Overview

• Researchers analyzed over 40 years of climate data, identifying six key metrics affecting apple growth, including extreme heat, warm nights, and frost timing.
• Yakima County, Washington, the nation's largest apple-producing region, showed harmful trends in five of the six metrics studied.
• Climate changes are altering apple flowering times, increasing risks of sunburn, and impacting fruit appearance and quality in major growing regions.
• Some regions may benefit from fewer cold days and earlier frost endings, but these shifts could also increase vulnerability to extreme cold events.
• Growers are employing adaptive measures like netting and cooling systems, while researchers stress the need for tailored strategies to mitigate long-term impacts.