Idaho Crops & Soils

June 23, 2016

University of Idaho, Parma Cropping Systems Agronomy Field Day

Field Day took place on Monday, June 20. Over 20 attendees participated in fun educational activities, touring experimental plots, UAV demonstration, discussions with industry representatives, indoor presentations on aerial image data collection, door prize draw and excellent lunch sponsored by Oregon Wheat Growers League.
Host, Olga Walsh, is grateful to our speakers:

Dr. Galen Mooso, JR Simplot Company
Dr. Jianli Chen, UI
Dr. Mike Flowers, OSU
Kristin Dwoboda and Craig Thompson, Take Flight UAS, LLC
Dr. James Woodhall, UI

Stripe rust in spring wheat, Eastern Idaho

Irrigation affects wheat ripening

Note the color difference and plant height differences between irrigated (taller, greener plants) and non-irrigated (shorter, paler plants). This water x nitrogen study is funded by WSARE. The study is a collaboration between Olga Walsh (University of Idaho, Parma R&E Center), Jessica Torrion (Montana State University, North-Central RC), and Xi Liang (University of Idaho, Aberdeen R&E Center).

Idaho

Research and Education Grant: SW16-031, “Optimizing Water and Nitrogen Use for Sustainable Wheat Production,” Principal Investigator: Olga Walsh, ID; $249,939.

Wheat is an integral crop for the western U.S., where it is grown as a main cash crop or as a rotational crop in combination with other high-value crops. According to Olga Walsh, University of Idaho, there is an urgent need to develop more efficient nutrient management strategies in order to maximize wheat grain yields and enhance grain quality. Recent technologies such as high-resolution multispectral sensors, hyperspectral digital cameras, spectroradiometers, and other optical sensors could play an important role in managing nutrients within crop production systems. Accurate and timely information regarding both water and N status obtained with remote sensors can be of tremendous help for irrigation and fertilization decision making. This project aims to demonstrate that sensor-based technologies, utilized in combination with traditional practices such as soil testing and evapotranspiration monitoring, can substantially improve the management of N and water. It will enable the project team to identify the most valuable environmental and plant measurements for developing such a methodology.

June 17, 2016

New UI Extension Publication - Planting Dates

We are pleased to announce publication of our most current University of Idaho Extension bulletin 906 titled "Planting Dates in Wheat Production in Southern Idaho" by Bradford Brown, University of Idaho Soil and Crop Management Specialist, retired, and Olga S. Walsh, Cropping Systems Agronomist & Extension Specialist, University of Idaho, Parma R&E Center.

June 15, 2016

Draw Me Some Science - What Do Scientists Do?

Inna Popova, analytical instrumentation manager in the Plant, Soil and Entomological Sciences Department, has received a grant from the student fine arts fee fund for her project “Draw Me Some Science.” The project is aiming to create a team of UI students to work with a professional artist to publish several books for young children. The books will feature selected scientific experiments.

For more information about the “What Do Scientists Do?” book, please contact Inna at ipopova@uidaho.edu. The book is an excellent and tool to encourage kids to learn about science and various scientific careers. This fun book will be distributed among Idaho elementary schools this year.