"Combining Advanced Spray Technology with IPM Tactics To Sustain Apple Production" is a 3-year research project, funded by USDA/NIFA-CPPM (Crop Protection and Pest Management program) which focuses on applying key IPM advances - new precision-targeted pesticide spraying and weather-based disease-warning systems - that can cut pesticide use by two-thirds, raise profits, and enhance environmental quality.

Project's objectives are:

• Assess combining Intelligent Sprayer technology with warning systems for fire blight and summer diseases to achieve season-long pest and disease management of apples.
• Compare economic profitability and cost effectiveness of using the Intelligent Sprayer with disease-warning systems to current practices for control of apple diseases and arthropod pests.
• Share the projects' advances with apple growers in the eastern half of the U.S. through diverse outreach approaches and an IPM Information Portal.

Find out who the research group is here, and keep visiting our website for the most updated information on the project!