DNA Viral Diversity, Abundance, and Functional Potential Vary across Grassland Soils with a Range of Historical Moisture Regimes

Soil viruses are abundant, but the influence of the environment and climate on soil viruses remains poorly understood. Here, we addressed this gap by comparing the diversity, abundance, lifestyle, and metabolic potential of DNA viruses in three grassland soils with historical differences in average annual precipitation, low in eastern Washington (WA), high in Iowa (IA), and intermediate in Kansas (KS).

Irrigation and Rootstocks to Manage Northern Root-Knot Nematode During Wine Grape Vineyard Establishment

Vineyard replanting in Washington state can be negatively impacted by the plant-parasitic nematode Meloidogyne hapla. Chemically-focused nematode management programs do not offer long-term suppression, however, this may be achieved through the adoption of cultural approaches such as rootstocks and irrigation. Nematode-resistant rootstocks are used extensively in other regions, but many have not been tested against M. hapla. Vineyards in eastern Washington are irrigated, so manipulating available soil water may also impact nematode development. In 2017, two field trials were established in eastern Washington to evaluate the effects of: 1) late-summer water limitation on M. hapla population development, and 2) host status of 1103 Paulsen, 3309 Couderc and Matador rootstocks for M. hapla. The efficacy of these cultural management approaches was evaluated under three initial M. hapla densities (0, 50, and 250 M. hapla J2 per 250 g soil) in both trials. Reducing irrigation to manage M. hapla infestation of grape roots was ineffective and may cause harm to the vines by inducing too much water stress. Conversely, rootstocks effectively reduced population densities of M. hapla. Overall, rootstocks show the most promise as a cultural tool to manage M. hapla during the establishment phase in Washington vineyards.

The September 2020 Wildfires over the Pacific Northwest

A series of major fires spread across eastern Washington and western Oregon starting on September 7, 2020, driven by strong easterly and northeasterly winds gusting to ~70 kt at exposed locations. This event was associated with a high-amplitude upper-level ridge over the eastern Pacific and a mobile trough that moved southward on its eastern flank. The synoptic environment during the event was highly unusual, with the easterly 925-hPa wind speeds at Salem, Oregon, being unprecedented for the August-September period. The September 2020 wildfires produced dense smoke that initially moved westward over the Willamette Valley and eventually covered the region. As a result, air quality rapidly degraded to hazardous levels, representing the worst air quality period of recent decades. High-resolution numerical simulations using the WRF model indicated the importance of a high-amplitude mountain wave in producing strong easterly winds over western Oregon.The dead fuel moisture levels over eastern Washington before the fires were typical for that time of the year. Along the western slopes of the Oregon Cascades, where the fuels are largely comprised of a dense conifer forest with understory vegetation, fire weather indices were lower (moister) than normal during the early part of the summer, but transitioned to above-normal (drier) values during August, with a spike to record values in early September coincident with the strong easterly winds.Forecast guidance was highly accurate for both the Washington and Oregon wildfire events. Analyses of climatological data and fuel indices did not suggest that unusual pre-existing climatic conditions were major drivers of the September 2020 Northwest wildfires.

WSU ROAR and ROAR Online! Program Description and COVID-19 Response

Washington State University, Responsibility Opportunity Advocacy and Respect (WSU ROAR) is an inclusive 2-year residential postsecondary education program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. WSU ROAR is a recognized comprehensive transition program located in rural eastern Washington. Within the program, there are four pillars: WSU ROAR workshops, Washington State University audit courses, employment experiences, and independent living. Individualized instruction guides the WSU ROAR workshops to allow students to develop their independence. Students also participate in audit courses in inclusive settings on campus to gain skills to help with future employment opportunities. Peer Allies, who are students traditionally enrolled at college, provide meaningful social and academic relationships by partnering with the students in WSU ROAR. This program description discusses the development of the postsecondary education program and its adaptation to meet its goals while addressing the challenges of being a rural university in eastern Washington. This program description also describes how the WSU ROAR program adapted to a remote learning platform during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The effect of Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni infection on sweet cherry fruit

In sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.), infection by Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni results in small fruit with poor color and taste, rendering the fruit unmarketable. Yet, the disease pathology is poorly understood, particularly at the cultivar level. Therefore, in this study we examined the physiological effects of Ca. P. pruni infection across a range of cultivars and locations within eastern Washington. We found that infection could be separated into early and established stages based on pathogen titer, that correlated with disease severity, including fruit size, color, and sugar and metabolite content. Furthermore, we also observed that the effects of early-stage infections were largely indistinguishable from healthy, uninfected plants. Cultivar and location-specific disease outcomes were observed with regards to size, color, sugar content, and citric acid content. This study presents the first in-depth assessment of X-disease symptoms and biochemical content of fruit from commercially grown sweet cherry cultivars known to be infected with Ca. P. pruni.

The use of an herbicide as a tool to increase livestock consumption of medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae)

Medusahead [Taeniatherum caput-medusae (L.) Nevski] is an invasive annual grass spreading into rangelands throughout the western United States. We tested cattle (Bos taurus L.) utilization of T. caput-medusae following treatment with glyphosate in two forms of its salt (potassium salt and isopropylamine salt) at three different rates of application; low (236 g ae ha-1), medium (394 g ae ha-1), and high rate (788 g ae ha-1) in eastern Washington. The herbicide was applied on April 26, 2016. A second location, northern Utah, was treated with glyphosate in the form of its isopropylamine salt at the high rate. The herbicide was applied on June 5, 2019. Cattle were allowed to start grazing T. caput-medusae 15-d after glyphosate treatment and cattle had unlimited access to the glyphosate treated plots for over 85 days. The greatest utilization of T. caput-medusae occurred at the highest glyphosate application rate (P < 0.05), in Washington, with no difference between forms of glyphosate salt. Cattle also consumed T. caput-medusae at the Utah site (P < 0.05). Glyphosate treatment preserved the water-soluble carbohydrate content of T. caput-medusae at levels greater than the non-treated controls (P < 0.05) at both locations. The glyphosate treatment assisted in the increased utilization of T. caput-medusae by cattle and is a viable option for the reduction of T. caput-medusae while increasing the forage value of the weed.