Farmers will get latest updates to control crop pests at Pest Management Field Day, July 10. The annual event once called Weed Day, now covers weeds, insects, diseases and more.
Sign-in starts at 7:30 a.m. at University of Missouri Bradford Research Center, 8 miles east of Columbia. Kevin Bradley, an MU Extension weed specialist, explains what’s covered. Wagon tours take visitors to plot-side reports by MU Extension specialists and grad students.
“There’s a lot to talk about,” Bradley says. He will update his longtime research on dicamba, an herbicide now in the news.
Two new MU Extension state specialists join the presenters. Kaitlyn Bissonnette, a plant pathologist, will cover blight and fungus problems in odd weather. Kevin Rice, MU Extension entomologist, will give updates on Japanese beetles. Those pests are in farmers’ cornfields at pollination. Research on the role of cover crops in weed management will be discussed.
Hundreds of research plots are used to study new and old weed controls on soybean and corn fields. MU Bradford is the largest plant science research farm in the state, Bradley says. That’s far more than can be seen on wagon tours. All plots are mapped and labeled. After lunch, visitors can see controls that interest them most.
Tours end at noon for lunch. A $10 fee collected at sign-in covers food and refreshments. Tours start early to beat the heat, Bradley says.
To help planners, visitors should pre-enroll by phone or online. Call 573-884-7945 or e-mail [email protected].
