By Scout Nelson
Kansas State University's Department of Plant Pathology, in partnership with the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission, is set to conduct a series of educational field days dubbed the Sorghum Connection Field Days. These events are scheduled for consecutive Wednesdays in September and aim to advance the productivity and profitability of sorghum producers through expert insights and on-farm research findings.
The field days will kick off on September 4th at Bavara, followed by events in Dighton on September 11th, and Russell on September 18th. Each session will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will cover critical topics such as hybrid selection, stalk rot management, fertility, and other key agricultural practices that influence sorghum farming.
Attendance is free, but registration is required, with details available online for prospective participants. Rodrigo Onofre, a K-State plant pathologist, emphasized the multi-disciplinary approach of the field days, which will feature over 20 different hybrids, various management trials, and studies on fungicides and cropping systems.
The field day speakers include notable experts such as Lucas Haag from the K-State Department of Agronomy, and extension agents Craig Dinkel and Jay Wisbey, among others. This initiative reflects a significant effort by the Sorghum Connection team to provide practical, research-backed guidance to farmers, directly addressing their needs and challenges.
This initiative is particularly significant given that Kansas is the leading grain sorghum-producing state in the U.S., accounting for about 46% of the nation's total sorghum production. The series promises to be a valuable resource for enhancing agricultural practices among sorghum farmers in the region.
Photo Credit: istock-mailson-pignata
Categories: Kansas, Crops, Sorghum