Conserving soil and water in world's driest wheat region

An undercutter tillage implement used for primary spring tillage in the Horse Heaven Hills, plus fertilizer injection in mid-April during the fallow year. Blowing dust emissions are reduced by 70% with undercutter tillage versus traditional tillage methods. Photo: Bill Schillinger.

"Despite the modest grain yield potential, wheat farming in this environment can be profitable—with enough acreage and judicious use of inputs to manage costs."

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Research
Dr. Schillinger is principal investigator of three multi-disciplinary long-term dryland and irrigated cropping systems experiments. His research interests include: conservation-till and no-till farming methods to control wind erosion, increased cropping intensity in typical wheat-fallow areas, water stress physiology of wheat, ecology of Russian thistle (Salsola iberica), epidemiology of the fungal root pathogen Rhizoctonia solani in no-till soils, alternative crops, and soil and residue management practices to increase water storage and efficient use of precipitation.



Bill Schillinger
WSU Dryland Research Station
PO Box B
Lind, WA  99341
Phone 509-235-1933
william.schillinger@wsu.edu