SDSU Extension hosts field tours and variety trials

BROOKINGS – Over the next few weeks SDSU Extension will be hosting several field tours at research farms across South Dakota.

SDSU Extension and Plant Science Upcoming Field Days and Tours

Through on-farm tours at research stations and at farms of cooperating producers, SDSU Extension and the Department of Plant Science provide growers with the latest updates on research in a variety of disciplines including crop production and management, variety trials, entomology, disease, soil fertility, and weed management. Upcoming events include:

Variety Trial Tours Begin July 1

Variety selection is a very important management decision in a sound crop production system. Variety Trial Tours will look at current growth and pest issues, along with discussing the potential for yield, grain protein, bushel weight, lodging, disease resistance, and other factors that will be fully evaluated as the growing season continues and the crop is harvested. Regular updates to the progress of variety trials can be found on the SDSU Extension Crop Testing Facebook site.

July 1, Winter Wheat Variety Trials near Ideal

This event begins at 5:30 p.m. (CDT) at the farm of cooperating producer , Bryan Jorgenson. Speakers include SDSU Research Associate Steve Kalsbeck; and Bob Fanning, SDSU Extension Plant Pathology Field Specialist. Directions to tour: From Winner, 8.5 miles north on N County Road, 2.5 miles west, 4 miles north and 0.5 miles west. Or 1 mile east, 1 mile north and 0.5 miles west of the Ideal, S.D., Post Office.

July 2, Winter Wheat Variety Trials tour in Martin

The tour begins at 5 p.m. (MDT). This tour is led by Nathan Mueller, SDSU Extension Agronomy Specialist and Bob Fanning, Plant Pathology Field Specialist. Directions to tour: The plot is located 5 miles east of the stoplight in Martin; on the south side of Hwy 18.

July 8, Faulk County Crop Improvement Association Spring Wheat Variety Trials

The tour beings at 9:30 a.m. (CDT). Speakers include; Nathan Mueller, SDSU Extension Agronomy Specialist, Emmanuel Byamukama, Plant Pathology Specialist, and Mark Rosenberg, SDSU Extension Agronomy/Weeds Field Specialist. Directions to plot: From Faulkton go east to the Hwy 212/Hwy 45 junction, go 1/2 mile north, then 1.5 miles east.

July 8, Walworth County Crop Improvement Assn. Spring Wheat Variety Trial

Tour will begin at 6 p.m.(CDT) at the Fiedlers Farm with a meal. Directions to farm: travel 2 miles east of Selby on S.D. Hwy 130 and 0.5 miles south to reach the farm.

July 8 Winter Cereals -Sustainability in Action at the Laird Larson farm near Clark

This tour begins at 5 p.m. (CDT). This tour is organized in partnership with Ducks Unlimited and will include Mark Rosenberg, SDSU Extension Agronomy/Weeds Field Specialist; Nathan Mueller, SDSU Extension Agronomy Specialist; Ada Szczepaniec, SDSU Extension Entomology Specialist; Emmanuel Byamukama, Plant Pathology Specialist, and Blake VandeVoorst, Ducks Unlimited Agronomy Programs Manager. This tour will look the inclusion of winter wheat in various crop rotations, including wheat after various varieties of soybeans. Supper will be served following the tour. Directions to farm: 8 miles East of Clark on U.S. 212, North 0.6 miles on County Road 5 (Garden City Road), West side of road.

July 9, Southeast Farm Tour in Beresford

This tour runs from 1:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (CDT) and is led by Farm Manager, Peter Sexton. The program will have presentations by SDSU Extension and NRCS staff and will include a trade show with equipment from John Deere, International, and Raven Industries. NRCS and SDSU Extension will also have displays. Directions to plot: 29974 University Road, Beresford, which is six miles west of Beresford (I-29 Exit 47) on Highway 46 and three miles south on University Road.

Plot tours and indoor presentations will cover numerous topics including: Building Soil Quality led by Jeff Hemenway, NRCS Soil Quality Specialist; Multi-Hybrid Corn Planter led by Peter Sexton, Associate Professor/Southeast Farm Supervisor and Doug Prairie, Product Manager with Raven Industries; Weed Control led by Darrell Deneke, SDSU Extension IPM Coordinator; Soybean Date of Planting led by Graig Reicks, SDSU Plant Science Research Associate.; Grazing Annual Forages led by Warren Rusche, SDSU Extension Cow/Calf Field Specialist; Sudden Death Syndrome of Soybeans led by Connie Strunk, SDSU Extension Plant Pathology Field Specialist; Manure Application Effects on Soil led by Ron Gelderman SDSU Extension Soils Specialist/Plant Science Professor.; Micronutrients led by Nathan Mueller, SDSU Extension Agronomist/Assistant Professor Assistant Professor.; Flame Weeder led by Ben Arlt SDSU Plant Science Graduate Student.; Drainage and Tiling led by Chris Hay, SDSU Extension Water Management Specialist/Assistant Professor; Crop Pest Management led by Ada Szczepaniec, SDSU Extension Entomologist/Assistant Professor.

The research day is open to the public and everyone is welcome to attend. For more information call 605-563-2989 or email se.farms@sdstate.edu.

July 9, Sully County Crop Improvement Association, Spring Wheat Variety Trial tour near Onida

This tour begins at 6:30 p.m. (CDT), and includes a meal. Speakers include Karl Glover, SDSU Plant Science Associate Professor and Ruth Beck, SDSU Extension Agronomy Field Specialist. . Directions to the plot: Turn east off S.D. Hwy 83 on to 185th St. (Onida junction), travel 6.5 miles on 185th St. Plot is on the north side.

July 10, Northeast Farm Tour (South Shore)

This tour begins at 4 p.m. (CDT) and runs till dusk. It includes presentations covering the following topics: Spring Wheat variety trials, weed demo plots, plant pathology, more. Speakers may include: Nathan Mueller, SDSU Extension Agronomy Specialist; Ada Szczepaniec, SDSU Extension Entomology Specialist; Emmanuel Byamukama, SDSU Extension Plant Pathology Specialist; Paul Johnson, Extension Agronomy Field Specialist; Mark Rosenberg, SDSU Extension Agronomy – Weeds Field Specialist; Ron Gelderman, SDSU Extension Soils Specialist. Directions to farm: 1.5 miles west of I-29, exit 193 (South Shore/Stockholm exit, or approximately 15 miles north of Watertown at the junction of Highway 20 and old Hwy 81.)

July 16, Bison Crop Variety Trials

This tour will include variety trials of oats, spring wheat, winter wheat, field peas, sunflowers and safflowers, and begins at at 10 a.m. (MST). The tour is led by Nathan Mueller SDSU Agronomy Specialist; and speakers may include Ada Szczepaniec, SDSU Extension Entomology Specialist; Emmanuel Byamukama, Plant Pathology Specialist; Kathy Grady SDSU Extension Oilseeds Specialist, and. Ruth Beck, SDSU Extension Agronomy Field Specialist. Directions to tour: The winter wheat plot is 4 miles west of Bison on Hwy 20 to Bixby Road, then south 4 miles, then east 1/4 mile. It is on Duane Shea’s farm. The sunflower plots are 3 miles south on Bixby Road, then 1/4 mile east.

August 13, Volga Farm Tour

This tour begins at 8:30 a.m. (CDT) and will include many topics on corn and soybean production. Directions to farm: approximately 3 miles south of Volga on Samara/464th Avenue and on the east side of the road.

For more information, contact the nearest SDSU Extension Regional Center. Contact information available at iGrow.org.