Grains

Grains like wheat, barley, and corn are major crops in Washington, covering some 2.5 million acres in 2012. Grown for both export and domestic use, the food produced from these crops make up the core calories in many people’s diets. Research to better manage pests, soil fertility, and the environmental impact of growing these crops is important to maintain their production in Western, Central and Eastern Washington.

Featured Publications

Farmer-to-Farmer & Rancher-to-Rancher Case Studies Series

Authors include: Yorgey, G., Borrelli, K., Painter, K., Davis, H., Hall, S., Hudson, T., Neibergs, S., Reeves, M., Kruger, C., McGuire A., Finkelnburg, D., Roe, D., Brooks, E., and Kantor, S. 2016-2019. PNW Extension Publications and videos. These series explore strategies that innovative regional farmers and ranchers are using that enhance resilience to climate change and other future challenges. Case studies highlight producers in dryland and irrigated annual cropping, rangeland, and dairy production systems. Practices relate to soil health, diversification, responsive management, and many others.

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Comparison of Greenhouse Gas Offset Quantification Protocols for Nitrogen Management in Dryland Wheat Cropping Systems of the Pacific Northwest

TT Brown, CM Lee, CE Kruger, JP Reganold, DR Huggins. 2017. Frontiers in Environmental Science 5, 72.

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Design and Use of Representative Agricultural Pathways for Integrated Assessment of Climate Change in US Pacific Northwest Cereal-Based Systems

John M Antle, Jianhong E Mu, Hongliang Zhang, Susan M Capalbo, Penelope L Diebel, Sanford D Eigenbrode, Chad E Kruger, Claudio O Stöckle, JD Wulfhorst, and John T Abatzoglou. 2017. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 5, 99.

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Disease Management for Wheat and Barley

Kirby, E., T. Paulitz, T. Murray, K. Schroeder, X. Chen. 2017. Chapter 10 In Yorgey, G. and C. Kruger, eds. Advances in Dryland Production Systems in the Pacific Northwest. Washington State University Extension, Pullman, WA.

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Advances in Dryland Farming in the Inland Pacific Northwest

Georgine Yorgey and Chad Kruger, Eds. 2017. Washington State University Extension. Pullman, WA.

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Increasing resilience among cereal-based farmers in the Inland Pacific Northwest – Farmer to Farmer Case Studies

Yorgey, Georgine, Kathleen Painter, Hilary Davis, Kristy Borrelli, Sylvia Kantor, Leigh Bernacchi, R. Dennis Roe, Chad Kruger 2014. Video and print case studies part of REACCH PNA project. The goal of these case studies to inspire others to take management risks on their farms that can improve their overall sustainability and resiliency into the future. Future case studies are in progress and will focus on farmers who manage water in irrigated systems, tillage practices and residue management in unique ways.

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Life cycle assessment of the potential carbon credit from no- and reduced-tillage winter wheat-based cropping systems in Eastern Washington State

Zaher, U, C. Stockle, K. Painter, S. Higgins. Agricultural Systems. November 2013. Volume 122, pages 73-78.

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Integrating Livestock into Dryland Organic Crop Rotations

Carpenter-Boggs, L., Painter, K., and Wachter, J. Recorded webinar presentation delivered October 22, 2013. It covers a variety of reasons to integrate livestock into crop rotations, and summarizes past research on the topic. It is directed towards beginning growers interested in diversifying their income and crop rotations, towards educators and Extension workers, and towards a more general audience wanting to learn more about mixed crop-livestock systems.

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International Quinoa Research Symposium Broadcast Webinar

Recordings from August 12-14, 2013 symposium.

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REACCHPNA Monitoring Greenhouse Gases with the Eddy Covariance Flux Tower (3 min)

May 2013. This video describes how researchers at WSU monitor greenhouse gas exchanges in cereal-based cropping systems using the eddy covariance flux tower. Includes description of flux tower components. This work is part of the REACCH PNA research project.

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Soil carbon sequestration in the dryland cropping region of the Pacific Northwest

Brown, T.T., and D.R. Huggins. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 2012 67(5):406-415; doi:10.2489/jswc.67.5.406.

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Dryland Organic Agriculture in the PNW: Meeting Opportunities and Challenges

At the Tilth Producers of Washington Conference in November 2011, WSU hosted a Dryland Organic Agriculture Symposium. The presentations and keynote from that symposium were recorded and are now available for online viewing. This special symposium addressed agronomic and economic issues specific to dryland organic production. Speakers and attendees came from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. Also, please see link for a list of companies interested in buying organic crops produced in the PNW: Dryland Organic Agriculture in the PNW – grains sellers buyers

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Northwest Dryland Cereal/Legume Cropping Systems Database

Compilation of research and experience in dryland agriculture in the northwestern U.S. from the past 100 years the early 1990s. The database is full-text searchable.

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Additional Publications

Grain production information for western Washington

A list of resources targeted towards maritime production systems.

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Dryland Organic Production

Includes presentations on marketing, general production, and no-till production from two annual workshops.

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The Bread Lab – Plant Breeding

The goal of the Plant Breeding program at The Bread Labis to add to the long-term environmental and economic health of farming in western Washington while producing a food crop that is safe and high in nutritional value. The complexities of farming systems in western Washington are acknowledged and nonreductionist approaches are favored.

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Influence of biodynamic preparations on compost development and resultant compost extracts on wheat seedling growth

Reeve, J.R., L. Carpenter-Boggs, J.P. Reganold, A.L. York, and W.F. Brinton. 2010. Bioresource Technology.

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Precision Conservation: site-specific trade-offs of harvesting wheat residues for biofuel feedstocks

Huggins, D.R., & Kruger, C.E. (2010). In R. Khosia (Ed.), Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Precision Agriculture. 10th International Conference on Precision Agriculture, Denver, CO. Colorado State University.

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Yield, Protein and Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Spring Wheat: Evaluating Field-Scale Performance

Chapter 17 in Climate Friendly Farming: Improving the Carbon Footprint of Agriculture in the Pacific Northwest. Full report available at http://csanr.wsu.edu/pages/Climate_Friendly_Farming_Final_Report/.

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Growing Grains and Dry Beans in Whatcom County: Expanding the Potential for Local Foods Production in Northwest Washington – March 2009

Article in Sustaining the Pacific Northwest Newsletter

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Crop Yield and Revenue Variability Across Time and Space at the Cook Agronomy Farm, 2001-2006

D. Huggins and K. Painter. Abstract in 2008 Dryland Field Day Abstracts: Highlights of Research Progress.

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Organic Cropping Systems Field Day

Jun-08

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Profitable Strategies for Transitioning to Organic Grain Production in the Arid West

A large-scale field project on transitioning to organic grain (primarily wheat) production in the Palouse region (dryland, annual cropping) was started in 2002. Three years of transition and two years of wheat production have been monitored, with nine different cropping systems. Weed control and fertility have been big challenges. An economic analysis indicates that using alfalfa during the three-year transition could be the most profitable strategy. Investigators include Dr. Ian Burke, Dr. Rich Koenig, Dr. Pat Fuerst, Dr. Rob Gallagher, Dennis Pittman, and Dr. Kathleen Painter.

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Browse all Grain Publications

External Links

Some WSU Extension websites provide links to external sites for the convenience of users. These external sites are not managed by WSU Extension. Furthermore, WSU Extension does not review, control or take responsibility for the content of these sites, nor do these sites implicitly or explicitly represent official positions and policies of WSU Extension.