Pest management, crop adviser and farmer 'yield day' set for July 12

COLUMBIA Mo. – The University of Missouri Bradford Research Center will host two events on July 12 to share the latest research and techniques for managing pests, improving yields and soil quality, and addressing common problems in the field.

Bradford is part of a network of research centers across Missouri that extends the MU College of Agriculture Food and Natural Resources’ (CAFNR) research to nearly 13,000 acres to meet the regional research and demonstration needs of agricultural producers and natural resource managers.

At the events, producers, agricultural industry representatives, crop advisers and MU Extension specialists from throughout Missouri and surrounding states can learn innovative solutions to improve their agricultural operations and stay ahead of insect, weed and treatment challenges. 

The Pest Management Field Day begins at 8:30 a.m. and will feature guided wagon tours on weed management, pest management and current and upcoming disease pressures.

Weed management topics at this event will include future herbicide-resistant crops such as dicamba-resistant, HPPD-resistant and 2, 4-D-resistant soybeans; recommendations for controlling glyphosate-resistant waterhemp and giant ragweed; soybean response to drift from growth regulator herbicides; interactions between soil-borne pathogens and continuous glyphosate use; stem-boring insects and waterhemp; and herbicide programs available in 2013 and beyond. Hundreds of weed management treatments are on display for self-guided tours as well.

Laura Sweets, state extension plant pathologist, will provide an update on diseases to watch out for, and Wayne Bailey, state extension entomologist, will demonstrate how to sample corn and soybean fields for new insect pests.

Certified crop advisers can earn two CEU credits at the field day. Register before July 6 by calling 573-884-7945 or emailing ChismT@missouri.edu. Registration is $10, and includes lunch and tour booklet detailing each experiment.

The afternoon program will feature a new event, the Certified Crop Adviser and Farmer Yield Day. It begins at noon with a forum during lunch that features four area farmers who have had great success growing high-yield corn and soybeans.

Three tours focusing on pest management, crop production and soil management will follow. Bradford has hundreds of field demonstrations designed to find the most practical and effective solutions for producers. Researchers will discuss solutions to corn and soybean stand reduction, herbicide injury, hail damage and more.

The Farmer Yield Day is free and includes lunch for the first 250 participants. Several chemical, seed and agribusiness display booths and equipment demonstrations will also be on hand. The event concludes at 5 p.m.

For more information, go to www.aes.missouri.edu/bradford or contact Tim Reinbott at 573-884-7945 or ReinbottT@missouri.edu.

CAFNR is changing the core components of society that impact what we eat, where we live and how we’ll face tomorrow. As the University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, we are at the forefront of research and education, working toward global sustainability.