Oregon Wheat Research
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Commission Seeks Research Proposals

The Oregon Wheat Commission deadline for wheat and barley research pre-proposals for the fiscal year July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025 closed on December 15, 2023. Invited proposals are asked to submit their final full proposal no later than February 2, 2024.

Research Proposal Forms


Resources for Wheat Producers

The links below will take you to external sites and documents for connections to researchers and information

RESEARCH Investments Return Results

Research investments ensures our ability to meet society’s need for safe, nutritious, and affordable food supplies while remaining competitive in global markets.

Producers invest almost $1 million annually of their own dollars through the Oregon Wheat Commission assessments into research on weed management, disease control, variety development, reducing input use, carbon sequestration, and sustainability of farm operations.

Variety Performance

variety trials with sign

The Oregon statewide variety trials provide growers with performance data on commonly grown and newly released wheat and barley varieties. Our close collaborations with public and private breeding programs allow us to test promising experimental lines and often allows us to accumulate 2-3 years of data on varieties before they are released. Trial locations are chosen to capture a range of environmental conditions and cropping systems in the wheat production areas of Oregon. We evaluate each variety in the program for yield, test weight, grain protein, plant height, and heading date, and evaluate each winter wheat entry for disease resistance and end-use quality.

SEE HOW VARIETIES ARE PERFORMING
Find 2023 Oregon Wheat and Barley Yield Trial Data here.

Combating Take-All

Take-all disease of wheat is caused by the soilborne fungus Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici (Ggt). This disease infects the roots, crown, and basal stem of plants. Take-all is common in western Oregon whenever consecutive crops of wheat are grown. Management techniques can help combat take-all. If you are considering a wheat-on-wheat planting this year, read through the 'Combating Take-All' publication below from Oregon State.


Techniques to Manage Take-All

Stripe Rust

The Commission annually funds research to monitor the conditions for stripe rust to advise producers when controls may be needed. Variety selection can reduce the impact when selecting for less susceptible cultivars.


The current stripe rust conditions report and information on cultivar susceptibility is available below.

Take the Weeds Survey!

weeds in a field

The Pacific Northwest Herbicide Resistance Initiative is underway and USDA-ARS is seeking input on problematic weeds. The survey of Pacific Northwest producers is intended to help determine priority problem weeds and their location under different management systems. Take the survey here.

Cereal Quality Lab Renovation Underway

After years in the planning process, construction on the new Cereal Quality Lab on the Corvallis campus of Oregon State University is now underway. Increasing capacity was one of the driving forces behind the rebuild and a reason for the Oregon Wheat Commission to commit funding to support the construction.


The construction plan consists of tearing down the wall between the old bakery and the flexible storage space in the room next door. This simple change will double the floor area of the space and allows OSU to design the lab from scratch as a research and teaching facility. This new lab will potentially triple throughput, allowing for noodles, cookies or pastries, and breads to run in the same day.

Managing Herbicide Resistant Weeds

weeds in the northwest

Best Management Practices (BMPs) to manage herbicide-resistant weeds are critical to the long-term sustainability of wheat production in the Pacific Northwest. Using BMPs are the most effective way to manage weeds, including herbicide-resistant weeds, especially when incorporated into a long-term weed management plan.

Resources for producers on BMP's are available below. In addition, we are pleased to have secured federal funding as part of the tri-state collaborative to further address herbicide resistant weed issues.

Fusarium Head Blight

FHB infected head sample

If your operation has corn production as an opportunity, it is critical to consider breaking the disease cycle with a non-grass crop following corn. When possible, tillage following the corn rotation before planting wheat is highly encouraged to help bury and break down corn residue and reduce the inoculum source. Watch the short field day video about Fusarium head blight or access the document outlining recommended actions from OSU here. This document is compiled as a follow up to the video, and is aimed as an informational resource for producers who plan to plant winter wheat, directly following corn.

FHB has been historically rare and of little economic importance due to limited springtime rainfall. However, with increased rainfall in spring, growers can take steps to assess and mitigate impacts, when needed. Learn more here.

Wheat Breeding

The wheat and barley breeding programs are a cornerstone of research funded by the Commission. The OSU Wheat and Barley Breeding programs have a long standing reputation for success working to develop wheat classes and varieties adapted to the production constraints in different regions while meeting customer end-use needs.

Each year, OSU tests more than 40,000 genetically distinct lines specifically for the Pacific Northwest. With wheat breeding, quality testing, and extension, OSU is uniquely equipped to meet the needs of the farmer, the miller, and the baker.Learn more about how wheat breeding programs at Oregon State University focus on quality traits, resistance to diseases, and adaptability to a wide range of growing environments here.

Carbon Center Established in Pendleton

Two individuals standing in a field with a shovel

With support of federal funds, wheat producers have been able to work with our research institutions to establish the carbon and soil center in Pendleton, Oregon at the Columbia Basin Ag Research Center.


The Center is home to our Long-Term Experiments (LTEs), some of which were started in the1930s. They are amongst the earliest existing agricultural experiments in the U.S. and are a vital part of the work required to quantify important aspects of our agricultural systems, including crop yield, soil carbon and soil health, weed control, and wheat diseases under different dryland grain production managements.

Resilient Dryland Farming Activities

The Resilient Dryland Farming Appropriation (RDFA) is a federally funded project at the USDA-ARS Columbia Plateau Conservation Research Center and the OSU Columbia Basin Agricultural Research Center in Pendleton.


With $2M in federal resources, the project is helping push the bounds of what can be accomplished in dryland wheat production systems. The aim to improve the overall profit margin of the Oregon wheat cash crop while enhancing resiliency. Resiliency in this context speaks to the robustness of dryland wheat production systems including climate variability, market volatility, weather, and other unpredictable challenges.


Read More Here.

New Rapid Visco Analyzer Purchased

RVA equipment in use
The Oregon Wheat Commission provided funding for the Wheat Marketing Center to purchase a new Rapid Visco Analyzer. An RVA is a staple in most wheat and flour analytical laboratories. It is primarily designed to provide information about starch properties. How starch behaves when it is heated and sheared (by stirring) provides vital information about how it will perform in different baked goods and food products.

Research Proposal Solicitation Timeline

The Commission annually solicits proposals for research projects that will provide direct benefit to Oregon wheat producers. These proposals are then presented to Commission members at the annual research review for prioritization. Final decisions are made through the budget process.

GENERAL TIMELINE

  • Pre-proposal deadline: December
  • OWC staff review of proposals: December
  • Full proposal invitation: December/January
  • Deadline for Full Proposal Submission: February
  • Commission review of full proposals: February
  • Anticipated Commission decision on proposals: May
  • Contracts Executed: June
  • Project Execution: July 1 through June 30

QUESTIONS/CONTACT

Contact the Commission office with any questions at 503-467-2161.


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