WSU Horticulture in the News

As Kate Evans established herself in the male-dominated field of plant breeding, she noticed subtle ways that her influence was sidelined. At this point, Evans has more than found her voice, becoming an ambassador for WSU’s efforts to bring new and improved apples to the public.

Sarah and Steve Vining, a married couple with proud links to Washington State University’s College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences, invited their lakeside community to a floating celebration that connected the nation’s 250th birthday, Cougar pride, and Washington’s own Cosmic Crisp® apple.

The latest guides show how woody debris provides an ideal microsite for future generations of conifers and help beekeepers understand the many stressors that cause a honey bee colony to collapse.

WSU scientists dive into the history of cherry breeding to benefit consumers and growers.

Offered via the university’s Tri-Cities campus, the new master’s degree helps solidify WSU as a global leader in graduate-level wine science research by preparing students for successful careers in an evolving industry.

WSU student re-discovered the Wallbridge apple in Washington as part of class apple genetics project.

Years in the making, the new Plant Growth Facility at Washington State University’s Wenatchee Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center (TFREC) began construction April 1.

Congratulations to the 16 faculty members who earned tenure and/or promotion this year!

Exploring the connections between plants, cultures, and ecology, new CAHNRS scientist Jeffrey Wall’s research supports Native, rural, and urban communities, farmers, and nature.

Leadership at NWREC closed the station Thursday morning and made ready for high water amid evacuation and flood warnings.

Fresh guides aid heat-affected blueberry crops, inform Spanish-speaking science volunteers about the pollinators around us.

During a recent trip to Moldova, WSU students toured medieval ruins, a monastery, and subterranean caves where monks hid from enemies while protecting wine, a historically symbolic and religious product in the eastern European country.

Development of WSU’s new Plant Growth Facility at Wenatchee is moving forward this fall with help from a newly selected design-build team rooted in regional agriculture.

Experts help Washingtonians protect cherry crops and wild pollinators, conserve water, use pesticides safely, and more, with latest publications.

The Cosmic Crisp® hot air balloon returns to the Pullman campus Friday, Sept. 19, for the first-ever Apple Cup Harvest Market, a free event offering tastes of Cougar-made foods and products.

Research and industry leaders from WSU and the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission reaffirmed their partnership for science serving the Washington tree fruit industry at a special event.

WSU and the Washington tree fruit industry will roll out a red-carpet welcome for incoming students on Saturday, Aug. 9, distributing thousands of Cosmic Crisp® apples during fall move-in at Pullman.

Scientists at the Wenatchee Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center received a new $500,000 pledge from AgWest Farm Credit supporting enhanced greenhouse and research capabilities.

Two new guides share early insights on how to grow and manage the newest apple variety, WA 64, and help Washington beekeepers face a destructive, global pest.

Experts will share the state of current research on potatoes at the Washington State University Potato Field Day, Thursday, June 26, at Othello.

Six new free guides from WSU Extension can help growers repair soil compaction, gauge feasibility of popular apple varieties, and learn about flower biology’s impact on harvests.

WSU’s Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center has received a $600,000 pledge from the Northwest Nursery Improvement Institute to support construction of the new Plant Growth Facility.

Scholars Cesar Reyes Corral and Monica Oropeza can’t wait for the state-of-the-art infrastructure that the new, donor-supported Plant Growth Facility will bring to Wenatchee.

The “Denim & Diamonds” awards ceremony and banquet recognized 10 individual award winners, 19 scholars named outstanding seniors in their academic departments, and more than 30 nominees.

Three faculty to be honored with awards during Showcase, the university’s celebration of academic excellence.

From bugs to biochar to food safety, more than 20 scholars in CAHNRS succinctly shared their science endeavors in the college’s Three Minute Thesis competition.

Nearly 2 dozen scientists and educators earned promotion in tenure or career tracks for 2025.

Latest guides include a primer on using genomic selection to improve beef cattle, as well as a revised look at protecting tree fruit orchards.

Free guides from student scientists and experts can help farmers protect orchards, explore new technology that converts waste into energy, and better understand genetic selection.

Over the past decade, climate shifts have disrupted apple trees’ dormancy cycle, putting them at greater risk of freezes that damage tree health and productivity.