Fruit Production Advisory Services

The State Fruit Experiment Station, Missouri State University, is home to the fruit grower advisory program. The advisory program provides a wide range of advisory services to Missouri’s fruit industry.

In the State Fruit Experiment Station, the position with primary responsibilities for fruit production advisement is the Fruit Grower Advisor. The current Fruit Grower Advisor is Mr. Patrick Byers.

Dr. Martin Kaps is a research professor in pomology.

Mr. John Avery, research associate, is responsible for the day-to-day management of the experiment station fruit plantings. Mr. Avery also has an advisory appointment.

Ms. Suzi Teghtmeyer is the librarian of the Paul Evans Library of Fruit Science.

Ms. Marilyn Odneal is Horticulture Outreach Advisor and web developer.

Ms. Pamela Mayer is a behind-the-scenes resource who assists with publication preparation and arrangements for events.

The services available to Missouri’s fruit industry from the State Fruit Experiment Station, Missouri State University, can be divided into four categories – individual consultation, workshops and conferences, publications and web resources, and resources from the Evans Library of Fruit Science.

Typically, the first contact between a new or prospective fruit grower and the Missouri State State Fruit Experiment Station is through a telephone call, email, or personal contact. As soon as possible, the new/prospective fruit grower is invited to visit the Missouri State State Fruit Experiment Station (Missouri State SFES).

Visits may be arranged during our regular station hours, 7:30-4:30, Monday-Friday. The Experiment Station is closed on major holidays. Arrangements can be made for visits at times other than regular hours. Please call ahead to make an appointment with the advisory staff.

The visit to the Missouri State SFES is a good time to discuss business plans, marketing plans, production plans, and any other aspect of Missouri fruit production.

The visit can also include a tour of the Missouri State SFES fruit plantings and orchards. The SFES has many different fruits, including brambles, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, apples, peaches, pears, plums, cherries, pawpaw, persimmon, elderberry, gooseberry, and other fruits, grown under several different cultural systems. This tour will help give new/prospective fruit growers a feel for fruit production.

Often after the visit to the Missouri State FES, new/prospective growers are interested in the suitability of a particular site for fruit production. An on site evaluation may be arranged with advisory staff, usually within 7-10 days of a contact.

The on site visit can help assess the physical suitability (elevation, topography, existing cover) of the site for fruit production, the planting/orchard layout, site preparation, and planting establishment.

Most of the counties in Missouri have a recently compiled soil survey, which maps the different soils of a given site, and provides information on the physical and chemical properties of the soils. The advisory staff can help interpret the soil survey information for a specific site, and assess the suitability of the site soil for fruit production based on this information.

A soil test can provide useful information on site soil characteristics such as soil pH, soil nutrient levels, organic matter levels, and soil texture. The advisory staff can provide information on the proper collection of soil samples, interpret the soil test report for a given site soil, and suggest soil amendments or other modifications that can make the site suitable for fruit production.

Internal soil characteristics such as drainage and aeration are critically important to the performance of a fruit planting. A pit several feet deep dug at the proposed site will provide information on internal soil characteristics. Advisory staff can evaluate soil profile characteristics based on the pit appearance, and give an opinion on the suitability of the site soil for fruit production.

Established fruit growers can call on the advisory services of the Fruit Science Department in many different areas of fruit production – cultivar selection, training and pruning, pest management, irrigation, fertility management, harvest management, and marketing.

A foliar test, taken at the proper time, can provide valuable information on the nutrient status of fruits and help diagnose suspected nutritional problems. The values obtained from a foliar sample are compared to standard levels obtained from healthy fruit plants. Advisory staff can assist with the collection and submission of foliar samples, interpretation of foliar test results, and development of strategies to address problems revealed by the foliar test.

Diagnosis of fruit problems can be a difficult process. Often symptoms of many different problems can appear similar, and proper diagnosis is critical for developing a strategy to address the problem. The Missouri State State Fruit Experiment Station offers diagnostic services for disease and insect problems, and will also examine suspected nutritional problems.

Samples of damaged plant parts and insects can be submitted in person or through the mail to the State Fruit Experiment Station. Plant samples should be packaged in a plastic bag, with vent holes, then in a padded envelope, and sent by overnight mail if possible. Place insects in a protective plastic container, such as a film canister, and send by overnight mail if possible. Send samples early in the week, and include contact information. Digital images of symptoms or insects can also be submitted by email. Diagnostic clinic staff will contact you for further information or with a diagnosis as soon as possible.

