WSU-Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington

Research & Extension Center

Assistantships

Evaluating weed management in a new organic vineyard


A graduate assistantship in the Weed Science program is available for an M.S. candidate beginning Spring 2009. Research will focus on testing five weed management programs in a newly established organic vineyard. More specifically, the project includes:

  1. Two wine grape cultivars commercially significant in the area grafted on the rootstock Couderc 3309
  2. Treatments include: 1) Control - current standard for organic vineyard management, 2) “Wonder Weeder” for mechanical cultivation, 3) small grain cover crop, 4) clover cover crop , 5) small grain:clover cover crop  
  3. Data collection includes cover crop and major weed counts, percent ground cover, and dry biomass; grape shoot length and number; trunk diameter; bud number and mean internode length; pruning biomass; costs including equipment, labor and supplies.
Students will take coursework at WSU-Pullman and complete research at WSU-Mount Vernon NWREC, generally within a 3 year period. Candidate should have a Bachelor of Science degree in horticulture, agriculture, biology, botany, or a related field. Candidate should have the ability to work well independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team. Contact Dr. Tim Miller, WSU-Mount Vernon NWREC, 16650 State Route 536, Mount Vernon, WA 98273, USA, or e-mail to twmiller@wsu.edu. ; Weed Science Program;
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences. EEO/AA/ADA.
WSU-NWREC, 16650 State Route 536, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 | 360-848-6120 | FAX 360-848-6159 | ashleyb@wsu.edu | KG