Novel gene resists toxic wheat disease, could save billions
Scientists at WSU and Kansas State University have isolated and cloned a gene that provides resistance to Fusarium head blight, or wheat scab, a crippling disease that caused $7.6 billion in losses in U.S. wheat fields between 1993 and 2001.
“Fusarium is a huge problem for wheat and barley production around the world and one that has been particularly hard to combat,” said Mike Pumphrey, associate professor and director of the spring wheat breeding and genetics program at WSU.
The Interior Design program in the School and Design and Construction has been granted a six-year accreditation from the Council of Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).
Congratulations to Matt Melcher, Interior Design Program Head, and all Interior Design faculty for efforts to prepare student work and written material for the CIDA visit, which took place last spring. The WSU program, which benefits from design firms collaborating with students on projects, is one of only two accredited programs in Washington. Accreditation helps graduates stay in high demand, and requires an ever-improving curriculum, high-quality student resources and exceptional faculty.
Scholarships, career building at CAHNRS Networking Night
CAHNRS Career & Internship Networking Night was held Monday, Oct. 3, at the CUB ballroom. Nearly 160 students met more than 70 representatives from more than 30 companies to talk about career preparation.
Kim Kidwell, executive associate dean of academic programs, emceed. Four undergraduates, Alejandro Cruz, Chelsea Hill, Ethan Williamson, and Justein Coffelt, won $250 scholarships. An industry ‘thank-you’ dinner followed at Ensminger Pavilion.
Goldmark to give lecture on Washington’s public lands
Peter Goldmark, Washington’s Commissioner of Public Lands, gives The Foley Institute Invited Lecture, “The Evergreen State: Our Legacy, Our Future,” noon Tuesday, Nov. 15, at The Foley Institute, 308 Bryan Hall.
Hear a compelling description of the challenges facing Washington’s natural landscapes, with a vivid overview of the unique forests, grasslands, agricultural areas and waterways being affected by climate change and other issues. Goldmark tells stories of communities, tribes and individuals on the landscape, and describes how our state is trying to cope.
Pizza, soda and a discussion of public lands are part of the event. Sponsored by CAHNRS, the College of the Arts, the School of the Environment, and The Foley Institute.
Scientist to speak on pet nutrition
at Animal Sciences Halver Lecture
George C. Fahey, Jr., professor of Animal and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Illinois, gives the annual Halver Lecture in Comparative Nutrition, 3:10 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14, at Johnson Hall C107, hosted by the WSU Department of Animal Sciences.
Today, most people who share living space with dogs and cats view themselves as ‘pet parents,’ rather than ‘pet owners,’ who want their animals to live long, healthy lives, says Fahey. While traditional techniques remain standard, new sciences have revolutionized the study of pet animal nutrition. Nutrigenomics, microbiomics and metabolomics are used today to conduct deep dives into metabolic processes in animals, as well as their complex microbiota. In his lecture, Fahey discusses how these technologies contribute to the health and well-being of our loyal companions.
Student works to boost renewable energy in Philippines
In Elmar Villota’s home country of the Philippines, as much as 15 percent of households do not have electricity. Villota, a doctoral student in Biological Systems Engineering at WSU Tri-Cities, is motivated to close that gap with renewable energy. Read his story here.
Winter canola trials draw crowd
The opportunity to see large-scale winter canola variety trial plots up close and personal attracted 47 participants from as far away as Hartline and Lewiston for a field tour November 1 at Curtis and Erika Hennings’ farm near Ralston, Wash.
Growers, faculty, grad students, and agency representatives discussed six varieties, field history and crop rotation strategies, blackleg updates, and other topics. Trials are managed by the WSU-based Washington Oilseed Cropping Systems Project. Read more about the Ralston winter tour here.
Dhingra speaks at World Food conference, visits Yucatan research center
Amit Dhingra, associate professor in the Department of Horticulture, was hosted in September by the graduate program at the Yucatan Center for Scientific Research (CICY) in Merida, Mexico.
He taught a three-day mini-workshop on advances in genomics and biotechnology, along with a presentation to the graduate students titled, “Graduate school – an incubator for future leaders.”
