Washington agriculture is extremely diverse, growing crops and livestock over a similarly diverse landscape with numerous environments

Genomic research for animal improvement will include resistance to bovine respiratory diseases (BRD) as well as growth and muscle development in salmonid fish. Genetic research efforts in honeybee health will include collection and use of novel germplasm from endemic old world honeybee populations in a BEE breeding program following importation of cryogenically maintained sperm. WSU will continue to develop improved varieties of crops like wheat, apples, and potatoes that are adapted to our environments and carry traits such as enhanced nitrogen and water use efficiencies, drought resistance, heat resistance, increased soil microbe interactions that support nutrient uptake from the soil, pest and disease resistance, improved end-use quality, increased nutritional quality, and increased yields or sustained yields under adverse conditions. Genomic and phenomic tools will be developed and applied to increase the genetic improvement of both crops and livestock. We will also develop improved crop practices that prevent soil loss and improve soil health, prevent pesticide and nutrient contamination of groundwater and waterways, and optimize applications of inputs such as water and nutrients by developing precision techniques. We will focus on livestock management practices that enhance production while improving animal welfare and simultaneously lowering their environmental footprint. Precision agriculture developments will include environmental sensing technologies and computational/machine-based artificial intelligence (AI) approaches developed with collaborations between computer scientists and mechanical engineers working with agronomists and horticulturalists in various cropping systems. Development of environmental sensing techniques will also be used to improve resilience to high temperatures. AI and advances in robotics will be used to improve human-machine interactions to reduce labor needs in laborintensive crops like tree fruit, grapes, and berries to replace labor needed for pruning and picking with fewer but higher skilled jobs. Populations of pathogens and pests, including weeds, will continue to evolve to our genetic, chemical, and management control practices. Integrated approaches using pest biological modeling, biological control strategies, rapid molecular diagnostics, resistance monitoring, and soil microbiome manipulation will be used to slow pest adaptation and develop new management practices. Pre- and post-harvest management techniques of crops will be used to reduce spoilage and extend storage and shelf life and ability of packers and shippers to deliver high quality, safe food to consumers. Development of post-harvest management techniques will include specialized packaging and advances in microwave sterilization/pasteurization to help processors and retailers deliver safe, high-quality produce and meat. Other areas of intense technology development we will continue to include the identification and manipulation of valuable metabolites in plants, like specialty oils, the conversion of biomass, crop residues, and manure to biofuels and more valuable bioproducts and biomaterials, and methods sequester carbon from biomass in soils.