Our Research in the News

Kate Stafford on the ice in Alaska, holding a hydrophone to record underwater sound.

Where in the world is associate professor Kate Stafford? Alaska

Kate Stafford is an associate professor and principal investigator of the Marine Mammal Bioacoustics and Ecology Lab, part of the Marine Mammal...

The new mild habaneros plant (left) and James Myers with the final yield (right). Image credits: Shawn Linehan

Mild Habaneros Are Here and They’re Packed With Flavor Without the Fire

Habanero peppers are notorious for their fiery kick, but a new twist in pepper breeding offers a gentler experience. Researchers at the Oregon...

2024 Research and Innovtion Annual Report

Oregon State University sets record with $422 million in research expenditures

“Our record-setting research expenditures reflect the deep expertise of OSU researchers and our commitment to making big discoveries that have a...

bowl of hazelnuts. Credit: Northwest Hazelnut Company.

Ferrero invests in U.S. hazelnut farming with research grants to Rutgers University and Oregon State University programs

"Ferrero's support over the years has helped cement Oregon as a world leader in hazelnut orchard productivity and nut quality," said Nik Wiman,...

Winter wheat variety trial plots.  Photo: Everald McLennon

2024 Oregon Soft Winter Wheat Yield Trials: Unveiling the Top Performing Varieties

The Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center (KBREC) is committed to providing farmers with the latest information on the best performing...

Alexander Butcher examines the number of mealybugs on a sprouted potato to measure the efficacy of mating disruption  Credit: Josie Noteboom

OSU researcher trades chef uniform for lab coat to tackle wine grape pest

Alexander Butcher’s passion for food — which led to culinary school and a 10-year career as a professional chef — has now brought him to Oregon...

Sergio Arispe talks with a rancher in Malheur County about cattle and rangeland. Eastern Oregon. Credit: Stephen Ward

Dormant-season grazing is a win for all, Extension researcher shows

Sergio Arispe, who’s been with the Oregon State University Extension Service since 2014, knows all about the problem of invasive grasses and...

Cattle on Rangeland. Photo: OSU

Surf and Turf: Oregon State researchers to study feeding seaweed to cattle

Oregon State University researchers have received a $1 million grant to study the impact of adding seaweed to the diets of beef cattle as a way...

Hazelnuts

99% of U.S. hazelnuts are grown in these eight Oregon counties

Oregon’s annual hazelnut crop is worth about $110 million, according to the Oregon Employment Department. Oregon State University estimates the...

mutliple types of seeds

Oregon researchers part of first-of-its-kind national research partnership in organic seed production

A coalition that includes three Oregon State University Extension Service researchers was awarded a $3.4 million grant from the U.S. Department...

hands holding two mild habanero peppers known as “Notta Hotta” and “Mild Thing”. Photo Jim Myers

Mild habanero pepper varieties that are flavorful without the fire being released by Oregon State University

“We had chefs walking up to them and looking at them and saying, ‘I know in my mind you've told me they're not hot, but physically I'm preparing...

Kelsey Galimba looking at a pear tree

Reseachers test cold-hardiness of pear varieties

Backed by a federal grant, Kelsey Galimba, an assistant professor at Oregon State University’s Mid-Columbia Agricultural Research and Extension...

hammerhead shark

Celebrating Shark Week!

It's officially shark week! Research Associate from OSU's Big Fish Lab, Dr. Alexandra McInturf, helped us celebrate and appreciate these often-...

Rows of blackberries grow at Oregon State University's North Willamette Research and Extension Center. On the left managed with a new-over-old style, on the right was managed in the traditional August training method. Photo: Kyle Odegard/Capital Press

Less management, more yield for Oregon blackberry growers

Farmer wisdom on blackberry maintenance — or the lack thereof — is being backed with evidence.Many growers are turning to “new-over-old”...

Kwame Stephenson and Alex McBean

KBREC Hosts Jamaican Student Interns

The Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center (KBREC), a research and experimental station of Oregon State University welcomes two students...

Taste tester

Taster Testers Need for OSU's Food Innovation Center

Become a taste tester at the Food Innovation Center

Blossom blight phase where the infected blossoms are killed and more bacteria are produced as the creamy oozes (red arrow) when weather warms up. These oozes provide more source of bacteria for newer infections of the nearby tissues. Photo: Kate Lundquist

The Long Fight to Stop Fire Blight

At the Plant Pathology lab at Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center (SOREC) a very old fight against Erwinia amylovora...

