“Apple Rootstocks and Cultivars”: A Case Study In Using Extension to Increase Access to Research-Based Information

Researchers have collected a great deal of data relating to apple cultivars and rootstocks over the past 30 years, but much of this information is not easily accessible. The long-term goal of our working group is to increase access to this information using on-line technology available through eXtension (extension.org).  In eXtension, researchers and extension personnel are developing a community of practice (CoP) to increase the quality and amount of on-line information for individuals interested in our work (referred to as a Community of Interest and abbreviated CoI).  For this project, our CoI is broadly defined as commercial apple producers, nursery professionals, county extension educators, master gardeners, home gardeners, and consumers. Over the three years of our grant, our CoP will develop diverse educational tools, with the goals of increasing productivity, profitability, and sustainability for commercial apple production. Additionally, we will provide other members of our CoI access to research-based, reliable information on the culture and nutrition of apples. We chose to focus on the Eastern United States to begin and will add other regions as our resources and interest grows.