Exciting advancements in agriculture are about to be showcased at the annual Panhandle Agriculture Research and Technology Tour. Set for Aug. 23 at the UNL Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center campus in Scottsbluff, enthusiasts can join this enlightening event free of cost.
Kicking off with registration at 8:30 a.m., attendees will be welcomed at 8:50 a.m. Tours of research plots will follow, presenting intriguing advancements in the field. The parking lot will display state-of-the-art farm machinery like combines suitable for direct harvesting of dry edible beans.
John Thomas, a notable Nebraska Extension educator, plans to shed light on the pros and cons of direct harvesting dry edible beans. This method, he suggests, could revolutionize bean harvesting.
Water management takes center stage with Xin Qiao and Gary Stone from Nebraska Extension. Qiao's team offers a weekly water report that growers can subscribe to via text. They've also developed pivot-mounted cameras for efficient water and crop monitoring.
The tour isn't just about machinery and water. Disease management in specialty crops, as shared by Bob Harveson, Nebraska Extension plant pathologist, is of vital importance. He'll delve into solutions for diseases affecting potatoes and sunflowers and will introduce a recently discovered virus in sunflower plots.
The day will be packed with insights on a range of topics, including:
• Environmental benefits of cattle by Karla Wilke.
• Feedlot management techniques by Pablo Loza.
• Palmer amaranth management by Nevin Lawrence.
• Soil nutrient methods for sustainable sugar beet production by Bijesh Maharjan.
• Economic updates in agriculture by Jessica Groskopf.
• Importance of Millets 2023 to Nebraska by Dipak Santra.
• Geophysics applications by Mohamed Aboushanab.
• Dry bean breeding program developments by Carlos Urrea.
• Precision technology against mold disease in dry beans by Weizhen Liang.
This tour is a goldmine of information and is open to all. Morning tours will be followed by informative afternoon sessions in the auditorium. For more details, head over to https://preec.unl.edu/panhandle-agriculture-research-and-technology-tour
Photo Credit: stock-dorin-s
Categories: Nebraska, Business