Maximizing Pivot Irrigation Dollars Workshop Set for Dec. 13

Producers faced many problems during this past growing season, ranging from getting the crop planted to disease and quality issues. Crop rotation and diversity also are considerations producers must think about while managing their farm operation.

Some of the biggest question marks in irrigation are how to achieve consistency in crop management and yields while maintaining quality.

To address some of these questions, an irrigation workshop has been developed that emphasizes irrigation research taking place in the Williston region. Presenters at the workshop also will discuss specific management practices. The workshop will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 13, at the Williston Research Extension Center starting at 9:30 a.m. (CST). The workshop will be held in the Ernie French Center.

The workshop will start with an update on fungicide management by Chet Hill, North Dakota State University WREC area Extension Service specialist. The discussion then will switch to the economics of corner arm irrigation systems on pivots provided by Lyle Roberts, Monkota Co., and Mike Ames, Agri Industries. Jim Staricka, WREC soil scientist, will discuss the management of saline soil areas.

Following lunch, researchers Bart Stevens, agronomist, and Upendra Sainju, soil scientist, with the Agricultural Research Service in Sidney, Mont., will update growers on research being conducted in the Nesson Valley. They will discuss polymer-coated urea and the correlation between irrigation and greenhouse emissions. Tyler Tjelde, WREC irrigation agronomist, will provide an update on the Nesson Valley irrigation research site and highlight water management research projects.

The noon lunch is sponsored by Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative. Agri Industries is sponsoring the breaks during the workshop.

For more information, contact Hill at (701) 774-4315 or chet.hill@ndsu.edu.

NDSU Agriculture Communication - Dec. 1, 2011