Agronomy

Crop variety evaluations and development: Research conducted on barley, borage, buckwheat, camelina, canola, chickpea, corn, crambe, dry bean, durum, spring emmer, field pea, flax, forages, juneberry, lentil, lupin, millet, mustard, oats, onion, spring rye, winter rye, safflower, sorghum, soybean, spelt, sunflower, spring triticale, winter triticale, hard red spring wheat, and hard red winter wheat.

Crop Production and Management: Develops, refines and improves crop production and management practices. Includes plant establishment (row spacing and populations), crop fertility, inoculation, crop rotations, planting dates and input application strategies.

Irrigation Research:  Provides farmers and industry with best management practices to grow traditional and high-value crops. Potatoes, dry beans, soybeans, corn, small grains, carrots, onions and others are being studied under irrigation. Dry land plots are established to compare yields with dry land farming.

Alternative Crop Development: Investigates existing and emerging alternative crops including borage, buckwheat, camelina, chickpea, crambe, field pea, flax, juncea, juneberry, lentil, lupin, niger thistle, onion, safflower, and others. 

Cropping Systems and Crop Rotation Research: An 23-year, long-term trial evaluating rotations, tillage and fertility.  A study has been developed evaluating the effects of previous crops on potato growth and yield. 

Disease Management: Conduct extensive research on fungicide efficacy and application strategies. Evaluates disease resistance on potential new varieties.

Weed Management: Research trials on weed management in grass and broadleaf crops to screen herbicides for crop tolerance and to develop weed management strategies.

Insect Management: Research focuses on observed and potential problems in production fields. Chemical and non-chemical products and cultural practices are evaluated to identify management systems with increased effectiveness and reduce costs.

Horticulture and Forestry Variety Evaluations

Northern Plains Fruit and Grape Production

Foundation Seedstocks Program Part of NDSU’s Foundation Seedstocks Program focusing on seed increase, conditioning and distribution. 

Extension/Outreach Activities:  CREC Extension specialists and researchers serve as resources for educators throughout the state.  Seminars and demonstrations provide training in crop and livestock production and livestock waste management to agri-business and governmental resource persons across the state.