NDSU Oakes Irrigation Field Day set for Aug. 1

Jul 16, 2024

By Mike Ostlie

North Dakota State University’s Oakes Irrigation Research Site, a branch of the Carrington Research Extension Center (CREC), will host its annual field day Thursday, Aug. 1. The field day consists of a tour of the site and select research being conducted this season.

“The site has undergone many changes over the past year, and we look forward to showing off the progress,” says Mike Ostlie, CREC director.

The tour starts at 9 a.m. Topics include:

Potato breeding updates – Asunta Thompson, potato breeder
Robotic weeding solutions and monitoring – Evans Wiafe, graduate student
Soybean disease under high moisture conditions – Wade Webster, soybean pathology specialist
White mold management in soybeans – Michael Wunsch, CREC research plant pathologist
Dry bean variety update – Juan Osorno, dry bean breeder

Organic matter matters – Carlos Pires, soil fertility specialist

A free lunch will follow the presentations, as well as a sneak peek at the new headquarters building under construction.

Source : ndsu.edu

Video: Residue Management

Residue Management conservation practice manages the amount, orientation, and distribution of crop and other plant residue on the soil surface year-round while limiting soil-disturbing activities used to grow and harvest crops in systems where the field surface is tilled prior to planting. This video explores how Ryan McKenzie implemented this conservation practice on his farm in Samson, Alabama.

Practice benefits:

• Increases organic matter

• Improves air quality

• Decreases energy costs

• Reduces erosion

• Improves soil health

The Conservation at Work video series was created to increase producer awareness of common conservation practices and was filmed at various locations throughout the country. Because conservation plans are specific to the unique resource needs on each farm and also soil type, weather conditions, etc., these videos were designed to serve as a general guide to the benefits of soil and water conservation and landowners should contact their local USDA office for individual consultation.