Shoot blight management with reduced rates of Apogee, Actigard, and coppers .….$21,866
Steven Van Nocker
Optimization of Gibberellin- and Cytokinin-Based Programs for Control of Flowering and Crop Load in Honeycrisp …………………………………………………………….$14,456
John Wise
Trunk Injection of Insecticides to Control Black Stem Borer in Apples …………….$9,180
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