The annual dryland agronomy and horticulture field day at NDSU's Williston Research Extension Center is scheduled for Thursday, July 14. The center is 4.5 miles west of Williston on U.S. Highway 2.

An irrigation field day is set for Friday, July 15, at the NDSU Irrigated Nesson Research and Development Farm, located 23 miles east of Williston on North Dakota Highway 1804.

The dryland crops tour on July 14 starts at 9 a.m. and will feature NDSU researchers and Extension specialists, who will highlight work on topics, including:

• The relationship among crop rotations, diseases and beneficial soil organisms

• Weed control in small grains

• Crop rotations for improving soil health

• Crop rotations and soil amendments for reclamation of cropland impacted by pipeline installation

• Cereal and broadleaf crop variety testing at the center

The horticulture program also starts at 9 a.m. on July 14 in the Williston Research Extension Center's Ernie French Center for persons interested in flowers, gardening and fruit production.

Tom Kalb, an NDSU Extension horticulturalist, will give a presentation titled "Five Steps to a Great Lawn." A question-and-answer session on lawns, vegetables and flowers will follow that. Also, Kyla Splichal, a research specialist at the Williston Research Extension Center, will speak about the All-America Selections Display garden.

A barbecue chicken luncheon sponsored by area businesses will be served at noon.

A new event, "Stump the Plant Doctor," will be held during the lunch hour.

The afternoon session will focus on pulse crops and will end with an industry panel discussing the market

Following the field day on July 14, Williston Economic Development, the Williston Regional Economic Development Corporation and McCody Concrete are hosting the Williston Chamber of Commerce Business After-Hours event from 5 to 7 p.m. The reception will be held at McCody Concrete, 14021 Highway 2, Williston, and is open to field day participants.

During the irrigation field day on July 15, NDSU research and Extension specialists will discuss such topics as experiments conducted at the Nesson Valley site, Irrigation research at the Williston Research Extension Center and information on variety trials conducted under irrigation and Irrigation uniformity.

The irrigated field day will conclude with a noon luncheon sponsored by area businesses.

For more information on any of the field day events, call the center at 701-774-4315.

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