ALTERNATIVE CROPS FOR THE COLUMBIA BASIN: RESOURCE Jerry Igo, Stephen Machado, Brian Tuck, Sandy Macnab, Jordan Maley 2003 1 PREFACE For several years the ability to farm the lands of the Columbia Basin profitably has been diminishing. There are many reasons for this, among which are that the consistently low grain prices have not kept pace with the increases in costs of farming. Labor costs, the price of new machinery, of fertilizer and pesticides, of transportation, accounting, and heavy brokerage fees, have all combined to cause many wheat ranchers to look for new sources of income. The purpose of this report is to explore some of these possibilities. They include but are not limited to OILSEED, FOOD, FORAGE, SEEDS AND STEMS FOR REVEGETATION, CROPS WHICH ENRICH THE SOIL AND/OR REDUCE THE THREAT OF DESEASE TO THE PRIMARY CROPS. During the course of investigation of these possibilities, inquiries have been made into products of other nations, of lands with similar soils and rainfall. A search of native plant species which might show promise has been conducted, with experts in the field involved. Please see the bibliography and reference material section. For purposes of clarity the format which is being used is separated into three categories. GRASSES AND CEREAL GRAINS, BROADLEAVED HERBS AND FORBS, and SHRUBS AND TREES. Each of these have alphabetical indexing of common names. There is as well a central index of common and scientific nomenclature. While no expectation is offered that this is exhaustively researched, it should provide those who are searching for other crop choices for the Columbia Basin, a considerable pool of possibilities. As well, there are Oregon State University Extension Service bulletins and continuing data on many of these subjects. A few caveats: There may be some species listed that sound very promising, and there is a temptation to abandon present use of land, plunging totally into new crops. History has shown us that there is considerable risk attached to doing this. Unless all aspects have been thoroughly researched, problems might surface. If an oilseed crop is raised, for which there is no processing plant to accommodate it, or if a crop is raised that is either a controlled substance or a noxious weed, there might be complications. Remembering that everything is connected to everything else, we need to look at all aspects of each new venture. This being said, there are some promising possibilities on the horizon. 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, BIBLIOGRAPHY, AND REFERENCES USED. Oregon State University bulleting: Station bulletin 681 Hemp Production, by Daryl T. Ehrensing. EM 8791 Garbanzo Beans, Grace Arman-Agyeman et. Al. Alternate Crops for Eastern Oregon, Stephen Machado Purdue University New Crop Factsheets Indian Ricegrass, Magness et. al. Needlegrasses, Magness et. al. Garbanzo, F.J. Muhlbauer et. al. Washington Minor Crops, Alan Schreiber and Laura Ritchie University of California: Specialty and minor crops handbook, 40 contributing authors. Alternate Crops for Dryland in Idaho, Kenneth Kephart and Dick Auld Personal conversations with: Tim Butler, ODA Weed Division Bruce Newhouse, Native Plant Society of Oregon Sam Wilkins, ODOT Dr. Richard Old, University of Idaho Bruce Barnes, Native Plant Society of Oregon Berta Youtie, The Nature Conservancy Dr. Kenton Chambers, Dr. Scott Sundberg, Dr. Aaron Liston, Oregon State University Milestone Nurseries, Lyle, Washington Dry Creek Seed Co., Mosier, Oregon Amazing Grains, John Sheldon, Boseman, Montana GROWISER, Andy Huber, LaGrande, Oregon Wallace Hansen, Native Plants, Salem, Oregon And the continuing help of all the County Extension Agents throughout the Columbia Basin. 