The annual University of Idaho Snake River Pest Management Research Tours are planned June 27 at Aberdeen Research and Education Center and June 28 at the Kimberly Research and Extension Center.
Registration for the free tours that are open to the public will begin at 8 a.m. with the tour starting at 8:30. A sponsored lunch at noon will conclude the tours. Attendees will received three ISDA pesticide applicator recertification credits at each location.
The Aberdeen tour will focus on weed control in potatoes with a variety of herbicides and methods. Controlling the nightshades, sticky and hairy, will also be discussed at Aberdeen in relation to eradicating the pale cyst nematode and controlling potato virus Y.
The Aberdeen tour will also include research updates on potato variety herbicide safety and glyphosate carryover in seed potatoes.
At Kimberly, the June 28 tour agenda will include a wide range of research focused on sugarbeets, including tests of three tillage systems and their effects on productivity and pest management.
Research at Kimberly focused on chicory control, small grains, corn, dry beans, potatoes and alfalfa also will be reviewed during the tour. The projects focus mostly on disease, insect and weed control.
The Aberdeen Research and Extension Center is located at 1693 South 2700 West. The Kimberly R&E Center is located at 3806 North 3600 East.
Last year, the Aberdeen Research and Extension Center celebrated its centennial. This is a big year for the University of Idaho and its contributions to teaching, research and extension.
July 2 marks the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln signing the federal Morrill Act, which founded the land-grant university system. As Idaho's member of the original land-grant system, the University of Idaho was established in 1889, a year before statehood.
This year is also the 125th anniversary of the Hatch Act, which created state agricultural experiment stations. The Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station began operations 120 years ago a few months before the University of Idaho's first classes began in 1892.
More information about the Aberdeen tour is available from Pam Hutchinson, (208) 397-4181, phutch@uidaho.edu. Kimberly tour information is available from Superintendent Don Morishita, don@uidaho.edu, (208) 423-6615; Oliver Neher, (208) 428-6688, oneher@uidaho.edu, or Erik Wenninger, (208) 423-6677 or erikw@uidaho.edu.