LIND, Wash. –The annual field day of Washington State University’s Lind Dryland Research Unit on June 11 has been expanded from a half to a full day to accommodate presentations on 13 research projects.
“Growers in the low-rainfall, dryland areas want more research applicable to their conditions,” said Bill Schillinger, WSU dryland research agronomist. “Researchers have responded to grower needs by increasing efforts to improve cereal varieties and traditional management practices as well as explore the potential for new crops and new methods to farm profitably.”
Researchers from WSU, the University of Idaho, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, Western Farm Service and the Adams Conservation District are expected to make presentations on promising new lines of wheat and a number of potential alternative crops for the region, including yellow mustard, dry peas and millet.
Growers will view experiments to combat jointed goatgrass, research on fall-planted spring wheat, trials using microbial seed treatments to suppress diseases, tests examining the effect of row spacing on direct seeding of cereals, learn about grass mixes for Conservation Reserve Program plantings and see new structures to control water runoff.
An experimental new flexible no-till system which incorporates a four- year rotation that includes two years of spring cereals followed by a warm season grasses and a broadleaf crop, will also be discussed.
Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Plot tours start at 9 a.m. A no-host lunch is scheduled at 12:30 p.m. Tours will resume at 1:45 p.m. and conclude at 4:30 p.m.
The event is free and open to the public. Contact Schillinger at (509) 659-0355 or (509) 659-0335 for more information.
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