The University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources research centers are back to hosting in-person field days this year. Farmers will have an opportunity to learn about the latest research in crop and livestock management systems while mingling with MU scientists and fellow farmers starting in July.

The MU Extension Pest Management Field Day is back to a live event at the university’s Bradford Research Center, where scientists will give updates on weeds, diseases, pests and cover crops. The event starts at 7:45 a.m. July 8 with registration.

From there, attendees will load wagons at 8:30 a.m. for tours of research plots showcasing herbicide treatments and weed management programs in both corn and soybeans.

“If you’ve never been before, this is an event that grows and gets better each year, and you won’t want to miss it,” MU Extension weed scientist Kevin Bradley says. He, along with other scientists and researchers, will share results from cover crops and weed control trials, including recent updates on Xtend and Enlist technologies.

Bradley’s team will share research on nonchemical weed methods, including weed electrocution and on-combine seed destruction devices. There also will be discussions on foliar fungicide use in soybeans, soybean gall midge, stinkbugs and weather apps for pesticide application timing. Continuing education credits are pending for certified crop advisers.

There is a fee with this field day, as the $20 registration covers lunch, snacks and a book that includes recent research results. Individuals can register by calling 573-884-7945 or emailing [email protected]. Bradford Research Center is 8 miles east of Columbia at 4968 Rangeline Road.

Research center field day series 

After being cooped up for a year, farmers are ready to travel. The University of Missouri has agricultural research centers located across the state, and each one offers its own unique investigation into livestock and crop production practices. MU researchers and local MU Extension faculty share their knowledge to help farmers get the most out of their operation.

For cattle producers, the Forage Systems Research Center in northern Missouri offers insight into the latest on nitrogen management and forage production. The Wurdack Research Center Field Day outside of Rolla provides research on pasture management. Researchers cover innovation in cattle genetics and herd management during the field day at Southwest Research Center near Mt. Vernon.

Visitors will be welcomed back to MU research centers across the state such as the Hundley-Whaley Research Center near Albany, Mo., where they can hear the latest research on crop production practices.

Row crop farmers can see the latest university research for see corn and soybeans. Field days not only offer research results, but also an in-season look at MU Variety Testing Program trials. Farmers can walk into the fields and see different varieties and hybrids perform at locations such as Graves-Chapple Research Center in Rock Port, Hundley-Whaley Research Center in Albany or Greenley Research Center near Kirksville. And for cotton and rice growers, the Fisher Delta Research Center in the Bootheel region has been doing research with these crops for decades.

MU field days are free and open to the public. Visit the website for updates. Here is a list of the 2021 MU field days:

Aug. 4. Greenley Research Center, Greenley Place, Novelty, Mo. Program starts at 8 a.m.

Aug. 10. Southwest Research Center, 14548 Highway H, Mt. Vernon, Mo.

Aug. 24. Graves-Chapple Research Center, 201 Highway 136 East, Rock Port, Mo. Event runs from 8:15 a.m. to noon.

Aug. 31. Fisher Delta Research Center, Rone Hall, County Road 308, Portageville, Mo. The event runs from 7 to 9 a.m., with morning program and field tours from 9 a.m. to noon.

Sept. 11. Hundley-Whaley Research Center, 1109 S. Birch St., Albany, Mo. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sept. 14. Forage Systems Research Center, 21262 Genoa Road, Linneus, Mo. Program runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Oct. 2. Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Center Missouri Chestnut Roast, 10 Research Center Road, New Franklin, Mo. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Oct. 8. Wurdack Research Center, Wurdack Farm, 164 Bales Road, Cook Station, Mo. The event is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.