A trend of dry summers and low snowpack in coming years is expected to pose challenges for Washington farmers, especially those working marginal lands without access to ample irrigation.
Asaph Cousins, associate professor of biology at Washington State University, is part of a $13.5 million research effort looking at ways to address these challenges for agriculture nationwide.
With funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, Cousins and his collaborators at the University of Nebraska and seven other institutions are investigating the development of sorghum crops that can grow in marginal soils with scant water and nitrogen yet produce large quantities of quality plant materials for brewing biofuels.