The Virginia Tech Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center will hold an early-summer row crops tour during the morning of Thursday, June 6, 2013. The tour will be held at the Center’s Research Farm (1045 Hare Road, Suffolk, VA). Specialists will display field research in progress and will present information for the 2013 crop season.
Speakers and topics will include Dr. Ames Herbert (Thrips Management in Cotton/Peanuts and Tour of Research Plots); Dr. Maria Balota (Use of Genomics and Physiology in Crop Improvement); Dr. Hunter Frame (Soil Fertility Research in Virginia Cotton); Dr. Pat Phipps (Fungicides Boost Wheat Yield) (New Tools for Peanut and Cotton Disease Control); and Dr. David Holshouser (Oats as an Alternative Cover Crop). Robert Christian of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will conclude the tour with a pesticide safety review. Commercial pesticide applicator recertification credits will be offered in Categories 1-A (Agricultural Plant Pest Control), 1-C (Fumigation of Soil and Agricultural Products), and 10 (Demonstration & Research Pest Control), and Registered Technician (category 60). We have applied to offer Certified Crop Adviser Continuing Education credits, and plan to apply to offer Private Applicator Recertification Credits.
All interested in commercial production of field crops are invited to attend. There is no preregistration and no fee for attending this tour. Arrival is at 8:30 am with the program starting promptly at 9:00 am and running through lunch (courtesy of Berry Lewis with Bayer CropScience). More information is available through local Virginia Cooperative Extension offices or by contacting the Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center main office at 757-657-6450. If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact the Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center at 757-657-6450 (TDD number is 800-828-1120) during business hours of 8 am and 4:30 pm to discuss accommodations five days prior to the event.