May 2022 - 8

Research station trees boosted by Michigan group
By Dean Peterson
FGN Correspondent
For the third time, Michigan
State University's (MSU) newest
research station, the West Central
Michigan Research and Extension
Center (WCMREC) in Hart received
$75,000 from the Michigan Tree Fruit
Commission (MTFC).
" It was a three-year plan to help get
the station established, " said Jim Nugent,
a fruit grower from Suttons Bay, Mich.,
and MTFC chairman.
Much of the MTFC's $75,000
contribution to the WCMREC in 2022 will
be used for apple tree planting. The balance
will be combined with the second $9,000
of a two-year commitment for establishing
an irrigation system to finish developing
the station's irrigation well and mains.
The MTFC will also contribute $10,000 to
support station operations in 2022.
MSU's Southwest Michigan Research
and Extension Center (SWMREC) in
Benton Harbor received $11,875 from the
MTFC for a deer fence, a plum variety
trial and equipment that included a fruit
texture analyzer.
" The analyzer is used to measure fruit
quality, " said Bill Shane, station coordinator
and tree fruit educator. " It measures
firmness and ease of penetration which
both relate to shelf life. "
The SWMREC also received $15,741
Michigan State University''s West Central Michigan Research and Extension Center received $75,000 from the Michigan Tree
Fruit Commission for apple tree planting and irrigation. Photos: Michigan State University and Gary Pullano
from the MTFC in 2022 for skilled labor
and materials for field research on cherries,
nectarines and peaches.
" This is for temporary summer help, "
Shane said.
The MTFC funding was matched by
another $15,741 from MSU.
MSU also provided another $8,936 for
equipment at SWMREC and the MTFC
contributed $10,000 for station operations.
MSU's Trevor Nichols Research Center
(TNRC) in Fennville received $20,000
from the MTFC in 2022 for a wet lab
renovation.
The wet lab will contain an exhaust
hood and other accessories needed for
handling chemicals and solvents safely,
said John Wise, MSU entomology
professor and TNRC research and
Extension coordinator.
" We'll use this lab when handling
pesticide residue samples and doing
other lab work, " Wise said.
The other work will include tasks
such as bioassays and evaluating field
samples from tree fruit research. The
$20,000 funding contribution from the
MTFC was matched by $10,000 from
the Michigan Blueberry Commission
and $10,000 from MSU.
The TNRC also received $15,000 for
contracting orchard pruning.
" Contract pruning is the most efficient
means of maintaining an increased
research acreage without increasing fulltime
staff, " Wise said.
The MTFC also provided the TNRC
$1,499 for station equipment and
$10,000 for station operations.
MSU's Northwest Michigan
Horticultural Research Center
(NWMHRC) in Traverse City
received $20,000 from the MTFC for
new orchard plantings, $9,000 for plot
establishment and maintenance and
$10,000 for station operations.
MSU's Clarksville Research Center
in Clarksville received $18,000 for
repairs to a refrigeration system used
for fruit storage. The station received
$9,200 for equipment to repair and
install support systems in orchards.
It also received $3,500 for equipment
repairs and $10,000 for station
operations.
The MTFC was established by a
producer referendum to collect an
assessment on Michigan's apples,
cherries, peaches and plums to
support tree fruit research. FGN
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May 2022

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