Idaho, United States
March 22, 2007
Across southern Idaho, scientists
with the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) work
shoulder-to-shoulder with
University of Idaho scientists, sharing everything from
research acreage to high-tech equipment as they address current
and emerging challenges in agriculture.
At Aberdeen, ARS scientists
develop disease resistance and other qualities for the
Tri-State Potato Variety Development Program, design
grain-based trout feeds, and work with university cereals
specialists to improve small-grain end-use qualities,
production practices, and crop health.
At Kimberly, collaborative
studies include dairy-related environmental issues,
low-input bean varieties, organic cropping systems,
sugarbeet diseases, and below-optimum irrigation
in alfalfa.
At Hagerman, ARS and
university experts in fish nutrition, genetics, and
physiology increase the usability of plant-based fish diets
and improve the growth and product quality of rainbow trout.
At Parma, research focuses
on wine grapes, including production practices, water
stress, varietal adaptability, and wine quality.
“There are a lot of reasons why
the collaboration works well,” says Steve Love, superintendent
of the university’s Aberdeen Research and Extension Center. “You
have a stronger pool of people and ideas, and when they’re all
doing good work and attracting international attention, you get
international collaboration in places that might otherwise get
scientifically isolated.”
Bob Sojak, ARS research leader at Kimberly adds, “We tend to be
involved in more high-risk, less immediate-payoff research, but
we stay grounded through our connection with the university,
which tends to be involved in meeting more immediate needs. Two
heads are better than one, two perspectives are better than
one—and I think in our collaboration both sides always come out
on top.”
Contact Director Greg Bohach, Idaho Agricultural Experiment
Station, at
gbohach@uidaho.edu. |
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