Oregon State University study shows health impacts from brief pesticide exposure on fish and their offspring

A new study by researchers at Oregon State University found that fish embryos exposed to tiny amounts of pesticides for four days experienced...

spotted wing drosophila on a cherry

The Mid-Columbia Agricultural Research and Extension Center (MCAREC) conducts research that directly addresses and supports the needs of cherry producers.

Oregon State University’s Mid-Columbia Agricultural Research and Extension Center (MCAREC) is comprised of two assistant professors in the...

jersey cows

Spent hemp biomass: A feed use that supports milk production in dairy cows

As an ingredient, hemp is rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can benefit an animal’s immune system, performance, and...

Naked barley. Photo: OSU

Naked barley research tops $10 million in grants

Efforts to develop new markets for naked barley recently crossed the $10 million mark with the award of a $3.5 million grant from USDA's...

David Bohnert of OSU explains to listeners at the Cloverleaf Hall in Enterprise how virtual fencing can keep livestock in or out of a designated area.

Ranchers, officials hear about virtual fencing

Ranchers and officials heard a presentation on virtual fencing Thursday, Jan. 25, at the Cloverleaf Hall in Enterprise by David Bohnert of the...

Barley at Oregon State University's Hyslop Field Lab. Photo: Sean Nealon, Oregon State University.

Oregon State receives $3.5 million grant to develop barley varieties for chefs, brewers, farmers

“Interest in naked barley is increasing, particularly because of the health benefits,” said Brigid Meints, a barley breeder at Oregon State and...

Pinot noir grapes at Oregon State University's Woodhall Vineyard undergoing smoke experiments. Photo: Sean Nealon.

Spray coating for grapes shows promise in battle between wildfire smoke and wine

Oregon State researchers are developing a product that vineyard managers could spray onto their grapes to protect from wildfire smoke before it...

Shawn Mehlenbacher

Oregon State University Releases Exciting New Hazelnut Variety, Thompson

Oregon State University has a world renowned hazelnut breeding program, and the newest variety, Thompson, has recently been released. Thompson...

Chinook salmon. Photo: OSU

OSU researchers find vitamin in rivers; may offer hope for Chinook salmon suffering thiamine deficiency disease

Christopher Suffridge, senior research associate in the Department of Microbiology at OSU, and doctoral student Kelly Shannon examined...

Gordon Jones with hemp at SOREC

OSU-Cascades Looks At Hemp Industry

Gordon Jones will explore how shifting regulations, farming challenges and an untested market, as well as nefarious actors, caused the hemp...

man leaning agaist a fence looking away

Let's Talk Mental Health: A Discussion with Oregon's Agricultural Stakeholders

Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources Communications (ASNRC) Assistant Professor Dr....

Olives on branch

OSU’s Olea Project Responds to Grower Interest in Producing Olives

Just as it took a small-but-enthusiastic group to invest in wine production more than 60 years ago, today a new group is equally determined to...

Pat Hayes of the Barley Breeding Program

Barley Breeders Return To Flavor

“Barley varieties that dominate the market today were not bred for positive contribution to beer flavor,” says Patrick Hayes, who heads a...

OSU College of Agricultural Sciences Dean Staci Simonich speaking at the Oregon Seed Growers League Annual Meeting and Trade Show Dec. 5 at the Salem Convention Center.  Photo: Mitch Lies/For the Capital Press

OSU ag dean: 'Resilient Oregon' funding boosts research, extension

Speaking at the Oregon Seed Growers League Annual Meeting and Trade Show in Salem Dec. 5, Simonich, director of the Agricultural Experiment...

OSU Research Winery

Oregon State University Research Winery Renovations

Exciting things are happening at the Oregon State University Research and Teaching Winery. The winery is undergoing a complete renovation as...

Honey bee boxes. Photo: OSU

Oregon State researchers lead $4.2 million USDA grant to study disease plaguing honey bees

“It’s an enigmatic disease. We understand the basics, but we don’t know why this disease flares up some years and then goes down,” said project...

Faces: Fang-Yu Shen art

Researchers look to fill gaps in understanding tufted puffins

Rachael Orben, an assistant professor and researcher at Oregon State University, has been leading efforts to document what puffins eat by taking...

A blue whale surfaces in New Zealand's South Taranaki Bight. Photo credit: Dawn Barlow.

