Agronomy Field Day September 11 At Arlington Ag Station
The latest developments in University of Wisconsin-Madison crops and soils research will be on display at Agronomy Field Day, Thursday, Sept. 11 at the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Arlington Agricultural Research Station. Four tours will look at research in crop production, weed management, forage systems, and soil fertility research. The tour stops will be hosted by CALS researchers and extension specialists.
Crop Production</strong
Can you boost yields by switching to narrow-row corn? Corn agronomist Joe Lauer will talk about the increased yields seen with 20- or 15-inch rows in the northern Corn Belt, and how to balance yield increases with the costs of converting to narrow-row equipment.
Other topics will include:
* New developments in corn for silage.
* Soybean management: row spacing, seed treatments, inoculants.
* Engineering applications for site-specific management.
Weed Management
Several herbicide-resistant corn hybrids are on the market, and others will soon be introduced. CALS weed scientist Gordon Harvey and student Dave Fischer will discuss a UW trial that looks at both weed control and profitability of Liberty-Link?, SR?, IR?, Roundup Ready?, and conventional corn hybrids grown under conventional tillage. Other topics will include:
* New quackgrass management alternatives.
* Impact of corn row spacing on weed management.
* Is residual weed control necessary in corn?
Forage Systems
There is a way to get a quick, pre-harvest estimate of alfalfa quality. Agronomist Ken Albrecht will explain the PEAQ (predictive equations for alfalfa quality) system, which provides rapid, accurate estimates of alfalfa fiber concentrations in the field. Other topics will include:
* Effect of sulfur fertilization and variety on selenium uptake by alfalfa.
* Why don”t alfalfa stands last longer?
* Establishing prairie grass wildlife habitat.
Soil Fertility Research</strong
Do you need starter fertilizer for corn fields that already test high for P and K? Soil scientist Larry Bundy will discuss trials at the Arlington station that used planting date, hybrid relative maturity, and soil test information to predict corn response to starter fertilizer. Other topics will include:
* Timing of topdress potassium on alfalfa.
* Crop responses to Amisorb and other additives.
* Manure management in reduced-tillage systems.
Tours will depart at 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:45 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. from the Public Events Facility. The CALS weed and plant doctors will be in residence at the Public Events Facility.
Lunch and refreshments will be available. The Arlington station is on U.S. Highway 51 about 5 miles south of Arlington. Watch for field day signs. For more information, call the Department of Agronomy, (608) 262-1390; or the Department of Soil Science, (608) 262-2633.