USDA
USDA/ARS/VFCRU
The mission of the Vegetable and Forage Crop Production Research Unit at Prosser, Washington, is to develop economically and technically feasible, integrated cropping systems for irrigated farming to improve the economic returns, food/forage quality, and minimize environmental impacts. This will be accomplished by development of (i) economically important germplasm that improves resistance to pests, diseases, and physical stresses, enhances nutritional value, processing qualities, and expands markets for these commodities; and (ii) decision information systems to package the optimal management of input resources including the nutrients, tillage, irrigation, and pesticides to increase their efficiencies by minimizing the losses. Research is underway to: (i) genetically improve alfalfa, beans, peas, and potatoes with improved traits and food or forage value; (ii) to determine the cause and control of various fungal and viral diseases of the above crops and the economic impact of these diseases; (iii) to develop integrated cropping systems for potatoes and legumes, to optimize the management of rotational crops, irrigation, nutrients, pest control, weed control, tillage, residue management, soil-water-plant relationships, soil nitrogen economies, and organic matter cycles. Website: "http://www.usda.prosser.wsu.edu/" [Summary provided by the USDA.]