Blue whales: Ocean giants return to 'safe' tropical haven

Blue whales - the largest animals on Earth - are making their home in a part of the Indian Ocean where they were wiped out by whaling decades...

Image of hops held in human hand

Farmers who grow barley and hops having to adapt to climate change

Farmers are seeing their barley crops impacted by extreme heat, drought and unpredictable growing seasons.

"In any agricultural crop,...

Refugio Sanchez scoops potatoes at the head of a conveyor system that delivers tons of potatoes to waiting trucks at the Amstad storage facility in Hermiston, Oregon. Photo by Lynn Ketchum.

Researchers receive $2M to look for new ways to prevent organic potatoes from spoiling

“The organic potato industry cannot depend on traditional chemical anti-sprouting treatments since synthetic chemicals are banned in certified...

golden raspberries

Raspberries are Healthy

What are some of the foods that you should include into your diet? A one cup serving of red raspberries is very healthy, 64 calories, 8 grams of...

Oregon State University's College of Agricultural Sciences has had a banner year in research funding. Photo: Sean Nealon/OSU

OSU ag college receives record research funding

The college’s research funding was up 30% over 2022, which also was an all-time record.

Pacific Northwest consortium aims to improve potato production with eco-friendly methods

Oregon State University is using the grant, which came from the US Department of Agriculture, to explore practices to improve soil health and...

Reseachers working with a Vale dairy have found that wildfire smoke cuts milk production by diary cows. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

Wildfire smoke can have serious impacts on dairy cattle, researchers find

Researcher Juliana Ranches has been studying the impact of wildfires on cattle at Oregon State University for years. “When we think about...

crate of Oregon strawberries

How science and history created the delicious Oregon strawberry

For decades, Oregon has been the epicenter for all things berry: Oregon State University’s unique research center is dedicated to them and...

USDA ARS Entomologist Seth Dorman discusses his research into barley yellow dwarf virus and the aphids that vector it during a presentation at the Hyslop Farm Field Day, May 24 in Corvallis, Ore

Oregon field day draws record numbers

Participants flocked in record numbers to the 2023 Hyslop Farm Field Day on May 24, an event that Tom Chastain, head of the Department of Crop...

China dust terramodis 01 april 2002. credit: NASA Earth Observatory

Scientists begin to unravel global role of atmospheric dust in nourishing oceans

New research led by an Oregon State University scientist begins to unravel the role dust plays in nourishing global ocean ecosystems while...

Oregon State to co-lead $30 million USDA regional food business center

OSU has been selected to co-lead a $30 million U.S. Department of Agriculture regional food business center that will support farmers, ranchers...

Patrick Donnelly and lab group

OSU-Cascades researcher explores AI solution for tracking and reducing household food waste

Donnelly and OSU colleagues Jason Clark of the College of Engineering and Quincy Clark of the colleges of Agricultural Sciences and Education...

OSU researcher Jim Myers spent a decade producing the first pruple tomatoes.

OSU breeding program produced series of purple tomatoes with healthy antioxidants

In 2011 Jim Myers did something no one had done before. The Oregon State University vegetable breeder released the first purple tomato...

Dr. Levin sharing his research findings with a group of grape growers.

Unlocking the Secrets of the Vines

OSU’s Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center focuses on growers issues

County supervisors from Klamath, Modoc, and Siskiyou address their water  challenges.  Photo by Chelsea Shearer

County supervisors from Klamath, Modoc, and Siskiyou address water challenges

Klamath County is ranked 5th in total agricultural farm gate value out of 36 counties and is first in total organic agricultural revenue for the...

oysters

A Legacy of Research Ensures the Future of an Industry

Nearing retirement, Chris Langdon is focused on passing on the oyster breeding program he built and nurtured the past 25 years at Oregon State...

scenic hills of agriculture, with a vineyard in the foreground. Photo: Adobe Stock

Leaving Legacies Across Oregon

The Oregon landscape is a quiltwork of crop fields and orchards, lush forests and high deserts, jagged mountain peaks and deep river valleys...

endophyte on grass

The Endophyte Lab: 25 Years of Helping Grass Seed Growers Turn Challenges into Opportunities

New regulations often carry unintended consequences—and new opportunities. When Oregon began to limit field burning in the Willamette Valley in...

Oregon State University Plaque

Innovative NIFA-Funded Research

To celebrate National Oregon Day on March 8, USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is highlighting the innovative NIFA-funded...

