Agronomy tours highlight Carrington Research Center Field Day on July 16

Crop agronomics, marketing, and pest management are among the topics that will be covered during the annual field day Tuesday, July 16, at North Dakota State University's Carrington Research Extension Center (CREC).

"This is the premier summer event to showcase our center's research and hear about exciting new developments in production agriculture. The best part is the information is generated locally, which gives people a chance to see and hear about what works in their region," says Mike Ostlie, CREC director. Speakers primarily will be NDSU crop scientists and Extension specialists.

The agronomy production tour is one of several tours offered during the morning of the field day. Other tours are livestock, northern hardy fruit, and organic and sustainable agriculture. An afternoon tour will focus on agronomics and outlook of specialty crops.

The center's 65th annual field day begins at 9 a.m. with registration, coffee and a welcome address by NDSU leaders, including NDSU President David Cook, and special guests. At 9:30, attendees will have the opportunity to choose from four tour options that run concurrently. Lunch will be served at noon with an afternoon tour on specialty crops available from 1:15 to 3 p.m.

Topics and speakers are:

• NDSU crop breeder updates on spring wheat and dry beans – Andrew Green, wheat breeder, NDSU Department of Plant Sciences, Fargo, and Juan Osorno, dry bean breeder, NDSU Department of Plant Sciences

• Managing kochia and other difficult weeds in corn and soybean – Joe Ikley, Extension weed specialist, NDSU Department of Plant Sciences

• Soybean marketing and crush facility updates – David Ripplinger, Extension bioproducts/bioenergy economist, NDSU Agribusiness and Applied Economics, Fargo

• Nitrogen and microbe fate in different cropping and tillage systems – Kelsey Griesheim, Soil Fertility, NDSU School of Natural Resource Sciences, Fargo, Samiran Banerjee, NDSU Microbiological Sciences, Fargo, Sergio Cabello Leiva, soil scientist at the CREC

• Dry bean fungicide application recommendations for 2024 – Michael Wunsch, research plant pathologist, CREC

After lunch, participants have the opportunity to attend an afternoon tour on specialty crops. Topics include lupin, kernza, pennycress, sorghum and cover crops. The tour will provide hands-on experience with these crops and share information about production, opportunities and pitfalls for these crops, all of which have emerging markets in North Dakota. Speakers include Kristin Simons, agronomist, CREC, Mike Ostlie, director of the CREC, Cabello Leiva, Lindsay Malone, climate smart approaches in ag, NDSU School of Natural Resources, Fargo, and David Marks from Forever Green.

The noon meal is free of charge thanks in part to support from Green Bison Soy Processing and the Carrington Research Extension Center.

The CREC is 3.5 miles north of Carrington on U.S. Highway 281.

For more information, contact the center at 701-652-2951 or visit ndsu.ag/crec-field-day.

Direct any further questions to Mike Ostlie at 701-652-2951 or by email at mike.ostlie@ndsu.edu.