Research Overview

Research at the Northwest Research and Outreach Center focuses on agricultural commodities and enterprises that are important to northwest Minnesota's agricultural economy. Our goal is to help producers maintain profitability in ways that are environmentally sound and help agriculture in the region thrive through the introduction and support of new products and management practices. We work with local producers and businesses as well as other researchers to address the production problems common to and emerging in northwestern Minnesota and beyond. 

Man holding a sugarbeet in a field of sugarbeets

NWROC major research areas include:

In addition to the research programs based at the NWROC, we host or collaborate on research projects led by UMN faculty based on the Twin Cities campus and regional Extension offices, NDSU faculty, and researchers at state agencies.

NWROC is also home to a nationally renowned misted disease nursery where all released spring wheat and barley varieties are tested for their resistance, tolerance, and susceptibility to leaf and head diseases, especially Fusarium Head Blight.