News from the WSU-Mount Vernon
Northwestern Washington Research & Extension Center
Winter 2005
Hello from WSU- Mount Vernon NWREC , and welcome to the winter edition of our quarterly newsletter. Looking back on this past year, it's hard to believe all of the progress that has been made on construction of our new facility, fundraising, improvements to our campus and farm facilities/operations, hiring of new staff, establishing new partnerships, and carrying-out our missions of research and extension. Certainly, the construction activities (ground-breaking ceremony, demolition of some of our old buildings, infrastructural upgrades, and seeing the new building finally take shape) have been highlights. The recent Rally in the Valley, sponsored by the Far West Cougar Alums, and the generous financial gifts of so many individuals have given us confidence that the last third of our $1.5 M goal is attainable. Those of us working at the Center have been relieved to see the new septic, electrical, water and fire suppression systems installed (please pardon our mess, though). It has been a delight having Dr. Tom Walters on staff, and seeing his program develop. And, our staff and visitors and volunteers have been patient and understanding as we redirect locations for traffic, parking, porta-potties and events, while still managing to carry out (relatively) normal programming activities, as you will note from the progress reports below. As we look towards 2006, WSU-NWREC faculty and staff again express their sincere gratitude to the many people who are dedicating their time, talent and resources to the Center, a place for which we can all be proud!
-Debra Ann Inglis, Interim Director/Assistant Dean
-Tim Miller, Associate Weed Scientist
-Lindsey du Toit, Assistant Plant Pathologist
-Tom Walters, Assistant Small Fruit Horticulturist
-Gary Moulton, Extension Fruit Horticulturist
Attention: Upcoming Workshops
Cider School , Workshop and Banquet
During the week of Dec 12-16, 2005 , a unique professional course in Principles & Practice of Cider Making will be offered at the Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon , in cooperation with WSU's Learning Center and the WSU-Mount Vernon NWREC Fruit Horticulture Department. Peter Mitchell, the course instructor, is an international expert from England , experienced in both hard cider production and training courses. The week long course is an intensive class for anyone interested in making commercial high quality fermented cider. Included are lectures, laboratory sessions and a field trip to a commercial cidery. People who have taken it have been very pleased with the knowledge they attained and the comprehensive nature of the class. The cost for participation is $725 per person and includes all course materials. Details on the course syllabus and registration can be seen at http://learningcenters.wsu.edu/skagit/ciderworkshops.html
As a separate event, Mitchell is also conducting a one-day Cider Sensory Evaluation Seminar on Saturday, Dec 17. Topics for the workshop include tutor-led sensory analysis, use of flavor and aroma wheels, samples for evaluation, development of product profiles, and pairing of ciders with foods for sensory appreciation. This workshop offers an opportunity to develop trained sensory perceptions, and would also be suitable for people who are working to develop a sales room or other marketing situation. Cost for this one-day workshop is $110 per person.
To demonstrate the art of pairing cider with good food, the course week will conclude with a banquet. Winter Wassail: A Cider Celebration will be held at 6:00 PM Saturday evening, December 17, 2005 in the Skagit Valley College cafe section. A five course dinner features gourmet local cuisine and one or two ciders paired with each course. The charge is $45 per person. See the announcement at http://learningcenters.wsu.edu/skagit/images/WassailFlier.pdf
Small Fruits Pest Conference
The 57th Annual Western Small Fruits Pest Conference will be held at WSU-NWREC Jan 9 and 10, 2006. Small fruit researchers from California , Oregon , Washington and British Colombia will gather to share the latest research on pests and pest management. The Conference begins with a welcoming dinner and featured presentations on the recent international Rubus and Ribes meetings in Chile . The following day will be filled with presentations and discussions. For more information, please contact Tom Walters (848-6124 ).
2006 International Spinach Conference
The 2006 International Spinach Conference will be held in LaConner , WA on Jul 13-14, 2006 . The conference is being coordinated by Lindsey du Toit and Tim Miller, who look forward to welcoming participants from all over the world to this primary region for production of spinach seed. This is the first time the conference will be held on the west coast. It will include one day of presentations, posters, and discussions on all aspects of spinach; followed by a day of touring spinach and other vegetable seed crops in the Skagit Valley , as well as seed processing and conditioning facilities. For further information, visit the WSU CAPPS website at http://capps.wsu.edu/conferences/spinach/ , or contact Dr. du Toit or Dr. Miller (848-6120 ).
Construction News
The contractor (Impero Contracting Co., Bellingham , WA ) has completed the site utility work, and the building footings and foundation are making significant progress. Work now underway includes installing under-slab plumbing and electrical systems, and the construction of the floor slab. Structural framing is anticipated to be completed in February, with structural roof deck and exterior walls to follow. Interior framing and heating, plumbing and electrical work will then follow during the spring.
