August 10, 2010

An Aug. 30 Irrigation and Energy Conservation Field Day at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's South Central Agricultural Laboratory near Clay Center will help corn growers save water and money.

Sponsored by the Nebraska Corn Board and the Nebraska Corn Growers Association in partnership with UNL Extension, the program starts with 8:30 a.m. registration and training from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Pre-registration is requested by Aug. 21.

Participants will learn about best management practices for corn production, achieving water conservation in irrigated and dryland corn production, reducing energy use production costs, maintaining and, in some cases, increasing yield and profitability, and better managing surface and groundwater irrigation.

Topics include: Innovations in Irrigation Equipment, New Technologies for Monitoring Soil Water and Crop Evapotranspiration, Sprinkler Packages Selection Options, Minimizing Atrazine Contamination of Nebraska Rivers and a Corn Disease/Fungicide Update, Crop Canopy Sensors for In-Season Nitrogen Fertilizer Management and Interactive Computer Programs: Hybrid Maize and SoyWater.

In addition, there will be an update on Nebraska water issues and the current energy landscape.

At noon Gov. Dave Heineman will discuss "The Importance of Agriculture and Water to Nebraska's Future," and updates from the Nebraska Corn Board and the Nebraska Corn Growers Association are planned.

Registration is free and supported in part through funding by the Nebraska Corn Board and the Nebraska Corn Growers Association.

Certified Crop Advisor credits have been applied for. For more information or to register, e-mail shachtel1@unl.edu, gzoubek1@unl.edu, call (402) 762-4403, fax (402) 762-4411, or visit http://scal.unl.edu/CropClinics.shtml.

Sandi Alswager Karstens
IANR News Service