Registration for the 2026 WSU Wheat Academy opens October 1. To be notified when registration opens, please contact us at small.grains@wsu.edu.

Registration is $100 for growers and $200 for industry representatives and is limited to the first 75 registrants. Pre-registration is required; walk-ons are not accepted.

The registration fee covers parking on campus, two lunches, a lightly catered social hour, and light refreshments throughout the two-day event.

Tuesday, December 15

8:00–8:30 a.m. Registration, Coffee & Donuts | Vogel Plant Biosciences Building Atrium
8:30–8:40 a.m. Welcome
8:45–10:15 a.m. Concurrent sessions

• Wheat Yield and Protein: The Perennial Challenge (Koenig)
• Making Cents out of Crop Rotation (Esser)
• Wheat Staging (Menaker)

10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Concurrent sessions

• Soil Acidity & Alternatives to Liming (Antonangelo, Lamsal, & Mridha)
• Snap it Right: Navigating Weed ID Apps (Landau & Liu)
• Wheat Staging (Menaker)

12:00–1:00 p.m. Lunch (provided) | Vogel Atrium

1:00–2:00 p.m. Concurrent sessions

• Pulse Pest Management (Porter)
• Dough-and-Tell: Examining Wheat End-Use Quality Up Close (Kiszonas)
• Needs Assessment Listening Session (DCST)

2:15–3:45 p.m. Concurrent sessions

• Snap it Right: Navigating Weed ID Apps (Landau & Liu)
• Soil Acidity & Alternatives to Liming (Antonangelo, Lamsal, & Mridha)
• Making Cents out of Crop Rotation (Esser)

4:00–5:00 p.m. Concurrent sessions

• Pulse Pest Management (Porter)
• Dough-and-Tell: Examining Wheat End-Use Quality Up Close (Kiszonas)
• Needs Assessment Listening Session (DCST)

5:15–6:15 p.m. WAWG Social Hour | Trailside Taproom – Paradise Creek Brewery, 505 SE Riverside St., Pullman, WA

Wednesday, December 16

8:00–8:30 a.m. Coffee & Donuts | Vogel Atrium
8:30–10:00 a.m. Concurrent Sessions

• Making Canola Pay (Ford & Khadka)
• Grain Production Risk Management & Marketing Strategies (Ehmke)
• Insect Pests (Crowder)

10:15–11:45 a.m. Concurrent sessions

• Wheat Yield and Protein: The Perennial Challenge (Koenig)
• Grain Production Risk Management & Marketing Strategies (Ehmke)
• Micronutrient Effects on Crop Performance (Wieme)

11:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m. Lunch (provided) | Vogel Atrium

12:45–2:15 p.m. Concurrent sessions

• Making Canola Pay (Ford & Khadka)
• Micronutrient Effects on Crop Performance (Wieme)
• Insect Pests (Crowder)

2:20 p.m. Tour of new USDA Plant Sciences Building (optional)
Complete survey & farewell

*Agenda and locations subject to change.

Wheat Yield and Protein: The Perennial Challenge

Dr. Rich Koenig 

In this session, we will discuss how wheat grows and makes grain protein, the commonly observed inverse relationship between grain yield and grain protein (and why that’s not necessarily a bad tradeoff), and why this makes fertilizing wheat for a target protein content a perennial challenge. We will review key times during growth cycles for spring and winter wheat where you can make an informed decision to intervene and adjust inputs if grain protein is forecast to be too low.

Pulse Pest Management

Dr. Lyndon Porter 

We will discuss major diseases and pests impacting peas, chickpeas, and lentils and cultural, chemical, biological, and genetic management practices that can be used to control them. Participants will have hands-on opportunities to look at different disease/insects on live plants and use scopes to provide up-close observations. 

Wheat Staging

Morgan Menaker 

Identifying wheat growth stages is critically important for implementing adaptive management practices and producing a crop with high yield potential. Understanding the opportunities and risks associated with each growth stage is the first step toward managing crop inputs, preventing unnecessary damage, and improving application timing. We will have the opportunity to get hands-on with wheat plants at various stages and explore the characteristics that make each growth stage unique.   

