Direct-Seed Field Day, June 24

PULLMAN, Wash. — The 2004 Direct-Seed Cropping Systems Research Field Day will be held Thursday, June 24, at the Palouse Conservation Field Station northwest of Pullman.

Registration will begin at 8 a.m., the program at 8:15 a.m. Station tours will start at 8:30 a.m. A hosted lunch and short program will begin at noon. It will include a memorial tribute to Roger Veseth, Washington State University and University of Idaho conservation tillage specialist. Veseth died in September 2003 of complications from an earlier sledding accident with his family.

In addition, a number of grower organization, university and ARS representatives will provide brief updates on their programs and activities related to conservation cropping systems.

Research topics and speakers include:

  • Winter Pea and Winter Lentil Agronomics, Kevin McPhee, USDA-ARS grain legume breeder, and Kurt Braunwart, ProGene.
  • Clearfield-Beyond Systems for Spring Wheat, Joe Yenish, WSU weed science extension specialist.
  • Is Soil Liming in Your Future?, Rich Koenig, WSU soil fertility extension specialist.
  • Soil-Borne Disease in Direct-Seed Transition, Kurt Schroeder, WSU plant pathologist.
  • Nitrogen Fertility and Direct-Seed Cropping System Design, Dave Huggins, USDA-ARS soil scientist.

The Palouse Conservation Field Station was established as one of 10 original erosion experiment stations in the United States between 1929- 1933. Scientists use the 200-acre research farm to conduct a wide variety of research projects related to farming systems to improve soil and water conservation on the Palouse.

A research program on continuous direct-seeding cropping systems was initiated in 1996 and continues to expand as a major research focus on the farm.

The Palouse Conservation Field Station is located 1.5 miles north of Pullman on Highway 27, turn west and go half a mile on the Albion Road.

Credits have been requested for pesticide applicator recertification in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, and for Certified Crop Adviser continuing education.

For more information, contact John Burns at 509-335-2915/5831, or e-mail burnsjw@wsu.edu.

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