Kansas State University Agricultural Research Center

Trees and shrubs are invading prairies, hurting the wildlife and making it harder to ranch. Yet it's hard to know the full extent of the problem, so Kansas State University found a way to map it out on the cheap.

The Soybean Innovation Lab based at the University of Illinois has laid off 30 employees and expects to shut down in the spring if funding isn't restored. Lab leaders at other Land Grant universities say they have avoided layoffs, but that could change.

Flowers are on trial at the Kansas State University Agricultural Research Centers in Colby and Hays, Kansas. Kansas is a big state, with varied climate…