Snap it Right: Navigating Weed ID Apps

Dr. Olivia Landau and Dr. Rui Liu 

Can you trust your weed ID app? AI-powered apps make plant identification faster than ever, but even a clear photo can lead to the wrong answer. Join this hands-on session to test these digital tools in real time, learn how to maximize their accuracy, spot AI errors, and learn when it’s time to call an expert. Please bring a smartphone or a tablet with a camera. Some apps to download are iNaturalist, LeafSnap, and Google Lens. 

Making Cents Out of Crop Rotation

Aaron Esser 

This session will focus on the long-term crop rotation research that is looking at spring canola, chickpea, and spring pea production and the following winter wheat production and spring wheat production. We will look beyond the agronomic production but will also dive into the economics behind the crops and a little bit about what is going on within the soil.  

Soil Acidity & Alternatives to Liming

Dr. Joao Antonangelo, Bishal Lamsal, and Dr. Deepanjan Mridha 

Soil acidification is an increasing challenge to crop production and nutrient-use efficiency in the Pacific Northwest. This course examines the causes and agronomic consequences of soil acidity and presents strategies for its management under both conventional and no-till (NT) systems. Participants will learn about different lime-requirement approaches, their methodologies, and practical differences, while also exploring complementary or alternative practices such as gypsum application and banded phosphorus. The course will introduce the innovative “Lime Requirement Estimate” calculator and provide practical guidance for selecting management strategies that improve soil conditions, nutrient availability, and crop productivity.

Grain Production Risk Management & Marketing Strategies

Dr. Mariah Ehmke 

This session provides producers with information and analysis tools to analyze input and output price risk. We will explore alternative strategies to deal with market uncertainty, minimize losses, and pursue profits. 

Micronutrient Effects on Crop Performance

Dr. Rachel Wieme 

This course focuses on micronutrients effects on crop performance: the roles that micronutrients play in our crops, deficiency symptoms, and the interactions of essential nutrients in soil. We will focus specifically on micronutrients of interest in iPNW dryland cropping systems and what recent research has shown for micronutrient applications in our region.   

Making Canola Pay: Integrating Variety Selection and Agronomic Management for Greater Profitability

Jesse Ford and Dr. Kamal Khadka 

This presentation explores research-based strategies to maximize canola returns by combining improved genetics with sound agronomic practices. Drawing on findings from the University of Idaho canola breeding and variety testing program, Washington State University’s oilseed variety testing program, and regional agronomic research, this presentation will examine variety selection, stand establishment, fertility management, and other key production decisions that influence yield and overall profitability. Attendees will gain practical, data-driven insights to help optimize canola performance and make informed management decisions in their own production systems. 

Dough-and-Tell: Examining Wheat End-Use Quality Up Close

Dr. Alecia Kiszonas 

Wheat end-use quality can seem like a nebulous and confusing area to understand, especially when so much of our wheat is exported and we rarely see the finished commercial products. In this course we will look at different aspects of starch and protein, and how they play critical roles in the milling and baking processes. We’ll get our hands into some flour and examine how and why protein matters, and what kinds of sensory effects we can see and experience across varieties. Participants will gain an understanding of why end-use quality is so important to our regional agricultural economics. 

Insect Pest Management

Dr. Dave Crowder 

Description forthcoming.

Meet the New WSU Faculty/Needs Assessment

WSU Extension Dryland Cropping Systems Team

Due to recent retirements and departures, Washington State University has/is hiring several new faculty in the small grains and dryland cropping systems research and extension. Come meet the new faculty and help them understand your challenges and needs as they settle into their positions. 

Dr. Joao Antonangelo, Applied Soil Chemist, Washington State University 

Joao is an assistant professor of applied soil chemistry with extensive research activity. His research spans a wide array of topics, including soil acidification, biochar application for carbon sequestration, nutrient-use efficiency, soil contaminant remediation, sustainable fertilization practices, soil health improvement, and precision nutrient management. His work bridges the gap between fundamental soil chemistry and practical agricultural applications, aiming to optimize soil fertility and promote sustainable agricultural systems. 

