Food & Agriculture

Salvage logging and re-seeding a forest after a wildfire helps reduce flooding and returns water levels to normal faster, according to a new WSU research.

WSU is part of an international effort to revolutionize the production of rice, a project that recently earned a five‑year, $15 million grant renewal from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Elias Zegeye’s predictive model will reduce complexity in studying the soil microbes and assist in better understanding the ecological mechanisms and functions that impact soil health, sustainability, and yield potential.

WSU will host a soil acidity workshop featuring top experts sharing what we currently know about soil acidity in Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho.

The more diverse a farm’s plant population, the more beneficial it is for bee pollinators, and the more efficiently those pollinators work, according to new WSU research.

Two new projects, funded by more than $600,000 in national and state grants, are helping landowners become experts at protecting their forests.

Gary Chastagner’s excitement for holiday fir trees has permeated his research work since 1979 and recently earned him a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Christmas Tree Association.

While aerial drones equipped with high-resolution cameras are well suited for observing plant development, satellites could be the next leap ahead for farmers seeking to monitor their crops over large or scattered plots.

WSU research explores the pros and cons of pumpkin production on biodegradable mulch, a practice that puts less plastic waste in the landfill.

WSU scientists have developed a way to triple the shelf life of ready-to-eat macaroni and cheese, a development that could have benefits for everything from space travel to military use.

New research shows large wine challenges tend to favor wines with high ethanol and sugar levels. Flavors often associated with sweetness also increase the chances of winning top prizes.

AgWeatherNet is partnering with Mount Vernon researchers to better serve the expanding small fruit, dairy, vegetable seed, tulip, and potato industries.

WSU’s Charles Edwards has devised a new treatment for Brettanomyces bruxellensis (“Brett” for short)—a barrel-dwelling spoilage yeast that can taint wine, often imparting undesirable aromas and flavors.

The first-of-its-kind development is expected to make it easier to find treatments for a disease that has destroyed millions of acres of orange, grapefruit and lemon groves around the world.

The tour will take place on Thursday, Sept. 19 on the farm, located on Animal Science Road behind the WSU Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center in Pullman.

To make room for planned commercial development on the edge of the Pullman campus, WSU’s turfgrass farm is getting a new home where researchers will work at ways to grow more grass with fewer seeds and breed varieties that are more resistant to drought.