Nebraska Sorghum hosts September Field Day in Indianola
Nebraska Sorghum will host its 2026 Nebraska Sorghum Field Day Sept. 9, near Indianola. In partnership with Nebraska Extension, the field day will give growers a firsthand look at sorghum, also known as milo, varieties and management trials while connecting them with researchers, Extension specialists and industry experts.
The field day will begin at 4 p.m. CT, with supper following the field tour. The event is open to anyone interested in sorghum production, research and the future of the crop.
Researchers are evaluating 22 sorghum varieties, 15- and 30-inch row spacings, along with populations of 40,000, 60,000 and 80,000 plants per acre. The dryland plots offer a look at sorghum performance during this year’s dry growing season.
“In addition to the variety trials, participants will be able to walk the plots and see real-world performance and management results right in the field,” said Ruby Collins, assistant Extension educator in water and cropping systems with Red Willow County Extension. “This field day will provide producers with practical, take-home information they can use in their own operations.”
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cropping Systems Specialist Nicolas Cafaro La Menza, Ph.D., and K-State Extension Agronomist Lucas Haag, Ph.D., will share insights from their work with sorghum and answer questions from attendees. Additional researchers, Extension specialists and industry experts will also participate.
Nebraska Sorghum Producers Chair Tracy Zink is hosting the field day to bring together research results and the practical experience of companies working with sorghum across a wide range of growing conditions.
“I hope producers take the opportunity to talk one-on-one with the companies involved and hear how they’ve seen their products perform across thousands of acres,” Zink said. “Seeing those results in the field and comparing replicated trials gives producers another piece of information they can use when making the best decisions for their own operations.”
Those observations also contribute to a larger body of information that can help growers make decisions beyond this growing season, says Kristine Dvoracek Jameson, executive director of Nebraska Sorghum.
“UNL is collecting data from these plots to help us better understand how different sorghum varieties and management practices perform under different conditions,” said Jameson. “That information gives growers another resource when evaluating hybrids, planting practices and how sorghum fits into their operations for years to come.”
Supper will follow the field day.
The event is open to the public, but registration is required. Sign up here.
Location and directions
The field day will take place at the sorghum test plot 1.5 miles east of Indianola and 1.5 miles north of U.S. Highway 34. From Indianola, travel east on U.S. 34 for 1.5 miles, then turn north onto Road 398. Continue north for 1.5 miles and look for Nebraska Sorghum signs marking the field day location.
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