March 19, 2010

What do we know about the use of cover crops and forages in dryland farming in the High Plains, and what still needs to be learned?

Answering those questions is the goal of the Cover Crops Workshop for Semiarid Dryland Crop Production Systems in the High Plains, set for March 29 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Sidney. The workshop will be at Western Nebraska Community College, 371 College Drive.

Researchers from UNL, USDA, and Kansas State University will speak in the morning, followed by a group discussion after lunch.

Presentations will include:

• Climate Across the High Plains with Qi (Steve) Hu, UNL Applied Climate Science, on how climate variables may affect plant growth.
• Water Use by Crops and Cropping Systems with David Nielsen, Research Agronomist, USDA-ARS, Akron, Colo., on crop water use and dryland cropping systems.
• Cropping System Effects on Soil Quality with Merle Vigil, Research Soil Scientist, USDA-ARS, Akron, Colo., on the effects of tillage and cropping intensity on soil quality.
• Cover Crop Benefits with Corey Brubaker, State Conservation Agronomist, USDA-NRCS, Lincoln, on the benefits of including cover crops in dryland crop productions systems.
• Green Fallow with Alan Schlegel, Soil Management, KSU Southwest Research-Extension Center, Tribune, Kan., on the results of a multi-state, 1980s study that looked at replacing summer fallow with legume cover crops.
• Economics of Fallow and Fallow Replacement with Paul Burgener, Ag Economics Research Analyst, UNL Panhandle REC, Scottsbluff, on the economics of eliminating summer fallow.

Preregistration

Preregistration is encouraged by March 22; those who preregister will receive a brown bag lunch. For more information or to register, contact UNL Extension in Cheyenne County, P.O. Box 356, Sidney, NE 69162, or 308-254-4455.