Agriculture Engineering

Grafting research could rescue state’s watermelon crop

By Scott Weybright, College of Agricultural, Human & Natural Resource Sciences MOUNT VERNON, Wash. – The watermelon crop has declined dramatically in Washington because of disease. But Washington State University researchers are developing a solution that involves grafting watermelon plants onto squash and other vine plant rootstocks.

Center helps scientists measure light to find mutations

By Scott Weybright, College of Agricultural, Human & Natural Resource Sciences PULLMAN, Wash. – Plants use light during photosynthesis. But they also give off light, though in amounts so small we can’t see it. The amount of light changes based on the plant’s environment and genetic makeup.