August 6, 2001

Aug. 14 Field Day Scheduled at NDSU’s Oakes Irrigation Research Site

Commercial vegetable crop management and marketing issues will be highlighted at North Dakota State University Oakes Irrigation Research Site field day, Aug. 14.

Morning presentations will focus on crop management issues and will begin at 9 a.m. Additional crop management and marketing topics will be discussed after a noon meal. NDSU agricultural engineer Vern Hofman will give a lunchtime demonstration on how tractor speed affects seed placement accuracy of planters. The site is located 4 1/2 miles south of Oakes on N.D. Highway 1.

Morning topics include:

• White mold control in edible beans. In addition to the use of traditional fungicides, NDSU plant pathologists will discuss some herbicide and calcium treatments.
• * Potato planting configurations. Agricultural engineers will discuss advantages of planting potatoes in furrows instead of hills.
• Corn hybrid update. In addition to a review of new corn hybrids, NDSU corn breeder Marcelo Carena will discuss issues related to private and public inbred development programs.
• Best management practices. NDSU soil scientists will review research they’ve been conducting relating crop management to soil health and fertility.
• Potato rotations. Richard Greenland, superintendent of the site, will discuss what crops are best to plant the year before potatoes. He’ll also discuss the role that vegetables can play in potato crop rotations.

Afternoon topics include:

• Marketing of onions and other vegetables. NDSU high-value crops specialist Rudy Radke will discuss new marketing opportunities and trends.
• Cover crops. Greenland will discuss the use of cover crops in pumpkins for soil improvement and weed control.
• Weed control in onion and cabbage. Greenland will discuss new herbicides that are available and review older options for weed control.
• Variety trial results. This session will provide an overview of the station’s onion and cabbage variety trials.
• New crop update. Greenland will discuss the station’s work with artichokes.

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Source: Richard Greenland, (701) 742-2189, rgreenla@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu