Writer: Pam Dillard, (806) 359-5401, p-dillard@tamu.edu
Contact: Steve Winter (806) 354-5803, s-winter@tamu.edu
O. R. Jones, (806) 356-5745, orjones@ag.gov
AMARILLO — Sorghum growers looking for more options to use in their production plans next season should attend an upcoming research tour scheduled on Sept. 24.
Participants will need to assemble at 9 a.m. just south of the Bushland School, three-tenths of a mile south of I-40 on FM 2381. The tour will start from that point and proceed first to the Mike Menke Farm. Later in the morning, the tours will move to the Texas A&M James Bush Research Farm, two miles north of Bushland on FM 2381. The program will end by noon.
Scientists with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and Texas Agricultural Extension Service will be hosting the late-season, specialized research and technology update designed especially for Panhandle area producers.
“We want to give growers the chance to look at what is being done in fields where some dryland sorghums are severely drought- stressed this year,” said O. R. “Reggie” Jones, soil scientist with USDA-ARS at Bushland.
“These strategies may be particularly useful in dry years since rainfall has been 50 percent of normal at the research locations this summer,” he added.
According to Jones, nine sorghum hybrids in dryland production will be featured. The sorghums were planted as early as June 4 and as late June 26. “We’re also comparing two different planting rates and row spacing schemes with this group of hybrids,” he said.
Field demonstrations will include briefings on weed and insect control. Dr. Brent Bean, Extension Service weed scientist, will discuss what may be working to control weeds in sorghum this year. Extension entomologist Dr. Carl Patrick will discuss seed treatment products available on the market today, including his evaluation of Gaucho.
“We’re attempting to answer questions about the impacts of traditional cultural practices, primarily wheat grazing and tillage, commonly used in this area. The chief indicator is how these activities affect soil water storage,” said Dr. Steve Winter, Experiment Station agronomist and co-organizer of the tour.
Winter and Jones will discuss the strategies that seem to be working this year and those that aren’t based on their work with tillage methods, different sorghum hybrids, row spacing, and cropping systems including continuous sorghum.
In addition to the segments on dryland, Bean and Winter will discuss their studies in irrigated sorghum production.
“We’re offering optional tour stops at fields featuring soybeans and sugar beets,” the agronomists said.
Other tour sponsors include Texas Grain Sorghum Producers, Texas Sorghum Board and the Bushland Grain Coop. For more information, contact Steve Winter at (806) 354-5803 or Reggie Jones at (806) 356-5745.
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