3 INDEX PLANT PAGE PLANT PAGE ASPARAGUS 21 GRAPES 32 ASTER 21 GUMWEED 33 BARLEY 9 HAWTHORN 53 BEAN: FIELD 22 HERBS, COOKING 33 BEAN: FAVA 22 HEMP 33 BEAN: MUNG 23 HEMP, INDIAN 34 BEAN: LIMA 23 HESPERALOE 11 BITTERBRUSH 49 HORSEBRUSH 53 BROME 9 HORSERADISH 34 BUCKWHEAT 24 JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE 35 CACTUS 24 JUNEGRASS 12 CANOLA 25 JUNIPER 53 CARROT 26 CEDAR 49 KAMUT 12 CHERRY: CHOKE 50 CHERRY: BITTER 50 LAVENDER 54 COTTONWOOD 51 LENTIL 35 CRAMBE 26 LUPINE 36 CUPHEA 27 CURRANT: GOLDEN 51 MEADOWFOAM 36 MUSTARD 37 DAGGERPOD 27 DAIKON 28 NEEDLEGRASS, INDIAN 12 DESERT-PARSLEY 28 DILL 29 OAK: OREGON WHITE 54 DOGWOOD 52 OATS 13 DURUM WHEAT 10 OLIVES 55 ONIONS 37 EINKOM 10 ELDERBERRY 52 PEAS: FIELD 38 EMMER 10 PEAS: BLACK-EYED 38 EVENING-PRIMROSE 29 PEAS: GRASSPEA 39 PEAS: CHICKPEA 39 FENNEL 30 PENSTEMON 40 FESCUE: IDAHO 11 PEPPERMINT 40 FLAX 30 PEPPERS (ALL) 41 FLOWERS: MISC 31 PUMPKIN 42 GARLIC 31 RABBITBRUSH 55 GINSENG 31 RAPESEED 42 GOURDS 32 REED, INDIAN 14 4 PLANT PAGE PLANT PAGE RICEGRASS, INDIAN 15 SUNN HEMP 44 RYE 13 SPEARMINT 41 RYE GRASS 14 TIMOTHY 17 SAFFLOWER 42 TRITICALE 17 SAGEBRUSH 56 SALSIFY 43 VERNONIA 45 SOYBEAN 44 SPELT 15 WATERMELON 46 SPURGE 45 WHEATGRASS 17 SQUIRRELTAIL 16 WILDRYE, BASIN 18 SUDAN GRASS 16 WILDRYE, BLUE 19 SUMAC 56 WILLOW 57 SUNFLOWER 43 WORMWOOD 46 YARROW 47 5 INDEX OF SCIENTIFIC NAMES NAME PAGE NAME PAGE ACHILLEA MILLEFOLIUM 47 FOENICULUM VULGARE 30 ACHNATHERUM SP. 12 ALLIUM CEPA 37 GAILLARDIA ARISTATA 31 ALLIUM SATIVUM 31 ANETHUM GRAVEOLENS 29 GLYCINE MAX 44 APOCYNUM CANNABINUM 34 GRINDELLA SP. 33 ARTEMISIA SP. 46,56 ASPARAGUS OFFICINALIS 21 HELIANTHUS ANNUUS 43 AVENA SATIVA 13 HELIANTHUS TUBEROSUS 35 BRASSICA JUNCEA 37 HEXPERALOE FUNIFERA 11 BRASSICA NAPUS 25,42 HORDEUM VULGARE 9 BROMUS VULGARE 9 JUNIPERUS SP. 53 CALOCEDRUS DECURRENS 49 CANNABIS SATIVA 33 KOELERIA MACRANTHA 12 CARTHAMUS TINCTORIUS 42 CAPSICUM ANNUUM 41 LATHYRUS SATIVUS 39 CENTAUREA CYANUS 31 LAVANDULAR ANGUSTIFOLIA 54 CHRYSOTHAMNUS SP. 55 LENS CULINARIS 35 CICER ARIETINUM 39 LESQUERRELLA SP. 27 CITRULLUS LANATUS 46 LEYMUS CINEREUS 18 COCHLEARIA ARMORACIA 34 LIMNANTHES SP. 36 COREOPSIS SP. 31 LINUM SP. 30 CORNUS SERICEA OR LOLIUM PERENNE 14 STOLONIFERA 52 LOMATIUM SP. 28 CRAMBE ABYSSINICA 26 LUFFA SP. 32 CRATAEGUS DOUGLASII 53 LUPINUS SP. 36 CROTALARIA JUNCEA 44 CUCURBITA SP. 42 MACHERANTHERA CANESCENS CUPHEA SP. 27 21 MENTHA PIPERITA 40 DAUCUS CAROTA 26 MENTHA SPICATA 41 ELYMUS ELYMOIDES 16 OENOTHERA CAESPITOSA 29 ELYMUS GLAUCUS 19 OLEA EUROPAEA 55 ERICAMERIA SP. 55 OPUNTIA FRAGILIS 24 ERIOGONUM SP. 21 ORYZOPSIS HYMENOIDES 15 EUPHORBIA SP. 45 PANUX QUINQUEFOLIUS 31 FAGOPYRON SP. 24 PENSTEMON SP. 40 FESTUCA IDAHOENSIS 11 PHASEOLUS VULGARIS 22 6 NAME PAGE NAME PAGE PHASEOLUS LUNATUS 23 SAMBUCUS CERULEA 41 PHLEUM PRATENSE 17 SECALE CEREALE 13 PHRAGMITES COMMUNIS 14 SORGHUM SUDANENSE 15 PISUM SATIVUM 38 POPULUS SP. 51 TETRADYMIA CANESCENS 53 