With Nevada’s harsh weather and low precipitation, producers are considering crop and irrigation options that use less water than traditional crops such as alfalfa, that maintain a high yield and profitability. Researchers at the University have been exploring sorghum as an alternative crop for Nevada, and are offering a free virtual workshop on their findings.

The workshop, called “Sorghum for Nevada: Basics and Research Updates,” will be from 9 a.m. to noon, March 12. Researchers in the University’s College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources will give updates on ongoing sorghum research and present practical growing information.

“Water is becoming less available for crop production,” Maninder Walia, assistant professor and field crop specialist with the College’s Extension unit, said. “Producers in Nevada are looking for opportunities to grow crops that require less water, and sorghum is such a crop.”

In addition to a presentation by Walia on the basics of growing sorghum, the workshop will include presentations by Assistant Professor Melinda Yerka, Assistant Professor Alejandro Andrade-Rodriguez and Associate Professor Robert Washington-Allen, all with the College’s Experiment Station unit.

Specific topics include:

About the research

Walia works with both researchers and local producers to test new crop varieties to enhance agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability by adopting strategies such as soil amendments, reduced or no-tillage, alternate cropping systems, cover crops, and nutrient management strategies to improve crop and soil quality.

Yerka has been studying sorghum and other alternative crops since before she joined the College in 2017. Her sorghum breeding program is developing varieties specifically tailored for commercial production in northern Nevada and California.

Andrade-Rodriguez’s research focuses on irrigation management practices specific to Nevada. Recently, he has been working with Walia, Yerka and Washington-Allen to identify how sorghum responds to different nitrogen and irrigation treatments.

Washington-Allen studies how to apply innovative technology, including drones, laser scanning, ground-penetrating radar, virtual and augmented reality tools, geographic information systems, and remote sensing, to improve crop sustainability, especially in Nevada’s climate.

Preregister for the workshop online by March 10. For more information, email Walia at [email protected]. For more information on crop studies being conducted by researchers in the College, visit the Experiment Station website.

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