Washington State University

Awards Issued Prior to January 20, 2025, Were Funded Under Previous Administrations and May Not Reflect the Priorities and Policies of the Current Administration. Frost Events Present a Significant Threat to Perennial Crop Producers Due Both to Potential Bud Damage and Mitigation Costs. Growers Struggle to Optimize the Utilization of Three Primary Active Mitigation Methods--heaters, Wind Machines, and Over- and Under-tree Sprinkler Irrigation--due to a Reliance on Regional Weather Forecasts, Rules-of-thumb, and Heuristic Decision-making. Our Overall Project Objective Is to Develop an Intelligent Frost Mitigation Control Actuation System, Based on Micrometeorological Monitoring and Site-specific, Mitigation-informed Weather and Bud Temperature Forecasts, That Reduces Both Crop Damage and Mitigation Costs. Washington State Is the Top Producer of Sweet Cherries and Blueberries--both Vulnerable to Frost Damage and the Focus of This Project.toward the Overall Project Objective, We Will Pursue Three Specific Aims: Aim #1. Integrate Surface?and?aerial?meteorological?observations Into?field-specific,?short-term?forecasts?of Weather Variables Relevant to Frost Mitigation. Aim #2. Develop Localized Weather Data-driven Intelligent Crop Loss Management System Through Real-time Actuation of Either-or Combinations of Active Frost Mitigation Techniques, I.e. Wind Machines (frost Fans), Over-tree and Under-tress Fixed Spray Systems. Aim #3. Assess Grower?evaluation/validation of Decision Aid Tools and Prototype Performance.