MALHEUR AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION Alfalfa, Corn, Onions, Grains, Sugar Beets, Miscellaneous Crops, and Potatoes Research Special Report 832 February 1988 Agricultural Experiment Station Oregon State University Corvallis MALHEUR AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION 1987 RESEARCH ALFALFA CORN ONIONS GRAINS SUGAR BEETS MISCELLANEOUS CROPS POTATOES Special Report 832, February 1988 Agricultural Experiment Station Oregon State University, Corvallis MALHEUR EXPERIMENT STATION OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY ONTARIO, OREGON The Agricultural Experiment Station of Oregon State University was established 100 years ago at Corvallis, Oregon. The Hatch Act of 1887 provided annual funding for agricultural research at Land Grant Universities. The original Oregon experiment station was started in 1888 at Corvallis, on 35 acres and had a single laboratory. Currently, branch experiment stations are located at Aurora, Hood River, Moro, Hermiston, Pendleton, Union, Burns, Redmond, Medford, Klamath Falls, and Ontario. Local History In 1942 local farmers asked Oregon State University to establish a branch experiment station in Malheur County. Money was raised locally to buy the land which was eventually deeded to OSU in the mid- 1950s. Research operations began in 1942. Neil Hoffman was the first superintendent of the Malheur Experiment Station from 1946 to 1977. Facilities The Malheur Experiment Station includes 120 acres of row crop land and field equipment appropriate to research on onions, sugar beets, potatoes, small grains, alfalfa seed, and weed control research. Specialized facilities include an onion storage, onion artificial drier, potato storage, potato quality laboratory, and weather station. The potato quality laboratory emphasizes determinations of potato specific gravity and dark-end fry color. Nitrogen analyses are made in the laboratory for wheat and alfalfa research. Research Support The Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee provides support for onion research project on the station. Projects target onion thrips, weed control, and reduction of Botrytus neck rot. Variety evaluations seek new varieties. A study of onions for export addresses how heat treatment before storage or after packing could improve the quality of onions delivered at Pacific rim markets. The Oregon Potato Commission supports research on potato variety evaluations and on cultural practices to reduce potato "dark-ends." Potato acreage was lost in the Treasure Valley when the 1985 crop suffered a high incidence of "dark-ends." Irrigation studies seek to minimize the dark-end problem by finding ways to reduce plant water stress. Soil management studies are directed at improving water infiltration to keep potato plants at lower levels of moisture stress. The Nyssa Nampa Sugar Beet Growers Association supports research that includes mildew control, seed emergence, variety evaluations, weed control, and irrigation needs. Other grower associations providing indispensable support to Malheur Experiment Station research include the Idaho Alfalfa Seed Growers Association, the Mint Growers Association, the Nevada Seed Council, the Oregon Processed Vegetable Commission, and the Oregon Wheat Commission. Partnerships Lynn Jensen and Ben Simko of the Oregon State University Extension Service work closely with Malheur Experiment Station staff on crop production problems. Experiments on onions, potatoes, and alfalfa are designed and evaluated cooperatively. Faculty at OSU at Corvallis cooperate on the potato variety development program, alfalfa seed management, soybean research, and weed control research. Alvin Mosley leads the potato variety development program. Dan Hane, Steve James, and Ken Rykbost at Hermiston, Redmond, and Klamath Falls round out the statewide potato evaluation teams. Jim Vomocil at OSU is working on soil physical problems that restrict water infiltration related to sugar-end potatoes. Zoe Ann Holmes, an OSU foods and nutrition scientist, cooperates with sugar-end research looking at the reducing sugars, sucrose, and total tuber solids. Bill Stephen conducts entomological research related to alfalfa seed production at Corvallis, at the Malheur Experiment Station, and elsewhere. Charles Stanger continues to evaluate alternative weed control practices on many Treasure Valley crops. Dr. Stangers weed control work has the cooperation of many company representatives and grower associations. A goal of weed control research is to find herbicides or herbicide combinations that control weeds without significant crop injury. The University of Idaho and private industry actively cooperate with several research projects. Joe Pavek of the University of Idaho provides new potato crosses for evaluation in the potato variety development