The program will be held at the center, 1619 Garner Field Rd., and will begin with registration from 7:30-7:55 a.m. to include coffee and breakfast tacos provided by JH Biotech Inc., McQueeney.
The program is free and lunch is also included, but an RSVP is requested by May 12 to ensure an accurate lunch count. RSVP by May 12 at 5 p.m. to Liza Silva at 830-278-9151, ext. 232 or lmsilva@ag.tamu.edu, or Christine Thompson at 830-278-9151, ext. 231 or cwthompson@ag.tamu.edu.
“This program will be of benefit to vegetable and wheat producers and will cover some of the latest research and breeding techniques to ensure good product quality and yield,” said Dr. Daniel Leskovar, center director. “We will have a number of AgriLife presenters with extensive experience in horticultural, soil, and crop science as well as plant physiology, vegetable breeding, cropping systems and pests/diseases provide attendees with useful, research-based information they can apply to their own operations.”
Leskovar will provide opening remarks for the field day, along with Marcel Valdez and Samantha Korzekwa, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agents for agriculture and natural resources in Zavala and Uvalde counties, respectively.
The program will provide two Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units.
Program topics and presenters will be:
- Breeding Tomatoes for Texas Environments, Dr. Kevin Crosby, professor of horticultural sciences, Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center, College Station.
- Phenotyping Wheat Cultivars for Rust Disease, Dr. Xuejun Dong, AgriLife Research crop eco-physiologist, Uvalde.
- Sensing Wheat Root Traits with Ground Penetrating Radar in the Wintergarden and High Plains, Dr. Xiuwei Liu, AgriLife Research cropping systems research associate, Uvalde.
- Nutrient Use Efficiency for Organic Vegetable Farming, Dr. Vijay Joshi, AgriLife Research systems plant physiologist, Uvalde.
- Breeding for Disease and Pest Resistance in Onion and Watermelon, Dr. Subas Malla, AgriLife Research vegetable breeder, Uvalde.
- Tomato Grafting for Hoophouse and Open Field: Overview and Lessons Learned, Leskovar; and team members Crosby; Dr. Carlos Avila, AgriLife Research vegetable breeder, Weslaco; and Dr. Russ Wallace, AgriLife Extension vegetable specialist, Lubbock.
- Tomato and Watermelon Diseases and Control Methods, Dr. Kimberly Cochran, AgriLife Extension plant pathologist, Uvalde.
- Insect Pests and Vectors of Plant Pathogens in Tomato, Pepper and Watermelon: Searching to develop a sustainable integrated pest management strategy, Dr. Ismael Badillo-Vargas, AgriLife Research vector entomologist, Weslaco.
- Onion Production Systems: Transplants versus Direct Seeding, Andrea Macias de Leon, AgriLife Research graduate student in vegetable physiology, horticultural sciences, Uvalde.
- Soil Amendments for Bell Pepper: Response to Irrigation and Soil Types, Kuan Qin, AgriLife Research graduate student in vegetable physiology, horticultural sciences, Uvalde.
The program will conclude with lunch at 12:15 p.m., sponsored by First State Bank of Uvalde.
Source: AgriLife Today