Dr. Dave Crowder, Professor of Entomology, Washington State University 

Dave is a professor of entomology at Washington State University and the director of the Washington Decision Aid Systems (DAS). His lab works on a variety of insect-related issues in agricultural crops. He has worked extensively in small grain systems on wireworms, aphids, and integrated pest management. DAS supports pest, disease, disorder, and crop models to predict on-farm conditions in real time and link these site-specific forecasts to appropriate management and pesticide guidelines. 

Dr. Mariah Ehmke, Mick Endowed Chair of Small Grain Economics, Washington State University 

Dr. Mariah Ehmke’s core knowledge areas include data science, machine and deep learning, economics, business and farm management, and agribusiness management and marketing. Currently, her work focuses on technology to improve grain handling and marketing, consumer preferences for biotechnology advancements, and technical and labor constraints for profit optimization in Washington grains production. Dr. Ehmke completed her Ph.D. at Purdue University. She holds a masters of information and data science (MIDS) degree from University of California-Berkeley, masters of science (MS) from The Ohio State University, and bachelors of science (BS) from Kansas State University. 

Aaron Esser, Regional Extension Agronomist, Washington State University 

Aaron is a professor and a regional extension agronomist with WSU Extension in Lincoln and Adams counties, where he has worked for 27 years. His extension program is focused on integrated weed control and soil health. In addition to his role in the traditional Extension program, Aaron has served as chair of the WSU Wilke Farm Management Committee for the past 13 years. 

Jesse Ford, Research Associate, Washington State University 

Jesse Ford is a research associate at WSU performing variety testing and other agronomic research on spring and winter canola. He has been performing research on canola in Washington since 2020 and received his M.S. in crop science from WSU in 2023, specializing in winter canola winter survival. Previously, he received his B.S. in agriculture systems management at the University of Illinois and worked in their variety testing program. 

Dr. Kamal Khadka, Canola Breeder, University of Idaho 

Kamal Khadka is the canola breeder and an assistant professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Idaho. Kamal received his B.S. in agriculture, M.S. in plant breeding and genetics from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, and Ph.D. in plant breeding and genetics from University of Guelph, Canada. Kamal’s current research investigates different breeding approaches to develop canola, rapeseed, and mustard varieties that are adapted to PNW environments. He has more than a decade of experience in cereal crop breeding (rice, maize, and wheat) and has a strong background in participatory approaches to plant breeding.  

Dr. Alecia Kiszonas, USDA-ARS Western Wheat Quality Lab 

Alecia is the director of the Western Wheat Quality Lab for the USDA-ARS and an adjunct faculty member of WSU’s Department of Crop and Soil Sciences. Her work focuses on managing the annual variety and breeding line testing for end-use quality in the Pacific Northwest. She and her team manage 5,000 wheat samples for grain, milling, flour, and baking analyses every year. Her research focuses on end-use quality tests for earlier generation selection in the breeding process and developing more rapid, lab-scale tests to analyze starch and protein qualities more efficiently. 

Dr. Rich Koenig, Professor of Soil Science, Washington State University 

Rich is a soil scientist and soil fertility research and Extension faculty member focused on eastern Washington dryland cropping systems. He has conducted soil fertility research on wheat, pulse crops, grass seed, and canola, and a variety of studies involving the impact of soil acidification on nutrient management in eastern Washington. 

Bishal Lamsal, Ph.D. Student, Washington State University 

Bishal Lamsal is a first-year Ph.D. student in soil science at Washington State University. He recently completed his M.S. in soil science at WSU, where his research focused on optimizing soil base saturation for enhanced canola production using lime as a soil amendment. His current Ph.D. research is about phosphorus and gypsum as lime alternatives for mitigating aluminum toxicity in acidic soils. Bishal received his B.S. in environmental science from Kathmandu University, Nepal. 