program. Other contributiors are listed below. Clinton C. Shock Superintendent CONTRIBUTORS MALHEUR COUNTY OFFICE, OSU EXTENSION SERVICE PERSONNEL: Jensen, Lynn Assistant Professor Simko, Ben Associate Professor MALHEUR EXPERIMENT STATION: Burnett, Charles R. Research Assistant Eldridge, Eric Graduate Student Haro, Michele Research Aide Ishida, Joey Biological Technician Kee, Mary Jo Secretary Kolding, Mathias F. Senior Instructor Loseth, Lori Research Assistant Shock, Clinton C. Superintendent and Associate Professor Stanger, Charles E. Professor of Crop Science Stieber, Tim Research Assistant Swisher, Jerry Farm Foreman OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY, CORVALLIS, AND OTHER STATIONS; Appleby, Arnold Professor, Dept. of Crop Science Broich, Steve Research Associate Burrill, Larry Weed Control Specialist Hane, Dan Research Assistant (Hermiston) Holmes, Zoe Ann Professor, Dept. of Foods Nutrition Kronstad, Warren Professor, Dept. of Crop Science James, Steven R. Research Assistant (Redmond) Jolliff, Gary Professor, Dept. of Crop Science Maxwell, Jerry Research Assistant (Klamath Falls) Mosley, Alvin R. Associate Professor, Dept. of Crop Science Ridlington, James Research Associate, Dept. of Foods Nutrition Reed, Gary Superintendent, Hermiston Seddigh, Majid Research Associate, Dept. of Crop Science Stephen, William Professor, Dept. of Entomology Verhoeven, Mary Instructor, Dept. of Crop Science Vomocil, James Professor, Dept. of Soil Science Wernz, James Research Associate and Manager of the Plant Analysis Laboratory Willnow, Jeff. Student Yungen, John Superintendent, Medford UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO: Beaver, Gary Associate Professor, Parma, Idaho Brown, Bradford Assistant Professor, Parma, Idaho Johnston, Rich Integrated Pest Management Coordinator, Parma, Idaho Pavek, Joe Research Geneticist, Aberdeen, Idaho OTHER PERSONNEL COOPERATING ON SPECIAL PROJECTS; Ablett, Gary Ridgetown College, Ontario, Canada Batten, Ray B-2-M Irrigation, Weiser, Idaho Beck, Richard Beck Precision Planters Nyssa, Oregon Burnett, Denise Agriculture Research Technician, Ore-Ida Foods, Inc., Ontario, Oregon Cooper, R. L. Geneticist, ARS, Wooster, Ohio Corbett, Jim Carnation, Fieldman Futter, Herb District Conservationist Ontario, Oregon Gardner, Bronson Product Technical Manager Standard Oil Engineered Materials Solon, Ohio Hobson, Joe Cooperating Farmer Joplin, Carl Mobay, Nampa, Idaho Kincade, Dennis ARS, Kimberly, Idaho Lewis, Mike Ore-Ida Foods, Inc., Ontario, Oregon Peterson, Bob Kelly Cooperating Farmers Peterson, Jerry J.R. Simplot Company, Caldwell, Idaho Teramura, Ken Cooperating Farmer Teramura, Yasu Cooperating Farmer Trout, Tom A.R.S., Kimberly, Idaho Vogt, Glenn J. R. Simplot Company, Caldwell, Idaho Zalewski, Jim Senior Manager of Agricultural Research, Ore-Ida Foods, Inc., Ontario, Oregon GROWERS ASSOCIATIONS SUPPORTING RESEARCH Idaho Alfalfa Seed Growers Association Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee Malheur County Potato Growers Mint Growers Association Nevada Seed Council Nyssa Nampa Beet Growers Association Oregon Potato Commission Oregon Processed Vegetable Commission Oregon Wheat Commission CONTENTS Page WEATHER REPORT 1 ALFALFA Five-Year Forage Yield Study, 1983-1987 9 Experimental Desiccants for Use in Alfalfa Seed Production. 18 CORN Evaluation of Supersweet Corn Varieties for the Treasure Valley 24 Early Establishment of Golden Jubilee Sweet Corn and Dependable Stand Establishment of Supersweet Corn 29 ONIONS Onion Variety Trials 34 Artficial Drying of Onions to Improve Storage Quality . 40 Use of Rovral to Reduce Onion Neck Rot 47 Establishment of Action Thresholds for Onion Thrips 50 GRAINS Evaluation of Experimental Small Grains for the Treasure Valley 57 Regional Small Grain Nurseries in 1987 78 Local Spring Small Grain Trials 83 Hard Red Wheat Production in the Treasure Valley, 1987 86 SUGAR BEETS Sugar Beet Variety Testing Results 100 Preventative Fungicide Application for Control of Powdery Mildew in Sugar Beets 105 Irrigation Scheduling of Sugar Beets 107 A Comparison of Formula 132+ and RV5 With and Without Nutrients in Pelleted Sugar Beet Seed to Raw Seed for Emergence and Sugar Yields 112 MISCELLANEOUS Effect of Row Covers on Air and Soil Temperatures 115 Evaluation of Atmometers for Irrigation Scheduling in the Treasure Valley 121 Preliminary Observations on Sweet Wormwood Production in the Treasure Valley 125 Oregon Statewide Soybean Trial at Ontario 131 Melon Performance at Ontario 138 Preliminary Observations on Dry Lima Beans 143 Observation Trial on Tomato Varieties 145 POTATOES Irrigation Management to Minimize Dark-end. Development in Potatoes 147 Irrigation Stressed Potato Variety Trial, 1987 152 The Effect of a Gradient of Water Stress on Russett Burbank Potato Stem-End Fry Color 159