People
Congratulations to Dr. Tim Miller, who was recently elected PRESIDENT of the Washington State Weed Association.
Congratulations to Juan and Marianela Alonso on the birth of their first borne child, Angela Marie Alonso, on Aug 1.
Dan Gorton, successfully completed WOSSA training on septic system operations and maintenance.
Juan Alonso, Lindsey du Toit, Ron Dralle, and Babette Gundersen attended a 2-day seminar titled “Management & Leadership Skills for Supervisors & Managers”, presented by the National Seminars group of the Rockhurst University Continuing Education Center in Bellevue, WA on Oct 27-28.
Laura Cailloux, Director of Skagit Co. Business Resource Center was named “Professional and Business Woman of the Year” by the Skagit Women’s Alliance & Network. Laura teams with the WSU Learning Center in Mount Vernon and coordinates the Intensive Spanish program, and has also taught the NxLevel course for the WSU Small Farms Team.
Thanks to Kathy Gleissner for her excellent support as part-time and now full-time receptionist in our front office; we are excited about her plans for our new web site.
The WSU-NWREC Safety Committee recently received special recognition from Washington State University for excellence.
WSU-Mount Vernon NWREC staff and retirees enjoyed a BBQ get-together at the Olson Farm house on Aug 7.
Presentations and Workshops
Debbie Inglis gave presentations on the revitalization of WSU-Mount Vernon NWREC to several area groups including: Washington State Commission on Pesticide Registration (Jul 20), Mount Vernon Rotary Club (Aug 9), Snohomish County Farm Bureau (Aug 10), The Rally in the Valley (Oct 29).
Jessica Gigot, WSU-NWREC plant pathology graduate student, presented an informational seminar to the general public on Sudden Oak Death, Aug 23.
Lindsey du Toit was invited to participate in the Bejo Zaden "Open Days & Brassica Symposium" in Warmenhuizen, Holland , Sep 27-29.
Lindsey du Toit attended the Pop Vriend Spinach Field Day near King's City, CA on Oct 18, and gave a presentation on "Leaf spot diseases and Verticillium wilt in spinach seed production". The field day was attended by about 50 growers, breeders, field reps, consultants, researchers, and extension agents.
Skagit Valley Community College botany students visited WSU-NWREC on Nov 10, and attended presentations given by faculty on their research and extension programs.
Tim Miller gave several presentations, including the following:
“Noxious Weeds: Identification and Control”, WSU/Snohomish— Skagit county Beach Watcher program (Bayview, Oct 13).
“Invasive Knotweed Research Report”, Clallam county Knotweed Working Group ( Port Angeles , Oct 24).
“Herbicide Movement and Toxicity”, City of Seattle 2005 Pesticide Recertification Seminar (Shoreline, Oct 26).
“IPM Workshop for Weeds”, WSU Recertification and Pesticide Safety Education program, five hours of weed identification and control training (Vancouver, Oct 27).
“Lost in the Leftovers? An Identification Workshop for Minor Weed Families”, two 75-minute workshops, Washington State Weed Conference ( Yakima , Nov 2).
“Weed Control Research in Ornamental Bulbs”, Washington State Weed Conference ( Yakima , Nov 3).
Panel member for “Biofuels: Is this a practical new crop for our farmlands?”, Focus on Farming Conference II, Snohomish County ( Monroe , Nov 10).
“Studies on the Biology and Control of Japanese and Other Knotweeds”, WSU Crop Science Departmental Seminar, ( Pullman , Nov 14).
“Weed control research in Western Washington ”, Guest Lecture, WSU Dept. Crop Sci. 305 ( Pullman , Nov 15).
“Weed Control Case Studies”, WSU Recertification and Pesticide Safety Education (Mill Creek, Nov 17).
The 2005 WSU Onion Field Day, coordinated by Lindsey du Toit and Mark Trent (WSU Grant Adams Area Extension Educator), was held at L&L Farms near Connell , WA on 26 Aug. About 100 growers, field reps, consultants, breeders, extension agents, and researchers evaluated demonstration plots of 49 onion cultivars, and received research reports on Iris yellow spot virus from Lindsey du Toit (WSU-Mount Vernon NWREC), and on thrips control from Doug Walsh (entomologist at WSU Prosser IAREC) and Tim Waters (WSU entomology graduate student). The field day was followed by a very enjoyable BBQ held at the Scooteney Reservoir Recreation Area. Appreciation is expressed to Kerrick and Larry Bauman at L&L Farms for their excellent grower cooperation. For a copy of the results of the onion cultivar trial, contact dutoit@wsu.edu.
Tom Walters, new small fruit horticulturist at WSU-Mount Vernon NWREC met with blueberry, raspberry and strawberry growers in Lynden, Mount Vernon, and Vancouver on Aug 9, 5 and 11, respectively, to become acquainted with industry members, and begin to prioritize their research and extension needs.
