Crop producers, crop advisers and others interested in crop production in southern Minnesota are invited to the annual University of Minnesota's Crop Management Tour taking place in Rochester on July 10.

Free registration begins at 9 a.m., with the program held from 9:30 to noon. The event will take place at the field site located east of University Center on County Rd. 22 (East Circle Drive) at the intersection of Highway 14.

The program begins with an introduction and update on current IPM issues by Fritz Breitenbach and Lisa Behnken, IPM and Regional Extension Educators at the Extension Regional Center, Rochester. Following that, Ron Struss with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture will join Breitenbach and Behnken in a discussion about atrazine, best management practices and a tour of trials with and without atrazine.

Just how close are we to resistant weeds? Extension weed specialist Jeff Gunsolus will discuss weed resistance management in Minnesota and what producers should be doing now. Gunsolus and Regional Extension Educators will lead discussion of new products, package mixes and programs to manage weeds in corn, soybean and oats.

The final program segment allows tour attendees to discuss and see field trials focusing on corn and soybean production practices. Ryan Miller, Regional Extension Educator at Rochester, will lead a discussion on soybean cyst nematode management practices for southeast Minnesota and soybean seeding rates and seed treatments (50-150K). John Lamb, Extension Soil Scientist, will share information about field trials conducted in Minnesota on micronutrient use and need in corn and soybeans – specifically sulfur, zinc, and manganese.

The tour will be cancelled in the event of inclement weather.

For more information, contact Fritz Breitenbach at 507-280-2870 or Mary Jane Stearns at 507-536-6310.