Blueberry selections at an Oregon State University event.  Photo courtesy of Lily Hislop/USDA-ARS

Researchers, companies breed better blueberries

Scott Lukas, berry program leader in OSU's endowed professorship for the Northwest berry and management production program, said breeders have...

Oregon Pollinator License Plate

Oregon Pollinator License Plate Presale

In order for production to begin we must first sell 3,000 license plate vouchers. When we are close to reaching our sales goal, a physical...

Yanyun Zhao displays a piece of cranberry film at Oregon State University. Photography by Emily Baron Cadloff.

Could Dissolvable Cranberry Film Replace Plastic Packaging Someday?

The technology to use biodegradable film in place of some plastic or paper packaging is there, say researchers. But first, the industry needs to...

A tagged fin whale. Photo courtesy Ladd Irvine, Marine Mammal Institute.

Long-term tracking of whale feeding behavior via satellite now possible with new tag

Oregon State University researchers have developed a new satellite tag that allows them to better track whales’ behavior, including previously...

Genetically modified yeast yields intense hop aromas in beer, Oregon State research finds

Oregon State University brewing researchers and a team of bioengineers have shown that a genetically modified yeast strain can alter the...

EPA Logo

EPA Awards Grants to Advance Smart, Sensible, and Sustainable Pest Control in Agriculture

Oregon State University: Through outreach and educational efforts, this project seeks to slow the spread of herbicide-resistant...

Ever think of hemp genetics? Dr. Bob Zemetra does

Some days, Dr. Bob Zemetra is surrounded by pot plants all day. The plants inside a greenhouse are used for research at Oregon State University’...

Sample table of food. Photo: Specialty Food Association

Startups to watch at Summer Fancy Food

The Specialty Food Association is dedicating floor space for dozens of early-stage brands partnering with food incubators to develop and scale...

Jessie Uehling

Oregon State research helps provide scientific framework for psilocybin use in therapeutic settings

Jessie Uehling, a mycologist at Oregon State University who studies fungi and their applications that benefit humanity, was appointed last year...

Maria Del Pilar Alessandri (left) and Kaylyn Kirkpatrick, then graduate students in OSU's College of

By solving mystery, OSU researchers boost kombucha brewing industry

Scientists in Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences delved into the mysteries of SCOBY by using DNA sequencing and they...

Troy Aikman

Troy Aikman taps OSU beer chemists to launch low-calorie beer

When Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman looked into making a low-calorie beer that would also taste good he worked closely with Oregon State...

Ruth Muchiri and Richard van Breemen

Oregon State hemp vs. COVID researcher thinks preclinical trials will happen in ‘next few months’

Preclinical research involves using cell cultures and/or animal models to test the safety and efficacy of a new drug candidate, Richard van...

Hydrophone deployed in a tropical reef region within the National Park of American Samoa. Credit: Tim Clark/National Park Service.

Researchers develop automated method to identify fish calls underwater

An Oregon State University research team and collaborators have developed an automated method that can accurately identify calls from a family...

Oregon resident gray whale Scarlett is seen here with her calf Rose on her back. Photo courtesy the Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Laboratory at Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute. Image taken under NOAA/NMFS permit #21678.

Meet some of Oregon’s most recognizable gray whales via new OSU website

“We wanted to share with Oregonians, and the public in general, the stories of these whales because they are residents of Oregon like us, and...

Researchers investigate long-lasting ‘fluorinated substances’

The substances can be found in the blood of people and animals all over the world. They are found in water, air, fish, and soil in places around...

Fish being filleted

Researchers aim to turn seafood byproducts into source of nutrition

A research project led by Oregon State University has the potential to reduce food waste by utilizing seafood byproducts as a cheap, high-...

Study yields insights into the ecology of fishing jaguars, including rare social interactions

Oregon State University researchers and a team of international scientists have gained new insights into the diet, population density and social...

OSU study: After two hours, sunscreen that includes zinc oxide loses effectiveness, becomes toxic

The research team, which included Environmental & Molecular Toxicology faculty Robyn Tanguay and Lisa Truong and graduate fellow Claudia...

Oregon State University Dry Farming Project student research assistants Kelly Andrus, Asher Whitney and Meaghan Herlihy host a dry-farmed tomato tasting at the Corvallis Farmers Market.

