UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The "Pennsylvania Tree Fruit Production Guide," published every two years by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences with yearly supplements, now can be found on the World Wide Web and CD-ROM.
"The Web-based guide allows us to update information daily, if needed," says tree fruit scientist Rob Crassweller. "This is particularly important for pesticide updates and cultural information changes."
The "Pennsylvania Tree Fruit Production Guide" is a 275-page handbook for commercial fruit growers that addresses everything from pest control strategies to apple cider production. Fruits covered include apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries and plums. Topics include:
- Guidelines for establishing an orchard
- Disease-resistant cultivars and rootstocks
- Strategies for pest and pesticide management
- Harvest and postharvest handling
- Computer use in budgeting for land preparation and orchard planting
Along with the basic text, the Web-based guide offers color photographs of apple varieties and insects, links to nurseries and databases of new rootstocks and fruit varieties.
A searchable index makes finding information quick and easy. "We'll be continually adding new photos, such as the symptoms of nutritional deficiencies," says Crassweller.
The online version also includes interactive programs that make everyday calculations much easier. "The Frost Pro program calculates the sprinkling rate you should use to protect your fruit," Crassweller says. "Other programs calculate the cost for tree support systems, or how much growth regulator to add to your tank."
Producers also can find new information on cider and cider safety, and a warning label they can print to put on cider jugs. A "new updates" page tells users how recently material has been revised.
The Pennsylvania Tree Fruit Production Guide can be found at http://www.cas.psu.edu/docs/CASDEPT/Hort/TFPG/default.html. Users can download printable PDF files using Adobe Acrobat Reader. The front page of the Web site contains a link to install the Reader.
"The CD-ROM version of the guide lets you access information much faster," says designer Carole Backman, "but you must be online to use nursery links, expert e-mails and the search engine."
To access the CD-ROM version, users must have a CD-ROM drive, Windows 95/98/NT or Macintosh 7.61 and at least 8 megabytes of RAM. To launch the CD, users also must have a browser (Netscape or Internet Explorer) installed. "You need Internet Explorer 4.0 or Netscape 4.0 (or higher) for the interactive programs to work properly," Backman says. "The CD contains links for downloading the latest versions."
The CD, which costs $15, can be ordered by calling 814-865-1896.
The "Pennsylvania Tree Fruit Production Guide" is a joint effort of Penn State's departments of horticulture, entomology, plant pathology and agricultural engineering, and School of Forest Resources. In 1994, the printed guide received the Best Extension Materials Award (Consumer, Fruit, Vegetable and Herb Production category) from the American Society for Horticultural Science.
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EDITORS: For more information, contact Rob Crassweller at 814-863-6163.
Contacts: Kim Dionis KDionis@psu.edu 814-863-2703 814-865-1068 fax