The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission has released the 2024 report on pesticide residues for sweet cherry production in the Northwest.
According to the Commission's announcement, this annual effort aims to provide the industry with guidance for pest management decisions, taking into account the maximum residue levels (MRLs) in some foreign markets.
During the 2024 cherry season, in a mature block of Skeena, the Commission's researchers applied and then analyzed 14 active ingredients commonly found in 11 insecticides and miticides and three fungicides. The main goal of the study was to replicate the “worst-case scenario” regarding residues, using aggressive doses, timings, and intervals that are legal according to product labels but may not reflect typical commercial use.
With this approach, which involved two applications of most products, all residues were compliant with national regulations. However, in some key export markets, the MRLs for certain products are set at the “limit of quantification,” which is the lowest detectable residue that can be measured, making it “virtually impossible to meet such standards” if the product is applied, according to the report.
Read the full article: Good Fruit Grower
Image: SL Fruit Service
04 Feb 2026
Argentina’s cherry market faces a double blow: cheap bulk imports from Chile and extreme weather damage in Patagonia. Export volumes plummet, key markets shift, and the CAPCI association calls for urgent measures to protect the Argentinian cherry sector.
04 Jun 2026
Study on sweet cherry and pedunculate oak in Austria and Croatia shows how growth, SLA and phenology depend on site, soil and local climate. Phenotypic plasticity and individual variation reveal key pathways for adaptation and resilience of European forests to climate change.
20 Oct 2026
MSC Invernaderos’ Megatúnel protects cherries and berries from rain and hail. According to the company and Frutotech, it brings early cherry harvests forward by about 15 days, using Gothic arches and ventilation to manage growing conditions without energy-heavy heating.
20 Oct 2026
A dynamic predictive model estimates fungal growth in sweet cherries as temperatures change. Validated using experimental temperature profiles, it could support cold chain management and shelf life estimation, although further testing in commercial conditions is needed.
