University of Idaho Hires Fruit Production Researcher to Strengthen Idaho’s Orchard Industry
New Pomologist Brings Cutting-Edge Orchard Research to Parma Station
The University of Idaho has added a fruit production specialist with an international research background to its Parma Research and Extension Center, positioning the institution to expand its work in applied orchard science benefiting Idaho growers.
Jonathan Clavijo-Herrera officially joined the U of I on March 2, 2026, as an assistant professor and Extension specialist in pomology — the science of fruit cultivation — at the Parma Research and Extension Center. In his new role, Clavijo-Herrera will focus research efforts on apples, cherries, and peaches, crops central to Idaho’s fruit industry.
Originally from La Paz, Bolivia, Clavijo-Herrera earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural sciences and production from Zamorano University in Honduras before continuing his education at the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he completed both a master’s degree and a doctorate in horticultural sciences.
His academic work spanned a range of applied research topics. As a master’s student, he evaluated three olive varieties across two Florida locations to assess their commercial viability and tested strategies for establishing productive olive groves. He also contributed to developing a tool to assist olive farmers in managing fertilization under local growing conditions. His doctoral research examined how rootstocks — the underground portion of a grafted plant — influence the performance of the above-ground scion, finding that certain rootstocks improved a tree’s capacity to absorb water and nutrients. His team also discovered that rootstocks can affect genetic expression related to dormancy, a key factor in helping trees survive winter temperatures while conserving energy for the growing season.
High-Density Orchard Success in Florida Points Toward Idaho Potential
Following graduate school, Clavijo-Herrera worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Florida, where in 2023 he helped establish one of the state’s first high-density, trellised peach orchards. The system uses trellises to train tree branches along fruiting walls, improving air circulation, light penetration, and mechanization of management tasks such as pruning, while reducing labor demands. The orchard yielded its first harvest in 2025.
“We saw that our yield per acre was higher under that system,” Clavijo-Herrera said in remarks provided by the university. “The results were very encouraging.”
He views the high-density approach as one he hopes to adapt and study in Idaho’s Parma region as part of his long-term research agenda. He also plans to evaluate rootstocks and scions from other growing regions under Idaho conditions and explore the use of high tunnels as tree covers to protect fruit trees from cold-weather damage.
Clavijo-Herrera said he was drawn to the University of Idaho position by the quality of laboratory facilities at Parma, ample orchard space, and what he described as strong support from both the university and local growers. On his second day at the Parma station, he met with area fruit farmers to gather input on research priorities and has since visited several of their orchards.
“I feel like there are a lot of opportunities here,” Clavijo-Herrera said. “There’s a lot of work to be done for sure in the orchard and the lab and everything, but I’m really encouraged by the support I’m receiving from the university, and the willingness of the growers to partner and collaborate is amazing.”
His near-term plans include launching trials to improve fertilization and water-management practices and studying pest management and methods to prevent winter damage — practical priorities that reflect direct input from Idaho’s farming community.
While Idaho’s fruit industry is smaller in volume compared to leading agricultural states, Clavijo-Herrera believes the state can compete by emphasizing quality. “Maybe we don’t produce a large volume, but if we can consistently deliver high-quality fruit, that can be our way to position ourselves in the market,” he said.
The hire reflects the University of Idaho’s continued investment in agricultural research serving Idaho’s farming economy. The Parma Research and Extension Center has long served as a hub for crop science, connecting university researchers with working farmers across southwestern Idaho. For more on U of I agricultural research efforts, see the university’s recent work on farm needs explored at the World Ag Expo and a reinstated federal grant supporting University of Idaho agriculture research.
What Comes Next
Clavijo-Herrera is expected to launch his first field trials at the Parma Research and Extension Center in the near term, with fertilization and water-management practices topping the initial research agenda. Longer-range projects — including high-density peach production trials and rootstock evaluations — are anticipated to take shape over the coming growing seasons. Idaho fruit growers interested in collaborating with the program are encouraged to contact the Parma Research and Extension Center directly through the University of Idaho Extension network.