#1 priorities

Develop cultivars that are summer bearing, high yielding, winter hardy, machine-harvestable, disease resistant, virus resistant and have superior processed fruit quality
• Understanding soil ecology and soil borne pathogens and their effects on plant health and crop yields.
• Fruit rot including pre harvest, post harvest, and/or shelf life.
• Soil fumigation techniques and alternatives to control soil pathogens, nematodes, and weeds.
• Evaluation of the life cycle and management options of the Spotted Wing Drosophila

#2 priorities

• Harvest contaminants and problems stemming from the loss of longstanding insecticides. Weed management
• Nutrient/Irrigation management
• Viruses/crumbly fruit
• Mite management

#3 priorities

• Product and Production Certification Systems food safety & security, standards, traceability
• Season extension: improve viability of fresh marketing
• Labor saving cultural practices including mechanical pruning and tying techniques
• Foliar & Cane Diseases – i.e. spur blight, yellow rust, cane blight, etc.
• Vertebrate pest management