Wheat Commission gives $2 million to University of Idaho

The Idaho Wheat Commission said Friday that it would contribute $2 million for research at the University of Idaho?s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

The research is intended to support Idaho?s 4,500 wheat growers and their $766 million-per-year harvest, the commission said. Among other things, the money will fund two new faculty research endowments.

In addition, Limagrain Cereal Seeds has agreed to collaborate with the college on breeding new wheat varieties for Idaho and the Pacific Northwest. Limagrain also is funding an endowment for cropping-systems research and graduate training.

?These partnerships clearly demonstrate the power of collaboration and the value that a land-grant institution like the University of Idaho can bring to our state?s economy,? said M. Duane Nellis, the universitys' president.

Developing new wheat varieties is not easy. It takes a dozen years to develop and test best new grain varieties.

?Future yield increases in wheat will be driven by research,? said Gordon Gallup of Ririe, chairman of the Idaho Wheat Commission, which represents Idaho?s wheat growers. ?New technology will lead to greater yields and better profitability."

Limagrain Cereal Seeds is a new joint venture between the France-based Limagrain Group, the largest cereal seed company in Europe, and Arcadia Biosciences, a biotechnology company based in Davis, Calif.

The Idaho Wheat Commission endowments will fund a wheat breeding and a wheat agronomist professorship, each at the university?s Aberdeen Research and Extension Center.

?Some of this endowment will enhance salaries of faculty already conducting research, an effort to stay competitive, to keep these professionals in Idaho,? said Donn Thill, director of the university?s Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station.

The partnerships will allow the college to fill two cropping positions in the coming year, one each in Moscow and Aberdeen, along with a plant nutrition position.

The small-grain cereal cropping system agronomist in Moscow will focus on northern Idaho?s dryland production systems including small grain cereals, peas, lentils and oilseed with a value of $150 million annually to northern Idaho.

The plant nutritionist will focus on optimizing fertilizer use and placement in winter wheat to ensure environmental protection and sustainable crop production in both conventional and direct seed farming systems.

To further improve adaptation of new wheat varieties in northern Idaho, an area-wide extension educator position in Nez Perce County will be filled to support cereal agronomic and yield test sites in northern Idaho.

Also at Aberdeen, a research entomology position will be refilled to develop extension and research programs in insect management for crops including small-grain cereals and potatoes.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IdahostatesmancomBreakingNews/~3/UsLeUoI4UJ8/wheat-commission-gives-2-million.html

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