Agriculture Business

Results of WA 38 apple trees drawing announced

By Kate Wilhite, College of Agricultural, Human & Natural Resource Sciences PULLMAN, Wash. – Twenty-four Washington growers will be the first to grow the new apple from Washington State University’s breeding program – the Cosmic Crisp brand WA 38 variety.

$5 million gift funds research facility, ups state grain game

By Rachel Webber, College of Agricultural, Human & Natural Resource Sciences PULLMAN, Wash. – The Washington Grain Commission announced Wednesday a $5 million gift to expand facilities and advance grain research at Washington State University. Plant growth facilities are central to developing grain varieties through WSU’s plant breeding programs.

Cattle could protect butterflies, conserve prairies

By Sylvia Kantor, College of Agricultural, Human & Natural Resource Sciences OLYMPIA, Wash. – Carefully managed cattle grazing can improve weed control, plant health and plant diversity on native prairies, according to anecdotal evidence. However, no systematic study has attempted to track the impacts of managed grazing on native prairie plant communities in western Washington […]

New bark beetle threatens southern Washington forests

By Sylvia Kantor, College of Agricultural, Human & Natural Resource Sciences UNDERWOOD, Wash. – Five years ago, when entomologist Todd Murray received a call from a landowner in Underwood whose ponderosa pine trees were dying, he wasn’t surprised. The trees had been stressed by a nearby fire, a situation that commonly results in a flare-up […]