Recent decades have seen a growing recognition that diverse, small, organic, and sustainable farms have been underserved by standard public agricultural research and extension paradigms (FAO 2011, IAASTD 2009, IPES 2016). Following the publication of the seminal USDA report “A Time to Act” (1998), a state legislative initiative established a Small Farms Program (SFP) at […]
This BIOAg grant was used to support a postdoctorate, Dr. Louisa Winkler, to assist Dr. Lindsey du Toit, WSU Professor of Plant Pathology, prepare a 12-state, 20-person collaborative, multi-disciplinary proposal on onion bacterial diseases to the USDA NIFA Specialty Crops Research Initiative in March 2018. The submitted proposal, which requested ~$3.5 million, ranked in the […]
Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) is notoriously difficult to manage in specialty crop systems, particularly those under organic production. Perennial species possess the abundant nutrient reserves necessary to facilitate plant regrowth from underground, vegetative, and dormant buds following physical or chemical control measures. Research conducted in other species has identified the signature genes involved in regulating […]
Dryland wheat-fallow producers have begun switching to a direct seed tillage system for soil health benefits such as reduced runoff, increased water infiltration, increased consistency of crop stands, more and longer period of surface cover from crop residue, better soil moisture, and fewer dust clouds at planting time. However, this practice often requires increased pesticide […]
Herbaceous flowering or woody plant borders are controversial in commercial blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) production. Border vegetation has the potential to increase populations of native pollinators and beneficial insects and birds that feed on key blueberry pests, such as spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii; SWD); however, they may also draw pollinators away from the crop, serve […]
There is increasing interest in honey bee stock improvement in response to the continuing high annual loss of colonies and the desire to minimize in-hive chemical treatments to control bee parasites and diseases. In addition, the African honey bee poses a serious concern for beekeepers and the public at large. Individual beekeepers, small groups of […]
Drought significantly affects agriculture in the US and has resulted in $4 billion in losses in just 2014 alone. Optimization of water management together with improved agricultural practices caused significant yield increases without additional water input. The next significant improvement in water use efficiency is predicted to be in breeding plant varieties with better performance […]
The composition of microbial communities can have dramatic, but often unappreciated, impacts on crop production. In apple crops, surveys indicate that numerous microbe species colonize flowers and nectar, which can in turn mediate floral and nectar traits and pollinator behavior. Microbial communities also affect the susceptibility of trees to pathogens such as the bacterium Erwinia […]
Biologically active compounds derived from plants, e.g., peptide elicitors are known as a strong inducer of defense responses against pathogens and pests. Recently, the PI’s group found that several peptides from potato can induce a defense response. They also found that other peptides have a potential to be a stronger defense inducer in potatoes. To […]
We have identified a gene from Sinorhizobium medicae that substantially increases nodulation of Sinorhizobium meliloti on barrel medic and Rhizobium leguminosarum on pea and increases biomass of nodulated barrel medic by ~40%. The glx gene appears to work by overcoming plant-mediated inhibition of nodule formation and is the first gene we know of with this […]