Learn About Alternative Crops Tested in Nevada (list below)
The alternative crop program is evaluating the potential new crops for the state of Nevada. The goal of the program is to provide alternative crops that can grow well in our region and increase crop diversity. Plants grown in the demonstration plots were chick peas, forage soybeans, sorghum, dry beans, hemp, soybeans, teff, winter (fall-seeded) and spring camelina, and specialty crop winter squash. All plants were directly seeded starting in mid-May - through early June.
Chickpeas
Potential of Chickpeas as a New Crop for Nevada
Sorghum
Nevada Sorghum Workshop Part 1
Nevada Sorghum Workshop Part 2
Nevada Sorghum Workshop Part 3
Nevada Sorghum Workshop Part 4
Dry beans
Grown for snap beans, shell beans or dry beans. Some varieties mature earlier than others. They do not need as much fertilizer as other crops.
Pearl millet
Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is an annual, warm-season crop widely grown throughout the United States for grazing, silage, hay, grain, and a summer cover crop. It does not produce prussic acid.
Soybeans
Grown for snap beans, shell beans or dry beans. Some varieties mature earlier than others. They do not need as much fertilizer as other crops.
Teff
Forage soybeans
Forage soybeans are a summer annual forage legume crop.
Forage Soybean Resources:
Forage Soybeans for Grazing, Hay, and Silage
Camelina
Camelina (Camelina sativa) is an annual in the Brassicacea, or mustard family. It has a high oil content suitable for food use and biofuel production. Winter camelina can be grown as a fall-seeded cover crop.
Camelina Resources:
Five-Year Field Trial of Eight Camelina sativa Cultivars for Biomass to be Used in Biofuel under Irrigated Conditions in a Semi-Arid Climate
Sowing date and sowing method influence on camelina cultivars grain yield, oil concentration, and biodiesel production
Camelina production parameters response to different irrigation regimes
Exploring the Potential Use of Camelina Sativa as a Biofuel Crop for Nevada
Hemp
Testing hemp varieties for production potential in Nevada.
Butternut Squash
Conducting specialty crop research to test the four varieties of winter squash and evaluate the marketability and tasting test in collaboration with Fallon Food Hub.