Once in the clinic, trained staff examine the sample. Diagnosis is sometimes made at this point, by examination of visual symptoms. Samples are also examined under magnification, to observe signs of the causal agent. In some cases isolation and culture of the causal agent is needed for a positive identification. Diagnostic tests are also sometimes performed on samples.

Once the problem is identified, advisory staff can assist in developing a management strategy to address the problem.

Dr. Dan Waldstein directs the diagnostic clinic in the State Fruit Experiment Station. Assisting Dr. Waldstein are Patrick Byers and Dr. Laszlo Kovacs.

Fruit crop field days are held periodically at the Missouri State FES. The field day agenda includes invited speakers who address several aspects of fruit production, tours of the research plantings, and time to visit with staff.

The advisory staff serve on the planning committee for the Missouri Small Fruit and Vegetable Conference. This conference includes technical sessions on many aspects of small fruit and vegetable production, and a day long tour of commercial fruit and vegetable operations. The conference features an outstanding trade show, and offers many opportunities to socialize and learn from other members of Missouri’s fruit industry. The conference is held in mid February.

Several one-day workshops are offered annually at the Mountain Grove Campus. Recent workshops included a pruning workshop held in January. These workshops are publicized in the "The Berry Basket" newsletter and on the calendar of events on the Mountain Grove website: http://www.mtngrv.missouristate.edu/calendar.htm  .

The Mid America Fruit Growers Meeting, a joint meeting of the Missouri Horticulture Society and the Kansas Fruit Growers Association, is held annually in January. This meeting includes sessions for tree fruit and small fruit growers.

Meetings on various fruit related topics are periodically held at sites around the state. For example, a recent pruning workshop was held at Bertrand.

The Fruit Grower Advisory program takes every opportunity to share information on fruit production with new/prospective growers. Displays are staffed at many events, such as the Missouri Governor’s Conference on Agriculture, the Midwest Grape and Wine Conference, the Missouri Small Fruit Conference, the Small Farm Today Conference and Trade Show, the Ozark Empire Fair, and at several alternative agriculture conferences.

The Fruit Grower Advisor program produces production guides for several fruit crops, including Growing Blueberries in Missouri, Growing Blackberries in Missouri, and Growing Raspberries in Missouri. Copies are available from the Missouri State Fruit Science Department.

The Berry Basket is a quarterly newsletter that addresses many topics of interest to new/prospective fruit growers. The newsletter is available in hardcopy by subscription, or you can receive the newsletter online through the State Fruit Experiment Station website at http://www.mtngrv.missouristate.edu/newslet.htm .

The State Fruit Experiment Station produces the Proceedings for the Annual Missouri Small Fruit and Vegetable Conference, which includes useful information for Missouri fruit growers.

In addition to these regularly published resources, the advisory staff has access to many additional resources on all aspects of fruit.

The Internet is increasingly an important source of information for fruit growers. The Mountain Grove website, at http://mtngrv.missouristate.edu/  , is an entry point to the fruit production resources available at http://mtngrv.missouristate.edu/advisory.htm . Contact information for advisory staff is available on the website, as well as a calendar of events to alert you to upcoming programs. The Mountain Grove website also includes links to sites of interest to Missouri fruit growers.

The Evans Library of Fruit Science contains a wealth of information for Missouri fruit growers. Among the holdings are an extensive collection of fruit production references, and all the major fruit related trade journals. Scientific journals that publish fruit research are also well represented. The collection is over 100 years old, and contains many historical references. The Evans Library of Fruit Science also offers connections to many online and electronic references outside of the regular collection.

Suzi Teghtmeyer is librarian of the Evans Library. In most cases the resources of the Evans Library of Fruit Science must be referenced in person, which is another reason to make a visit to Mountain Grove.

The Evans Library of Fruit Science maintains a website at http://library.missouristate.edu/paulevans/ . This site is an entry point to many fruit-related resources.

Here is contact information for the advisory staff at the Missouri State State Fruit Experiment Station, Mountain Grove Campus:

Patrick Byers’ email:
Plb711t@missouristate.edu 

Address
Missouri State State Fruit Experiment Station
9740 Red Spring Road
Mountain Grove, MO 65711

The Missouri State State Fruit Experiment Station is located 0.5 miles north of US Highway 60 on MO Highway 95. A map is located at http://mtngrv.missouristate.edu/campuslocation.htm  .

Normal business hours
7:30am-4:30pm, Monday through Friday

Telephone
417-547-7500
417-547-7540 (fax)

Website
Missouri State-Mountain Grove: http://mtngrv.missouristate.edu/ 
Paul Evans Library: http://library.missouristate.edu/paulevans/

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