PRUNUS EMARGINATA 50 TRAGOPOGON SP. 43 PRUNUS VIRGINIANUS 50 TRITICUM DIOCOCCUM 10 PSEUDOREGNIA SPICATUM 16 TRITICUM MONOCOCCUM 10 PURSHIA TRIDENTATA 49 TRITICUM SPELTA 15 TRITICUM TURGIDUM 10, QUERCUS GARRYANA 54 12 TRITICUM X SECALE 17 RAPHANUS SATIVUS 28 RHUS GLABRA 56 VERNONIA GALAMENSIS 45 RIBES AUREUM 51 VICIA FABA 22 VIGNA RADIATA 23 SALIX SP. 57 VIGNA SINENSIS 38 VITIS VINIFERA 32 7 GRASSES AND CEREAL GRAINS Barley Brome Durum Wheat Einkorn Emmer Fescue Hesperaloe Junegrass Kamut Needlegrass Oats Rye Rye Grass Reed, Indian Ricegrass, Indian Spelt Wheat Squirreltail Sudan Grass Triticale Timothy Wheatgrass, Bluebunch Wildrye, Basin Wildrye, Blue Millet 8 Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is an important cereal grain in the U.S. It is used for livestock fodder, the brewing industry, and for some bread-making. It is best suited in our Columbia Basin as a crop to follow winter wheat. It is of limited acreage and not likely to become a high value crop. Photo: http://plants.usda.gov Brome, Columbia (Bromus vulgare) is a native grass whose seed is harvested for revegetation after fire or other disturbance has degraded an area. It is well suited to prevent erosion and helps to exclude noxious weeds. At present the only significant source for this seed is that which is hand-harvested from wild stands. Agencies are the principal purchasers. If sufficient commitments could be obtained it world be a profitable crop to grow in many niche areas of the Columbia Basin. Photo: http://plants.usda.gov 9 Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum) is the plant from which seminola is derived. The flavor and cooking qualities of durum pasta are superior, and durum seminola is preferred in the production of pasta products, such as spaghetti, macaroni, and couscous which is the staple food of North Africa. Durum is suited to our Columbia Basin climate and moisture. It is a high-value commodity, and has a place in our wheat production. Einkorn (Triticum monococcum) is a wheat that does not compare in quality to modern wheats, but can be cultivated in harsh environments and poor soil to produce protein and yield equal to or higher that barley and durum wheat when grown in similar adverse conditions. If climate change should impact the Columbia Basin severely, this might be one of the alternatives. Photo: http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town/plaza/hg20/ancer.jpg Emmer (Triticum diococcum) was grown throughout the U.S. in the early 1900’s, Emmer is another grain that can stand less than favorable growing conditions. It is grown for grain that is used for cattle feed, replacing either oats or barley in feedlot rations. Some bread is made from emmer. Photo: http://plants.usda.gov 10 Fescue, Idaho (Festuca idahoensis) is a native bunchgrass of the Columbia Basin that once covered thousands of acres on both sides of the river. Intense grazing by cattle and sheep in the early days of settlement of the west reduced its occurrence to a small fraction of what it was. It is in great demand for restoration Photo: http://plants.usda.gov projects where land has been degraded by fire, overgrazing, or disturbance. Agencies such as U.S.F.S. or U.S.B.L.M. are the usual markets, but also State Parks, and Highways, and some counties are purchasers as well.