The term “plasticulture” refers to the use of plastic for the benefit of agricultural production. In practice, plasticulture may be used to describe agricultural systems that utilize plastic-covered structures to extend growing seasons and protect crops from excess moisture, extreme weather, and other threats; ground-laid plastic mulch films; plastic-based precision irrigation systems (i.e. drip irrigation); […]
Livestock have access to the outdoor environment, which integrates farm animals with soil, vegetation and wildlife that are components of the farm ecosystem. For example, pasture provides cycling of renewable, organic food inputs for livestock and nutrients from manure. These ecosystem services are vital to sustainable organic animal production. However, livestock in the environment also […]
In a newly planted blueberry trial, ‘Draper’ plants were transplanted from 1-gal pots into the field in March 2015. Greenhouse-grown living mulch plants, creeping buttercup (Ranunculus arvensis L.) and sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum (L.) Scop.), were transplanted to a density of 1 plant/ft2 at the same time as blueberry. Other plots were treated with 5 […]
The discovery of volatile phytochemicals that affect natural enemy (NE) populations has stimulated interest in using synthetic versions to manipulate NE populations for pest suppression. Unfortunately, field studies that investigate practical use of these tools are lacking. Apple orchards provide a good setting to answer these questions because we have already developed lures for monitoring […]
In western Washington growers utilize small grains as a rotational crop to break disease and pest cycles as well as resting the soil between more intensive, and profitable, crops. We are breeding barley and wheat for nutritional content and end-use quality, using novel color traits to differentiate the crop and increase the antioxidant content of […]
We propose to research an economical anaerobic digestion (AD) post-treatment process for improving anaerobically digested dairy manure fiber. Digested dairy manure fibers are value-added solids used in potting mixtures (e.g., Magic Dirt, www.magic-dirt.com). However, there are some undesirable characteristics that limit the peat-like digested fiber from being a peat substitute. These include a relatively high […]
Grazing cattle may be managed in such a way to improve the productive capacity and/or health of the land that supports them. This study assessed and continues to assess the soil health and productivity of a certified organic ranch pasture under a variety of grazing and fertility treatments. Two different strategies of planned grazing management […]
Cool season food legumes (CSFL) harvested as seed are important rotational crops in the Palouse region of WA and ID and western WA as they provide fixed N to subsequent crops and break weed and disease cycles. In organic systems, fall-sown CSFL can serve as winter cover crops to reduce soil erosion, improve soil health […]
This project addresses breeding, varietal selection, management practices, processing, or marketing practices to increase food quality, nutrition, safety or access. In a previous study, we demonstrated that tomato fruit grown under an organic fertilizer regime had higher phytonutrient content. Thereafter, using a comprehensive transcriptome analysis we tested the following hypotheses : 1. Growth under organic […]
Soil acidification is a growing challenge in Washington’s agricultural soils due to long term application of ammonia-based fertilizers. Acidic soil is detrimental to legume-rhizobia symbioses and nitrogen fixation. We seek to find acid tolerant and effective strains of Mesorhizobium spp. and Rhizobium leguminosarum, which associate with chickpeas and dry peas/lentils, respectively. The ultimate mission of […]