Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608, skledbetter@aag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Paul DeLaune, 940-552-9941 ext. 207, pdelaune@ag.tamu.edu
Dr. Emi Kimura, 940-552-9941 ext. 233, emi.kimura@ag.tamu.edu
CHILLICOTHE – Wheat, canola, triticale and cropping systems will be highlighted during a field day May 4 at Texas A&M AgriLife Research’s Chillicothe Station, located south of Chillicothe on Farm-to-Market Road 392.
Spring Crops Field Day attendees will tour wheat plots like these featured at a previous Texas A&M AgriLife Research field day at the Chillicothe Station. (Texas A&M AgriLife Communications photo by Kay Ledbetter)
Registration will be from 7:45-8:30 a.m., followed by a herbicide regulations presentation by Henry Krusekopf, Texas Department of Agriculture inspector from Wichita Falls.
Three Texas Department of Agriculture pesticide applicator continuing education units – two general and one laws and regulations – will be offered.
The morning field tours will follow, beginning with a look at wheat and triticale, including varieties and breeding program update, crop status and outlook, presented by Dr. Jackie Rudd, AgriLife Research wheat breeder, and Jason Baker, AgriLife Research senior research associate, both in Amarillo, and Dr. Clark Neely, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service small grains and oilseed specialist in College Station.
A second stop will look at canola variety trials and general agronomic production issues such as row spacing, seeding rates, planting dates, tillage practices and fertility management. Co-planners Dr. Paul DeLaune, AgriLife Research environmental soil scientist, and Dr. Emi Kimura, AgriLife Extension agronomist, both in Vernon, along with Neely will speak.
The final stop of the morning tour will be DeLaune discussing soil and water conservation in cropping systems, including a look at warm-season and cool-season crop rotation options, conservation tillage and cover crop options in cotton.
At the final stop Dr. Curtis Adams, AgriLife Research cropping systems scientist in Vernon, also will discuss his plans for research in the Rolling Plains, which includes cropping systems diversification, root biology, and water and nutrient management.
The program will move inside again after the tours for the noon lunch sponsored by the Texas Wheat Producers Association, and more presentations, DeLaune said. A producer panel will discuss innovative production systems using crop rotation and no-till practices in the Rolling Plains.
For more information, call 940-552-9941 to contact DeLaune at extension 207 or Kimura at extension 233, or by email at pdelaune@ag.tamu.edu oremi.kimura@ag.tamu.edu.