Lind Dryland Research Station

Past to Present Research Activities

A dust storm circa 1930.
This is an image of Lind in the 1930s with a dust storm approaching.

 

The following partial listing of past and present scientific investigations at the Dryland Research Station illustrates the diverse needs of growers in low-rainfall dryland areas:

 

 

  • Develop and test winter wheat and spring wheat varieties
  • Develop winter club and soft white winter wheat varieties adapted to the dryland areas which have the ability to emerge from deep planting.
  • Select and test early generation and advanced breeding lines of barley varieties.
  • Evaluate end-use quality of wheat and barley varieties and experimental breeding lines to meet the rigorous demands of domestic and overseas customers.
  • Evaluate no-till management systems for annual spring cropping.
  • Evaluate soil ripping and surface pitting after winter wheat seeding to reduce erosion on frozen soil and improve over winter water storage.
  • Investigate long-term cropping systems for profitable and sustainable production in dryland areas.
  • Evaluate tillage, residue and crop management systems for returning CRP to crop production.
  • Adaptation of alternative crops for low-rainfall dryland areas.
  • Suppression of downy brome and jointed goatgrass with rhizobacteria.
  • Russian thistle competition with winter wheat and spring wheat.
  • Postharvest water use by Russian thistle.
  • Chemical control of downy brome in winter wheat.
  • Chemical control of Russian thistle in winter wheat and spring wheat.
  •  Identify wheat varieties and plant traits that enhance competition with jointed goatgrass.
  • Screen for root disease reaction as part of no-till spring cereal root disease evaluation and control experiments.
  • Wind and dust measurements, supplemented by a portable wind tunnel, to provide predictions for wind erosion and associated fugitive dust emissions associated with varying roughness and residue conditions.
  • Dryland adaptation of several perennial grasses for forage and erosion control.
  • Experimental tree plantings to determine varieties useful for erosion control, shade, and wind abatement on farmsteads and fields.