Discussions about weeds, herbicide products part of University of Missouri’s Pest Management Field Day July 7

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The University of Missouri’s 2022 Pest Management Field Day is Thursday, July 7, at the MU Bradford Research Farm, at 4968 Rangeline Road, about eight miles east of Columbia. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. with opening remarks soon after 8 a.m. Tour wagons will depart by 8:30 a.m.

MU Extension state weed scientist Kevin Bradley will discuss new herbicide products, where weed seeds end up during corn and soybean harvest, a herbicide-resistant weeds update and results from weed electrocution research.

A company will demonstrate using drones for pesticide applications and spreading cover crop seeds.

MU Extension specialist Mandy Bish will lead discussions on field crop pathology topics including soybean cyst nematode research, the latest on tar spot of corn and foliar fungicide applications in soybean. In a press release, Bish said,“The Missouri Strip Trial Program has included R3 fungicide applications to soybean for the last four growing seasons. There is corresponding yield data for 37 sites from 2018 to 2021. We’ll discuss what we have learned so far.”

The MU Plant Diagnostic Clinic will introduce the clinic’s services and present new and common corn and soybean diseases. Attendees are invited to bring crop samples to the field day for diagnosis.

Presenters will share crop insect pest predictions for 2022 and discuss new threshold traps for late-season stink bugs in soybeans.

Sam Polly, MU Extension state director of pesticide safety education, will discuss the protection of endangered species. “Recent changes in U.S. EPA policy have made endangered species one of the hottest topics in agriculture,” Polly said. “Knowing these changes and some of the species at risk is paramount to keeping your operation, and our industry at large, moving forward.”

Polly will highlight the importance of beneficial management practices such as vegetative barriers to comply with federal regulations and new labeling requirements.

Lunch will be served at noon, after which attendees can view plots showcasing a variety of herbicide treatments and weed management programs for corn and soybean. Plots will be clearly labeled and mapped for easy viewing.

The $20 registration fee helps cover costs associated with lunch and refreshments.

To register, email Kevin Bradley at bradleyke@missouri.edu by Thursday, June 30. Continuing education units are available for certified crop advisers.