Strong Roots: New Plant Growth Facility at Wenatchee Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center

Benefits

After 70 years, our current facility is no longer suitable to the demands of modern research, lacking adequate lighting, temperature, and CO2 level controls, and facing significant structural issues. The state-of-the-art plant growth facility will enhance our ability to conduct complex multi-disciplinary research and ensure Washington State University TFREC remains a sought-after partner for international and national partnerships that benefit the tree fruit industry, the state, and the region. These benefits include:

• Long-term service: The new facility will serve the industry for decades, making a lasting impact on the tree fruit sector.
• Retention and recruitment of talent: A modern facility will attract and retain world-class scientists and students, ensuring ongoing innovation and excellence in tree fruit research.
• Enhanced year-round research capacity: Sophisticated environmental controls will facilitate rapid advancements in the understanding and mitigation of orchard abiotic (heat, cold, drought) and biotic (pests and disease) stresses.
• More efficient seedling production for apple scion and pear rootstock breeding: Both programs require the efficient production of seedlings from classical parental crosses, increasing the probability of finding the next ‘WA 38’ for the WA state.

Additionally, the proposed PGF offers a controlled environment for precisely regulating temperature, humidity, light, and CO2 levels, reducing experiment variability, and ensuring consistent growth conditions. This is invaluable for researching plant genetics, physiology, pests, and diseases. Furthermore, these facilities will enhance graduate and undergraduate student education, graduate students, and student interns’ hands-on research experience. It will drive economic and technological advancements by attracting research grants and facilitating the development of innovative agricultural technologies. The facility will foster collaboration among scientists from various fields and support participation in international research projects, enhancing global networking and interdisciplinary research.