Research explores dry farming possibilities

Dry farming was more prevalent before farmers turned to irrigation, said Amy Garrett, president of the Dry Farming Institute and Oregon State...

A coho salmon jumps out of the water in Fall Creek, Oregon. Photo by Lynn Ketchum, Oregon State University.

Genetic analysis reveals differences in mate choice between wild and hatchery coho salmon

“If we can learn more about how natural origin fish mate in the wild, and if that differs from how hatchery fish mate in the wild, we can...

Hemp plants being grown at the Oregon State University North Willamette Research and Extension Center in Aurora, Oregon. Photo: Oregon State University.

Oregon State receives $10 million grant to study hemp market in western U.S.

The five-year project is funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Sustainable Agricultural Systems grant program. Oregon...

Researchers smoking out B.C. wildfires’ impact on tainted grapes

Grapes and wine are affected differently depending on the intensity, duration and proximity of a wildfire, and what kind of wood or material is...

OSU Distinguished Professor receives $7M for wide-ranging study of biological impact of chemicals

Robyn Tanguay, a distinguished professor in the College of Agricultural Sciences, is the recipient of the eight-year grant in the field of...

Carnivore interactions are a game of risk and reward, Oregon State research shows

Coyotes can eat by scavenging cougars’ prey but it’s a risky proposition as coyotes often end up killed by cougars too, a new study of predator...

College of Agricultural Sciences Continues Robust Research Through Pandemic

Robust research continued at the College of Agricultural Sciences through FY21 despite the challenges of a pandemic and lockdowns. We maintained...

OSU study will provide insight into optimal nutrition for bees

A new grant will allow Oregon State University researchers to study the nutritional value of more than 100 bee-pollinated crops, native plants...

Dr. Shawn S. Donkin named new Associate Dean for Research

Following an extensive national search, the College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University has selected Dr. Shawn Donkin to serve...

Oregon State researchers begin to unravel the mysteries of kombucha fermentation

Oregon State University scientists are beginning to unravel the key microorganisms that contribute to the fermentation of kombucha, research...

Researchers demonstrate new method to track genetic diversity of salmon, trout

OSU scientists and theU.S. Forest Service are making a splash by using DNA from water samples to estimate the genetic diversity of Pacific...

New TIS Center receives $10M NIH grant

A group of researchers led by a team at Oregon State University have received a $10 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to...

New Lives for Old Beers

Pete Jones, a beer historian with the Lost Lagers consultancy, wasn’t on the lookout for a beer to recreate when he stumbled across the lab...

Looking for sage grouse answers in the desert

Sage grouse researchers endure the Wyoming summer heat to gauge nest survival. 

Kayla Ruth is studying for her doctorate at Oregon...

Pandemic inspires sustainable solutions for Willamette Valley Vineyard using UVC light

Willamette Valley Vineyard, recently installed a special band of UV light called UVC light treatment, into their HVAC systems to protect their...

New Species of Truffle Discovered: Tuber luomae

“The new species is named in honor of distinguished mycologist ...

Oregon scientists team up to use big data to address societal challenges

Data scientists from Oregon’s three largest universities have received a $1.4 million National Science Foundation grant to help fellow...

2019-2020 CAS Grant Funding

College of Agricultural Sciences sets record in research grants awarded in Fiscal Year 2020

Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences has always demonstrated strength in every area of its land-grant...

Brian Charlton named Director of Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center

The College of Agricultural Sciences is pleased to announce Brian Charlton as the Director of the Klamath Basin Research and...

Amazing drone footage shows blue whales swimming to the surface of the ocean to feed on krill as study reveals this practice helps them conserve energy

Blue whales swim to the surface to feed on krill as it helps them to conserve energy, according to a new study that involved amazing drone...

The nucleus of H. salminicola, glowing green under a microscope

This microscopic parasitic animal doesn't breathe, and it's the only one we know of

"When we think of 'animals,' we picture multicellular creatures that need oxygen to survive, unlike many single-celled organisms including...

Oregon State University is the state's only Land Grant College.

From Shellfish To Hemp To Cancer: OSU Boasts Big Year In Research Grants

Oregon State University has had a banner year in research grant funding—nearly 440 million dollars in 2019. (Only in 2017 did the institution...

Oregon State University Gets $1 Million to Study Hemp

The Global Hemp Innovation Center at Oregon State University has received a $1 million gift to explore hemp genomics, research that can grow...