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College of Agriculture
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Western Ag Research Center
Western Agricultural Research Center
History
The Western Agricultural Research Center (WARC) at Corvallis was established in 1907, during the apple-planting
boom in the Bitterroot Valley. The center, originally named the "Horticultural Substation," was the first
state-initiated research center in Montana. The center was established on 20 acres of land donated to the
state by the Bitterroot Valley Irrigation Company. Another 9.1 acres were added to the center in 1920.
The center was established to "determine, by testing, the most profitable varieties of apples, pears,
cherries, plums, walnuts, peaches, apricots, strawberries, bushfruits, and vegetables." Considerable
work was done on orchard fertility and orchard cover crops in early years. After the decline of apples
in the Bitterroot Valley, the center's emphasis shifted to the development of small fruits and the sweet
cherry industry in the Flathead area. Other projects included tomato variety studies and the development
of an exceptional iris collection.
In 1957, the Legislature expanded the responsibilities to include other areas of agricultural research.
In 1964, fertilizer experiments were initiated on forages and crops such as potatoes, sugar beets and sweet
cherries, and studies were started on the effects of irrigation on nitrate leaching and N fertilizer loss.
A new crop studied in the 1970's was the perennial poppy, Papaver bracteatum, used for the production of
codeine. The center is currently staffed with two scientists who direct research programs in soils and biological weed control.
The center has gone through several name changes. The "Horticultural Substation" became the Western Montana
Branch Station in 1957, and was renamed the Western Agricultural Research Center in the early 1970's.
The average annual precipitation at the WARC is 11.4 inches; the average temperature is 58 degrees and the
average frost-free period is 112 days. More complete weather data can be found at the U. S. Bureau of
Reclamation AGRIMET site.
New knowledge generated by the Research Center programs benefits Montana agriculture and the scientific
community at local, state and national levels. This knowledge is disseminated to the agricultural industry
in Montana through publications and teaching to improve the economic status and quality of life of its
citizens. Research information also reaches the scientific community through publication in professional
journals and presentations at professional meetings, thereby enhancing and promoting the individual
professional development of faculty members. Faculty appointments are predominantly research-oriented,
with limited opportunities for traditional academic teaching activities.
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