Alex Gregory created this rendering to demonstrate a few different ways of visualizing UAV data from our organic blueberry plot. Keep up the great work, Alex.
Industrial Hemp Varietal Trial 2020
Hemp is in the air at HAREC with our program conducting two experiments that are well under way and flowering beginning to initiate.
Our hemp varietal trial aims to identify cultivars suitable for CBD oil production in this region and consists of 14 different varieties. We’ll be tracking parameters such as germination, plant shape and growth rate, environmental stress and pest pressure, time to flower and flower yield, and finally CBD yield.
This trial was made possible through a collaboration of private industry and the OSU Hemp Innovation Center. Thanks to our horticulture team for all of their hard work to ensure the success of this experiment with such a novel crop.
From L to R: Logan Clark, Alex Gregory, Tim Gould
Corn Planting
Scott and Logan establishing our corn trial for the 2020 season. This trial is an industry funded experiment to evaluate the yield of different varieties and seed treatments.
Organic Blueberries in the Columbia Basin
We have been berry busy.
The Organic Transitions Program (ORG), a branch of The United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA) recently awarded assistant professor Dr. Scott Lukas from the Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center (HAREC) and a team of collaborating investigators at Oregon State University (OSU), Washington State University (WSU), and The USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) a three year grant to conduct trials designed to identify and optimize nutrient and pH management strategies most suitable for organic blueberry production east of the Cascades. These trials began Spring of 2020 and are being conducted throughout the PNW for a three-year period.
Project Objectives:
- Provide a long-term strategy for quickly reducing and maintaining soil pH for organic blueberry
- Determine if composted grape pomace, alone or with an acidifying agent, and surface-applied or incorporated, is a suitable organic matter amendment for organic blueberry.
- Determine if biochar produced from prunings is suitable and cost effective for increasing organic matter by raising carbon content in organic blueberry fields.
- Complete a cost-benefit analysis to determine the economic impacts and viability of investigated practices.
- Develop region-specific educational programs related to planting establishment and nutrient management, including the dissemination of project information and evaluation of impact.
More to come on this project throughout the season and upcoming years.
Incorporating sawdust as a soil amendment (3/13/20) 
Trenching to bury PVC irrigation lines for each treatment (3/17/20) 
Our irrigation manifold with separate solenoid controls for each of our 12 treatments along with a separate line for our buffer rows (4/2/20) 
Our completed manifold with the Sulfur burner (left) and sand filter (right) (5/7/20)
Transplanting blueberries at a 3ft spacing (4/9/20) 
Logan, our technician, tilling to remove weeds in the aisles. A cover crop will be planted late in the season. (4/23/20)
BES Intern Award
Our own Jared Farber won best poster for BES intern for his work evaluating economic benefits of drip irrigation in onion production
Hemp Harvest
Horticulture and Agronomy students collecting growth and biomass data for our hemp field trials.
Hemp planting
We initiated the first of three planting dates for industrial hemp at HAREC. We will be evaluating biomass production and the effects of planting date, density and crop manipulation (pinching). Finally, the spring weather allowed us to get seeds in the ground. More to come.
Blueberry pruning workshop
Join the blueberry grafting seminar to learn proper pruning techniques. It’s months away, but don’t delay. Please RSVP.
Watermelon Grafting Class
Come to OSU HAREC on April 12th, 2019 to learn hands-on watermelon grafting techniques. Please RSVP to Scott.Lukas@oregonstate.edu
Hello
Welcome to the website of the Oregon State University, Integrative Horticulture Program!
In our lab, we focus on providing research-based solutions to high value irrigated crops, with an emphasis on optimizing production system outputs while reducing negative environmental impacts. Research crops currently include onion, blueberry, grapes, hops, sweet corn, carrot, watermelon, peppers, tree fruits, beans, broccoli, peas, almond and saffron. New crop introduction are also being evaluated to determine suitability for regional production.