WSU Horticulture and Landscape Architecture graduate students visited WSU-Mount Vernon NWREC on Aug 15 to learn more about agriculture in NW WA .
WSU-Mount Vernon NWREC faculty gave field research tours to the Washington State Senate Ag Committee (Jul 12) and Washington State Commission on Pesticide Registration's Minor Crop Pest Management Tour for the West Side (Jul 20)
WSU-Mount Vernon NWREC Harvest Days were held Aug 13, Sep 10, and Oct 8 in cooperation with the Western Washington Fruit Research Foundation, harvest tours also were conducted at the WSU-Mount Vernon NWREC on Aug 13, Sep 10, and Oct 8. About 80-100 people participated in each of these tours, conducted by Gary Moulton of the Fruit Horticulture Department. Foundation members and the public were guided through the fruit orchards to sample the diverse fruits that were ripe at each field day, see the latest new varieties, and ask questions about fruit culture, disease problems, and similar topics. On Oct 8, the field tour was preceded by a morning session of talks on how to select the best fruit varieties for the home orchard and grow them successfully. The speakers were Tom Thornton, owner and manager of Cloud Mountain Farm nursery, and Chris Smith, Master Gardener and gardening columnist for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Dr. Bob Norton, WSU Professor Emeritus, moderated the discussions. Due to construction at WSU-NWREC, the morning talks were held off site at the Cottontree Inn in Mount Vernon .
Publications and Technical Reports
du Toit, L.J., and Hernandez-Perez, P. 2005. Efficacy of hot water and chlorine for eradication of Cladosporium variabile , Stemphylium botryosum, and Verticillium dahliae from spinach seed. Plant Disease 89: in press.
Hernandez-Perez, P., and du Toit, L.J. 200_. Seedborne Cladosporium variabile and Stemphylium botryosum in spinach. Plant Disease 89: in press.
Koike, S.T., Matheron , M.E. , and du Toit, L.J. 2005. First report of leaf spot of spinach, caused by Stemphylium botryosum, in Arizona . Plant Disease 89: in press.
Moulton, G. and King, J. 2000_ . Growing Wine Grapes in Maritime Western Washington, WSU EB 2001 (in press).
Novy, R.G., Love, S.L., Corsini, D. L., Pavek, J.J., Whitworth, J., Mosley, A. R., James, S.R., Hane , D.C. , Shock, C.C., Rykbost, K.A., Brown, C.R., Thornton , R.E., Knowles, N.R., Pavek, M., Olsen, N., and Inglis, D.A. 200_. Defender: A high-yielding, processing potato cultivar with foliar and tuber resistance to late blight. Am. J. Potato Res. (in press).
Novy, R.G., Love, S.L., Corsini, D. L., Pavek, J.J., Whitworth, J., Mosley, A. R., James, S.R., Hane , D.C. , Shock, C.C., Rykbost, K.A., Brown, C.R., Thornton , R.E., Knowles, N.R., Pavek, M., Olsen, N., and Inglis, D.A. 200_. Defender: A high-yielding, processing potato cultivar with foliar and tuber resistance to late blight. Ann. Mtg. Potato Assoc. of America, Calgary , AL (poster presentation).
Okubara, P.A., Keller, K.E., McClendon, M.T., Inglis, D.A., McPhee, K.E., and Coye, C.J. 200_. Y15_999FW, a dominant SCAR marker linked to the Fusarium wilt race 1 (Fw) resistance gene in pea (accepted pending revisions).
Pappu, H.R., du Toit, L.J., and Schwartz, H.F. 200_. Sequence characteristics of Iris yellow spot virus (genus Tospovirus) isolates from the western region of the United States . Archives of Virology: in press .
The August/September 2005 newsletter of the WSU Vegetable Pathology Team, edited by
Lindsey du Toit and Debbie Inglis, is focused on nematode problems of vegetable crops in WA, and can be viewed at the Team website: http://mtvernon.wsu.edu/path_team/currentnewlet.htm
Recent Research Grants Awarded (competitive)
Debbie Inglis and Babette Gundersen received $3,000 from the Washington State Seed Potato Commission to complete a survey/monitoring program for potato tuber moth in northwestern Washington .
Lindsey du Toit, together with Steven Koike ( University of California ), received $6,000 from the Western Region IR-4 program for further evaluation of fungicide seed treatments for control of black leg of crucifer vegetable crops.
Tim Miller received $3,223 from the Washington State Commission on Pesticide Registration for testing several herbicides in tulip.
Name the New Auditorium Chairs to Honor Family, Friends, Colleagues, Organizations
(see attached information)
--Permission to reprint the WSU-NWREC News newsletter is granted, provided the intended meaning is not changed and explicit credit is given to the publication source.--