Geneticist teaches farmers about wheat

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May 15, 2008

By Paul Fattig

Mail Tribune

When it comes to growing wheat, veteran plant geneticist Stephen Jones believes Mother Nature knows best.

Jones, winter wheat breeder at Washington State University, where he has been teaching since 1991, is dedicated to preserving the genetic heritage of Pacific Northwest wheat.

"There is great value in preserving the old heirloom varieties," Jones said. "There is even value in preserving genetic diversity in terms of genes we don't know we need yet."

For example, an old survivor may be immune to a disease that may wipe out a modern variety, he said.

Jones heads a program that teaches farmers how to breed varieties of wheat that are best suited to their individual ecosystems and climate. He will discuss the program beginning at 7 p.m. Friday at the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center Auditorium, 569 Hanley Road, Central Point.

Admission is free for the event, which will include a dessert reception. His presentation is being sponsored by the Ashland Food Co-op, Oregon State University Extension Small Farms and THRIVE.

Jones, whose research has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, has a doctorate in genetics from the University of California at Davis. Citing concern about the potential for corporations to control wheat farming through biotechnology, Jones advocates keeping plant-breeding and similar programs at land grant universities such as WSU public and sustainable.

He is also leading a project at WSU to develop perennial wheat that would require the ground to be plowed only once every three to five years instead of several times a year. The wheat, which would drastically reduce soil erosion while absorbing carbons to curb climate change, is being developed using traditional breeding techniques that involve crossing wheat with wild grass, according to the professor.

Jones leads the wheat-breeding program at WSU, which has been in existence since 1894.

"The first wheat cross was done in 1898," he said. "In 2008, we're doing it the same way."

Jones advises farmers to grow their own seed, to practice sustainability, to consider crossing wild wheats with domestic, to grow for nutrition as well as baking qualities and to use their own knowledge of weather, soil type and desirable wheat qualities.

Noting that many small towns once had their own bakeries and mills to grind wheat, Jones said local farmers once produced high-quality wheat for local consumption.

"Some of these older wheats from 100 years ago or more have real value in terms of their quality," Jones said. "A lot of them had been localized for (small town) bakeries."

Different varieties of wheat have different nutritional value as well as taste, he explained.

"And in terms of being a little tougher plant, they may fit on a small farm scale better than a big, modern wheat farm," he added. "We are seeing on the west side of the Cascades in Washington and Oregon great interest in bringing wheat back where it hasn't been grown for 20 to 30 years."

Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or e-mail him at pfattig@mailtribune.com.

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