Speaker: Dr. Nathanial Westrick, Connecticut Ag Experiment Station

Increases in plant movement across state lines and warming climates have led to the introduction of new invasive plant diseases to our region, with Anthracnose, Neopestalotiopsis, and Black Root Rot being particularly devastating examples. This talk will discuss the current IPM strategies which can be used to limit the spread of these diseases and novel research into varietal resistance and chemical control of the pathogens. 

Speaker: William Hastings, UNH Cooperative Extension

This talk provides an overview of kiwiberry production in the Northeast, from establishment to post-harvest considerations, along with a discussion of economic potential and marketing considerations.

Speakers: Dr. Lee Kalcsits, Washington State University Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, Dr. Lailiang Cheng, Cornell CALS

Hot summer and full temperatures can reduce fruit quality and orchard profitability. In this webinar, we will discuss the physiology behind sunburn, how heat contributes to poor fruit coloring, and best management strategies to mitigate these issues to maximize fruit coloring in hot years.  

Speaker: Dr. Tracy Leskey, USDA-ARS Appalachian Fruit Research Station and Virginia Tech

Mating disruption is becoming an essential tool for managing key orchard pests in the Northeast. This session will highlight practical guidance from recent USDA-ARS Leskey Lab research on using pheromone-based disruption for codling moth, oriental fruit moth, and major borers. Growers will learn the basics of how disruption works, how to choose and deploy dispensers effectively, and how to integrate the approach into existing monitoring and spray programs.

Speaker: Steve Dwinell, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

An overview of the USEPA strategies for protecting threatened and endangered species from pesticides announced in 2022 and being implemented through addition of requirements for runoff mitigation and drift buffer to pesticide labels. The talk will discuss the components of the EPA strategies, what the new requirements are, how applicators can comply with these requirements, and which pesticides registered in Vermont have these additional requirements.

Speaker: Manuel Diaz Gonzalez, NRCS

As drought stress becomes an increasingly common challenge across the Northeast, fruit growers need reliable, cost-effective strategies to optimize limited water supplies while protecting crop health and yield. This session will provide a practical, engineering-based approach to drought management, with a focus on planned deficit irrigation, soil moisture monitoring, and automated irrigation tools suitable for diversified orchards and fruit operation. The session will cover how to select, install, and interpret data from soil moisture sensors, and how to integrate these sensors with automated or semi-automated irrigation systems to ensure timely, precise water delivery. Growers will also be guided through the process of developing a farm water budget, including estimating crop water demand, evaluating existing water supplies, and identifying system bottlenecks during dry periods. The session will conclude with a framework for creating a property-level water plan, outlining how to assess opportunities to expand or diversify water sources—such as ponds, wells, storage tanks, and captured runoff—to improve long-term drought resilience.