NDSU Extension and the North Dakota Wheat Commission are pleased to announce that the annual Best of the Best in Wheat Research meeting will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 29, in Minot, North Dakota, at the Grand Oasis Hotel. The meeting provides wheat growers and agronomists current information on variety performance, fertility management and disease control.
The program will start at 8:30 a.m. with a welcome from the NDSU Extension - Ward County Agriculture and Natural Resources agent Paige Brummund. The Ward County Crop Improvement Association and commodity board elections will be held after the program concludes at 3:30 p.m.
Andrew Friskop, NDSU Extension cereal crop and corn pathologist, will re-cap the diseases seen in small grains in 2024. This past growing season was the first in many years when early-season rust diseases including stripe rust and stem rust exhibited economic levels in North Dakota. Friskop will also discuss head scab, also known as Fusarium Head Blight, and provide an update about effective management of this disease and which fungicide products work best for control.
Clair Keene, NDSU Extension small grain and corn agronomist, will discuss spring wheat and durum variety trial results from 2024 and provide tips on variety selection for the up-coming growing season. Keene will also discuss new research being conducted by her graduate student on managing spring wheat for high yield and high quality. This project has been testing how more intensive nitrogen and disease management strategies can increase yield, protein and end-use quality of common spring wheat varieties grown in North Dakota over the past three seasons.
Brady Goettl, NDSU Extension soil fertility specialist, will be discussing nitrogen management recommendations and the direction of future soil fertility research in the state. He is especially interested in meeting growers from central and western North Dakota and learning about their major concerns in regards to nutrient management.
The final speaker of the day is Frayne Olson, NDSU Extension crop marketing specialist. Olson will provide an update on corn, soybean and wheat markets and a price outlook for 2025. With a new administration in place at the federal level, there are many moving parts to commodity prices right now, and Olson will share what to watch as key factors in the current markets.
Certified Crop Advisor Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be offered. A total of 4.0 CEUs are available in the following categories: 1.0 crop management, 1.0 professional development, 0.5 nutrient management and 1.5 integrated pest management.
The Best of the Best in Wheat Research program runs from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Central time. The meeting is free to attend but registration is highly encouraged to help with the lunch count. Register online through the ND Wheat Commission website at https://www.ndwheat.com/meetings-and-events.
Source : ndsu.edu