Experience K-State’s Wheat Research Firsthand During Wheat Rx School in Hays

Wheat farmers looking for hope and ideas for future growing seasons can head over to Hays for the next Wheat Rx school on May 25, 2023. The program will discuss the long-term research studies conducted at the K-State Agricultural Research Center and provide the opportunity to tour the various plots at the facility before ending with a noon meal.

“The research plots at the K-State Agricultural Research Center in Hays provide valuable information on the long-term agronomic characteristics of Kansas wheat varieties as well as the genetics moving through the wheat breeding pipeline,” said Aaron Harries, vice president of research and operations for Kansas Wheat. “This location is perfect for growers to learn about the latest research findings for suggested management practices to economically and sustainably produce wheat in Kansas and see those research plots for themselves.”

The Wheat Rx schools are part of a partnership between the Kansas Wheat Commission and K-State Research and Extension to disseminate the latest research recommendations for high-yielding and high-quality wheat to Kansas wheat farmers. The Hays program includes a stacked agenda of expertise.

Guorong Zhang, a K-State wheat breeder based in Hays, will walk attendees through the breeding plots and discuss up-and-coming genetics for wheat varieties for western Kansas. He’ll also talk about Wheat Streak Mosaic disease research and improvement of wheat quality.

At the facility’s long-term fertility and rotation plots, Augustine Obour, K-State associate professor of soil science, will discuss what researchers have learned after 48 years of tillage and nitrogen fertility management research. He’ll also discuss the challenges of long-term no-tillage systems despite improvements in soil properties.

As attendees peruse the wheat agronomy plots, Romulo Lollato, K-State wheat and forage extension specialist, will discuss the intensification of wheat production for combined food security and environmental stewardship, the role of wheat agronomy for simultaneously improving yield and quality, and producing more wheat with a lower environmental footprint.

Source: kswheat.com

Photo Credit: Kansas Wheat Commission