As part of the exchange, Dhingra signed a memorandum of understanding with CICY. The agreement marks a decade of collaboration between his program and several groups at CICY. As part of this collaboration, Dhingra has taught workshops on plant genomics and biotechnology, and has hosted graduate students from CICY in his lab. The memorandum allows for strengthening of collaboration, exchange of scientists and students and pursuing research grants of mutual interest.
Dhingra was also hosted by the Institute for Scientific and Technological Research of San Luis Potosi, for an invited presentation and a workshop on science communication with the public.
In October, Dhingra gave an update on the keynote paper, “The Need for Agricultural Innovation to Sustainably Feed the World by 2050: Technologies on the Shelf,” as part of the World Food Prize Conference. He was an invited speaker and panelist at the 2016 Borlaug CAST Communication Award Breakfast and Panel Discussion, Oct. 12 in Des Moines.
Awards and Grants
Leadership, teaching awards for HD’s Boyd, Wandschneider
Brenda Boyd, associate professor in the Department of Human Development and executive director of the WSU Children’s Center, recently received the Karen Peterson Award for Outstanding Leadership. The award recognizes Boyd’s exceptional work with both the Undergraduate Program Committee and the Children’s Center in its transition to HD and afterward.
Mary Wandschneider, senior instructor in Human Development, received the Jackie McReynolds Award for Excellence in Instruction. The award recognizes her 30 years of teaching and advising, in particular her creation and growth of the Human Development internship program. Plaques will honor both recipients at the Pullman and Vancouver campuses.
Soil researcher, wildlife ecologist honored as Distinguished Scholars
Honored Oct. 5 were Logan Weyand, a senior Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Science student in the School of the Environment and a first year College of Veterinary Medicine student, and Patrick Freeze, a 2015 Fulbright U.S. Scholar and Crop and Soil Sciences doctoral student who conducted soil contaminant research in Thailand. Read more here.
Grant helps farmers use smart phones to save water
Don McMoran, director of WSU Skagit County Extension, and Troy Peters, associate professor at the WSU Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Prosser, are helping growers statewide use every drop of irrigation water to the fullest.
Using a $455,000 grant from the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service, their Water Irrigation System Efficiency, or WISE, project educates farmers and gives them smart tools to help the environment and their bottom line. Read more here.
Early Career Excellence award for entomologist Dave Crowder
Dave Crowder, assistant professor of entomology, received the prestigious Early Career Excellence in Research Award from the International Organization of Biological Control. This award is given annually to a promising early-career researcher studying natural pest control of arthropods.
Entomology grants fund projects on wireworm, bees and more
Researchers in the Department of Entomology received more than $2.7 million in grants in October for projects including wireworm and weevil management, bee stock improvement, and more.
• Dave Crowder, Kevin Murphy, Girish Ganjyal and John Reganold received a $1.9 million grant from the USDA Agricultural Research Service on Oct. 7 to integrated pest management of wireworms in cereal crops. Richard Zack received $80,582 from USDA/ARS, and Crowder and Aaron Esser received a $324,986 grant from USDA/NIFA, both on Oct. 6, for the same topic.
• Vince Jones, Crowder, Bill Snyder and Carrie Wohleb received $245,684 from the Washington Dept. of Agriculture on Oct. 17 to expand the WSU Decision Support Systems for potatoes and tree fruit.
• Steve Sheppard and Brandon Hopkins earned a $35,193 grant from the California Almond Board on Oct. 17 for their Honey Bee Stock Improvement Program: Importation, Evaluation and Utilization of Honey Bee Germplasm.
• Todd Murray earned $10,801 from Washington state, USDA and APHIS on Oct. 10 for his Columbia Gorge Invasive Species Project: A Regional Approach.
• Beverly Gerdeman received $6,623 from the Washington Blueberry Commission on Oct. 18 to research “Potential for Exirel as a Drench for Control of Larval Root Weevils in Highbush Blueberry.”
Kalcsits, Musacci earn $800K grant for rootstocks
Lee Kalcsits and Stefano Musacchi received a five-year, $841,598 grant as part of a $4 million, Cornell University-led USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative project on apple rootstocks.
The grant title is “Accelerating the Development, Evaluation, and Adoption of New Apple Rootstock Technologies to Improve Apple Grower Profitability and Sustainability.”