Dr. Olivia Landau, Weed Scientist, USDA-ARS 

Olivia Landau is a research weed scientist with the USDA-ARS Wheat Health, Genetics, and Quality Research Unit. Olivia received her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in August 2023 and moved to Pullman in April 2024. Her research interests include characterizing herbicide resistance mechanisms, identifying factors contributing to weed seed persistence in the soil seed bank, and identifying genes regulating these traits. This research aims to develop tools to predict the risk of herbicide resistance development and practices for weed seed bank management. 

Dr. Rui Liu, Weed Scientist, Washington State University 

Rui Liu is an assistant professor of weed science at Washington State University, based at the Irrigated Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Prosser, Washington. Rui received her Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in December 2018. Prior to joining WSU in November 2022, she worked on dryland crops and weed species as an assistant scientist at the Kansas State University Agriculture Research Center in Hays, Kansas. Her research program at WSU focuses on weed biology and ecology, as well as developing integrated weed management programs for irrigated crops mainly in the Columbia Basin region of Washington.  

Morgan Menaker, Regional Extension Agronomist, Washington State University 

Morgan Menaker is an assistant professor and regional extension agronomist based out of Whitman County. Morgan completed his master’s degree from Virginia Tech in agriculture and life science with a concentration in plant science and pest management. New to WSU as of September 2025, but not to wheat, Morgan has conducted trials evaluating plant growth regulators, fertility programs, fungicide efficacy, and nitrogen-use efficiency. His Extension program aims to meet the specific needs of dryland producers in Whitman, Asotin, Columbia, Garfield, and Walla Walla Counties. 

Dr. Deepanjan Mridha, Postdoctoral Researcher, Washington State University 

Deepanjan Mridha is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at Washington State University. His research focuses on sustainable soil and crop management, with expertise in nutrient management and the optimization of lime application in the acidic soils of the inland Pacific Northwest. Deepanjan is actively involved in the calibration of portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) for rapid nutrient analysis. In addition, he works on the application of biochar and nanoparticles to enhance soil health and improve plant growth under abiotic stress conditions, while also monitoring heavy metals and emerging contaminants in soil and groundwater to promote environmental safety and sustainable agricultural practices. 

Dr. Lyndon Porter, Research Plant Pathologist, USDA-ARS  

Dr. Porter is a research plant pathologist with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) where he has served for 21 years focusing on integrated pest management of bean, pea, chickpea, and lentil crop diseases. He received his doctorate degree from Washington State University in plant pathology and his master’s in botany at Brigham Young University. 

Dr. Rachel Wieme, Extension Agronomist, Washington State University 

Rachel Wieme is an assistant professor and a regional extension agronomist with WSU Extension in Walla Walla County. She completed her Ph.D. in soil science from WSU Pullman. Her research has covered a range of topics including nutrient cycling in alternative crop rotations, composting as a disposal method for livestock mortalities, and liming and micronutrient applications for low-pH soils in eastern Washington. Rachel’s Extension program supports resilient cropping systems and practices that promote soil health across Walla Walla County and the Blue Mountain Region. 

If you need to park on the WSU Campus, an email with instructions on how to claim your prepaid parking permit will be sent out (from transportation@wsu.edu) in early December 2026. You will need to click the link and input your vehicle license plate number. If renting a vehicle, please do not claim the permit until you know the license plate of your rental. The permit is linked to the license plate number; there is no permit to print.

The prepaid parking permits are valid in the large Green 5 lot across from Beasley Coliseum. The Vogel Plant Biosciences building is a short distance up the hill (heading south on Stadium Way) from this lot.

Map for Green 5 Parking & Building Location

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication or program information or reasonable accommodation need to contact small.grains@wsu.edu at least two weeks prior to the event. Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination. Evidence of non-compliance may be reported through your local Extension office.

Tuesday, December 15

(PENDING) Shredded brisket and barbecue chicken sandwiches, roasted red potatoes, green salad, and assorted sodas and water.

Wednesday, December 16

Pollo con crema with flour tortillas, beef tamales, rice, beans, chips and salsa, and assorted sodas and water.