NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

August 5, 1999

[EDITORS: NDSU President Joseph Chapman will attend the NDSU Oakes Irrigation Site field day and will be available for media interviews. More information at the end of this news release.]

Field Day Set at NDSU Oakes Irrigation Site

A field day with tours featuring research on field and vegetable crops is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 17, at the North Dakota State University Oakes Irrigation Site, located 4 ½ miles south of Oakes on N.D. Highway 1.

Coffee and donuts will be available at 9 a.m. NDSU President Joseph Chapman will open the field day at 9:30 a.m.

A morning tour will feature field crops including:

• A discussion of disease and weed control in edible beans. NDSU weed scientist Cal Messersmith will outline research to improve weed control in the crop.
• A corn hybrid update. NDSU Extension agronomist Duane Berglund will discuss hybrid selection including an overview of Liberty Link, Roundup-Ready and Bt corn hybrids.
• A review of insect management in corn and potatoes will be led by NDSU Extension entomologist Phil Glogoza.
• Modifications to irrigation systems that can improve efficiency and performance. NDSU Extension agricultural engineer Tom Scherer will discuss the use of drop nozzles, low pressure and other modifications.
• A soybean variety update. NDSU soybean breeder Ted Helms will discuss progress in developing new soybean varieties for North Dakota.

There will be a free meal at noon followed by a demonstration on how to reduce spray drift by NDSU Extension Service agricultural engineer Vern Hofman. An afternoon tour of vegetable crop research and demonstration crops will begin after the demonstration. Topics include:

• A discussion of raised bed and flat ground production of carrots. Richard Greenland, research supervisor of the Oakes site, will also discuss how plant populations affect carrot production.
• A review of fertility, disease and other NDSU research on carrot production by plant breeder Chiwon Lee, plant pathologist Robert Stack and soil scientist Larry Cihacek.
• A discussion of variety selection and production techniques for pumpkin, winter squash, raspberry and asparagus.
• An outline of how vegetables are evaluated for taste and other sensory characteristics by NDSU food researcher Edna Holm.
• A review of weed control options for onions and tomatoes.

###

Note to editors: Joseph Chapman took office as NDSU's 13th president on June 2. Prior to becoming president of North Dakota State University, Chapman served as senior vice president and provost at Montana State University, Bozeman. In addition to administrative duties, Chapman served as a professor of biology. Before joining Montana State in 1996, he was dean of the College of Natural Resources at Utah State University. From 1969 to 1983, he worked at the University of Maryland, College Park, rising to head the Appalachian Environmental Laboratory. Joseph and Gale Chapman have two daughters, Valerie, 14 , and Jennifer, 11.

For more information on Chapman's visit to the Oakes Irrigation site or to make advance arrangements for an interview, contact David Wahlberg at (701) 231-8325.

Source: Richard Greenland (701) 742-2189
Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629