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CapitalPress.com Friday, January 22, 2021 Researcher solves potato puzzle By BRAD CARLSON Capital Press When potato farmers show the Uni- versity of Idaho’s Pamela Hutchinson apparent early season damage from herbicides, she wonders if excess rain- fall is to blame. “The last three years, I’ve been asked by growers to go out in the field in the spring or early summer. They see what they thought was herbicide damage to potatoes before or right Pamela after emergence,” she said. “Unusual condi- Hutchinson tions during the spring probably are what drove what you would consider injury. That condition was excess rainfall.” Hutchinson, associate professor and potato cropping-systems weed scien- tist with UI Extension in Aberdeen, is studying how excess rainfall plays into potato injury and weed control. Potato herbicides are safe partly because potatoes can metabolize them. Ideally, they work in the soil’s top two inches or so, where weed seeds germinate. But if potatoes get too much her- bicide, they can’t metabolize it fast enough and the risk of injury increases. Variables, in addition to how much rain falls and when, include soil type, the potato plant’s growth-cycle stage, and how soluble a particular herbicide is. “As we went across the state last year, there were some areas that got 3 or more inches of excess rainfall,” Hutchinson said. “It was after growers applied her- bicide and after some had incorporated herbicide in irrigation. Those treatments were applied after planting but before emergence.” Excess rainfall could move some sol- Forage specialist focuses on quality PAMELA J.S. HUTCHINSON Title: Associate professor, extension specialist, potato cropping-systems weed scientist, University of Idaho Aber- deen Research and Extension Center. By CAROL RYAN DUMAS Capital Press Education: B.S., agronomy and pest management, Iowa State University, 1980; M.S., weed science and econom- ics, South Dakota State University, 1987; Ph.D., weed science, University of Nebraska, 1991. GLENN SHEWMAKER Location: Kimberly, Idaho For nearly 40 years, farmers and ranchers have counted on Glenn Shewmaker to help them figure out the best way to grow and store a top-quality forage crop or manage a pasture. The University of Idaho’s only department-level forage specialist, Shewmaker retired last summer — although he had been in the office most of the week when Capital Press caught up with him in early November. “I’ve focused most of my research on forage quality, mea- suring forage quality as affected by environmental conditions,” Shewmaker said. Home: Aberdeen. Family: Tom Salaiz, a McCain Foods executive; adult son. Hobbies: Downhill skiing, hiking, pet ownership. Percussionist, Idaho State Civic Symphony, Pocatello. uble herbicides farther down into the soil profile than usual, where it could possi- bly be taken up by the emerging potato plant. “Even though I’ve tested high rates on multiple varieties, it has always been under normal growing conditions,” Hutchinson said. Hutchinson, using the UI Aberdeen irrigation system, this year simulated 3 and 6 inches of excess rainfall. “I saw the symptoms I saw out in the field, last year especially,” she said. Yellowing of leaf veins in a potato variety that typically would not show that type of damage was one result where a highly soluble herbicide was used. In another instance, Hutchinson found less damage than she expected following a simulated 6 inches of excess rainfall where a less-soluble herbicide was used. She aims to continue the project for at least another year, possibly cooperat- ing with a farmer with sandier soils than Aberdeen’s. This story was first published Oct. 23, 2020. Age: 69 Occupation: Professor and extension forage specialist, University of Idaho Kimberly Research & Extension Center (retired) Education: Ph.D., rangeland resources, Utah State Universi- ty, 1998; M.S., animal science, University of Idaho, 1976; B.S. animal science, University of Idaho, 1973 University of Idaho Rewarding research Glenn Shewmaker demon- strates grass identification and plant morphology at the Lost River Grazing Acad- emy in September 2012. That career began in 1983 as a research associate at the University of Idaho Kim- berly Research & Extension Center. In 1988 he went to work as a biological techni- cian with the USDA Agri- cultural Research Service at the Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research Laboratory, also in Kimberly. In 1999, he returned to the University of Idaho as an extension forage specialist. In that role, he has performed research and field trials, authored many publications and given a steady flow of presentations and workshops. “To survive the univer- sity system, you have to pub- lish or perish. But the ulti- mate reward is producers getting the information,” he said. His research has allowed him to get real numbers and relate beneficial information to producers, he said. “When you see the light turn on or they say, ‘Yeah, that really helped me in my operation,’ that’s reward- ing,” he said. Over the years, he’s con- ducted forage management and utilization research, Editor and contributor: Numerous publications, including two books — “Idaho Forage Handbook,” 2004, and “Pasture and Grazing Manage- ment in the Northwest,” 2010 Awards: Numerous awards including the Don Hale Hall of Fame Award from the Idaho Hay and Forage Association including alfalfa and grass forage quality, intensive pas- ture grazing systems, nutri- ent management planning and environmental effects of grazing. His research has included variety trials, seeding rates, hay drying, herbicide and pesticide trials, crop fertility, soil health and cover crops. This story was first published Dec. 4, 2020. 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