Caddo peanut and cotton field day approaching in September

The Caddo Research Station in Ft. Cobb will host a peanut and cotton field day on Sept. 15. Oklahoma State University and U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers will share crop information on their latest peanut and cotton research projects and discuss solutions to the challenges producers face.

“Like other field days, OSU researchers are trying to relay what they‚ve found to growers with unbiased opinions,” said Bobby Weidenmaier, station assistant superintendent. “We deliver research-based facts to producers, so they can make the best decisions for their crops.”

The event will offer the following presentations:

• Weed management in peanuts and cotton – Todd Baughman, OSU Extension weed management specialist • Cotton harvest aids – Seth Byrd, OSU Extension cotton specialist

• Peanut variety development – Kelly Chamberlin, USDA peanut geneticist

• Disease evaluations of peanut cultivars and advanced breeding lines – Rebecca Bennett, USDA plant pathologist

• Soil fertility project update – Brian Arnall, OSU Extension precision nutrient management specialist

• Cover crop impacts on greenhouse gas emissions – Jason Warren, OSU Extension water and soil conservation specialist Arnall will update participants on OSU‚s soil fertility project, which tests the amount of nitrogen commercially available biological products add to soil. Researchers are currently testing eight products on cotton.

“We have products that are supposed to create nitrogen or break down organic matter to release nitrogen or create a symbiotic relationship with the plants to improve uptake,” Arnall said. “The goal of the research is to quantify how much nitrogen that these products can add to the system.”

Arnall said producers have a lot of questions about biological products, and he wants them to know researchers are working on the answers.

The Sept. 15 field day will be held 5 to 7 p.m. with hull blasting provided to peanut growers prior to the event at 2:30 p.m. Weidenmaier said producers unavailable at that time can bring peanuts for blasting in the morning hours. A dinner will be served at 7 p.m. Event coordinators recommend attendees register in advance.

OSU Agriculture Field Days are educational events presented by OSU Ag Research and Extension to share research-based information and resources with Oklahomans. Field days showcase current agricultural research and relevant best practices through presentations, tours, hands-on workshops and discussion at little or no cost.