Agricultural Experiment Station

Research shows quinoa has potential to be a viable crop in Oregon

Quinoa has been grown for millennia in present-day Peru and Bolivia. Farmers there have cultivated thousands of varieties to provide consistent harvests in their diverse growing regions. The quinoa plant is a nutritious food, with...

Mar 2022 | Impact Story

Developing Oregon’s winter vegetable market project fills need

Winter squash is a delicious and nutritious vegetable. Pacific Northwest retail winter squash sales peak in October/November and decline through April when almost all the squash sold in Oregon is imported from California or Mexico....

Apr 2023 | Impact Story

Extension grass seed study helps improve farm efficiency

Grass seed is big business in Oregon, with a value of $458.3 million in 2020 – making it the fourth most valuable crop in the state. Growers use swathers to harvest the crop, but a significant portion of seed can be ...

Jul 2020 | Impact Story

OSU wheat and barley field trial helps growers make annual variety choices

In 2020, wheat was Oregon's sixth-largest commodity, with a value at the farm gate of $273.7 million. While barley production is substantially lower than wheat production, the grain is an important rotation crop in many parts ...

Feb 2021 | Impact Story

Oregon State entomologists develop organic product to control fruit pest

The invasive spotted wing drosophila (SWD) first arrived in Oregon in 2009. While its fruit fly cousins lay their eggs in overripe fruit, this insect lays eggs in berries, cherries and other soft fruits as they begin to ...

Aug 2019 | Impact Story

OSU institute responds to growing smoke exposure in wine grapes

An increase in the frequency of wildfires in California, Oregon and Washington in recent years has exposed wine grapes in some areas to high levels of smoke. One of the affected areas has been Oregon's fertile Willamette ...

Mar 2022 | Impact Story

Oregon IPM Center leads the way to better pest management

Pesticides are important tools for farmers around the globe—ask anyone who has contemplated a hundred acres of cabbage aphids. However, some pesticides are significantly more hazardous than others. Broad-spectrum pesticides carry risks...

Jun 2021 | Impact Story

Oregon State vegetable breeder goes for the “Wow!”

When developing new vegetable varieties, Oregon State University's Jim Myers enjoys solving culinary problems that people with discerning palates didn’t even know they had. While disease resistance is always a concern, developing ...

Apr 2021 | Impact Story

Oregon Wine Research Institute helps state's vineyards and wineries stay competitive

Oregon's $271 million wine industry is based on producing premium-quality wines, not mass quantities. If wineries want to compete with premium regions around the world, they know that research is necessary to keep them on the ...

Jun 2021 | Impact Story

OSU breeds new hops for craft brewers

The Pacific Northwest is an optimal location for hop production due to its unique terroir and irrigation resources. In Oregon, the Willamette Valley's rich soil, mild climate and abundant rainfall provide ideal conditions for ...

Jun 2021 | Impact Story