Our extension and outreach activities are two-fold:
- Stakeholder Support: Supporting the commercial fruit industry in New York State
- Community Outreach: Engaging with the local, regional, and global community to provide education on plant pathology, disease management in fruit production, Cornell CALS, and more!
Stakeholder Support: Supporting the Commercial Fruit Industry in New York State
Our lab’s extension program develops educational programming and provides services for the diagnosis and management of fruit diseases in New York.
New York State has a substantial fruit industry with apples being the premier fruit crop. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service in 2015, New York ranked second in the nation in terms of total bearing acreage (40,000 acres) and total utilized production value ($274.5 million USD) for apples alone.
Specific goals are to work with stakeholders, cooperative extension, private consultants, and regulatory agencies to 1) develop educational material and tools to improve the diagnosis and management of fruit diseases in NY and promote pesticide stewardship practices, and to 2) provide services to help fruit stakeholders identify emerging disease concerns and overcome barriers to disease management specific to their operations.
Some of out outreach activities have included:
- Creating and updating online disease management decision aid support systems for New York apple stakeholders through consolidated efforts with other Cornell and State institutions.
- Writing and updating Cornell fruit management publications including disease fact sheets and Pest Management Guidelines.
- Presenting at local and regional producer meetings
Fire Blight, Apple Scab, and Apple Powdery Mildew Survey: Submission form and instructions
Weekly disease predictions and management recommendations: Check here weekly
Community Outreach: Engaging with the local, regional, and international community
We are passionate about sharing our knowledge of fruit pathology with broad audiences and inspiring future scientists. Recent outreach in the community:
- GRASSHOPR
- Empire Farm Days
- Expanding Your Horizons
- STEM Night at local Geneva elementary schools
- Science Uncorked
Interested in joining the lab for a summer? Consider applying to the Cornell Summer Scholars Research Program. Learn more here
