Cover Crop Field Day set for May 25 at K-State HB Ranch near Hays

Growing cover crops to enhance soil quality and nutrient cycling and suppress weeds and pests as part of a wheat production system is increasingly being considered by producers, but the water requirements pose a concern for growers in western Kansas.

Kansas State University researchers have been evaluating cover crop management options in water-limited environments and will discuss their findings at a Cover Crop Field Day on May 25 at the K-State HB Ranch near Hays.

The day includes presentations by K-State faculty, growers and government officials:

• K-State cover crop research, John Holman, K-State agronomist;

• Cover crop plot tour, Augustine Obour, K-State agronomist;

• Cover crops and beneficial insects, J.P. Michaud, K-State entomologist;

• On-farm cover crop research update, Meagan Schipanski, Colorado State University agronomist;

• Cover crops and soil health, Dale Younker, USDA/Natural Resources Conservation Service; and

• Grazing cover crops, Sandy Johnson, K-State animal scientist.

The field day and tour starts at 9:30 a.m. at K-State’s HB Ranch. A complimentary lunch is included. The ranch is 4 miles south of the Cedar Bluff Dam on Kansas Highway 147. Attendees are asked to RSVP by May 23 to Milissa Alexander at 785-625-3425 or [email protected].