Research Updates at High Plains Ag Lab Field Day Aug. 11

July 29, 2015

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln High Plains Ag Lab (HPAL) Field Day scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 11, will highlight UNL research on a wide range of subjects important to area producers: crop breeding and variety trials; management of curl mites and wheat stem sawflies; the search for alternative crops; and forage and peas for livestock feed.

The field tours aren't the only attraction at this year's Field Day. In addition, the new HPAL headquarters will be dedicated as the Charles R. Fenster Building, in recognition of the pioneering UNL cropping systems specialist who worked at HPAL for many years.

Ribbon cutting for the new building was held in 2014. It was constructed with help from a fund-raising campaign begun in 2012 and supported by numerous individuals, foundations, and agricultural businesses.

The 2,800-square-foot building provides new offices for permanent staff; work stations for students or visiting scientists; a conference room; and space for seed and plant material handling. HPAL will continue to use part of the former headquarters, an original 1940s-era structure that was part of the Sioux Army Ordnance Depot when the U.S. government gave the property to the university in 1970. 

The Aug. 11 field day begins with welcome and lunch at noon, at the new headquarters. The building dedication will take place after lunch and before the plot tours begin. The field day concludes at 4 p.m.

To get to the High Plains Ag Lab office, take U.S. 385 to the Huntsman Elevator (6 miles north of Sidney or 7 miles south of Gurley), then drive about 2 miles west, then ½ mile north.

Topics and speakers for the field tours are:

• HPAL Management and Research Update, Rob Higgins, Farm Manager
•  How Can UNL's Research and Extension Address Producers' Needs? Extension Educator Karen DeBoer
• Small Grains Breeding at HPAL, UNL Crop Breeding Specialist Stephen Baenziger
• Managing Wheat Curl Mite and its Transmitted Viruses on Wheat, Gary Hein and Everlyne Wosula, UNL
• Wheat Stem Sawfly Research Update, UNL Extension Entomologist Jeff Bradshaw
• Variety Testing of Field Pea, UNL Alternative Crops Breeding Specialist Dipak Santra
• Fenugreek, a Potential Medicinal Crop in Nebraska, Dipak Santra and Alex Pavlista, UNL Crop Physiology Specialist
• Sorghum (Milo) in Western Nebraska, Cody Creech, UNL Dryland Cropping Systems Specialist
• Tracking Residual N in a High Rainfall Year, Gary Hergert, retired UNL Soils and Nutrient Management Specialist
• Weed management for Field Pea Production, Cody Creech, Dryland Cropping Systems Specialist
• Use of Field Pea in Cattle Feeding, Karla Jenkins, UNL Cow-Calf Range Management Specialist
• Forage and Range Trials, Karla Jenkins, UNL
• Proso Millet Breeding, Dipak Santra, UNL
• Advanced Crops Research, Bill Struckmeyer, UNL.