The conference blends scientific updates with real-world solutions for corn and soybean production challenges. Presenters will address nutrient efficiency, seeding strategies, row spacing, and disease prevention.
COVINGTON, INDIANA – With the harvest complete and plans for the next season beginning to take shape, area farmers have a key opportunity to gain a competitive edge at an upcoming one-day crops conference. Set for December 12 at the Beef House's Oak Room, the event promises a packed agenda of practical, research-driven insights designed to improve crop production and profitability.
The conference, coordinated by Tricia Herr, will bring together leading university specialists from Illinois and Indiana to tackle some of the most pressing topics in modern agriculture.
“This conference brings together some of the most knowledgeable crop specialists in the region,” Herr said. “Our goal is to give farmers practical, research-based information they can take home and apply to their own operations this growing season.”
The morning session will lead off with Giovani Preza Fontes, an Illinois Field Crop Research and Extension Specialist, who will present recent findings on nitrogen and sulfur fertilization. His talk will cover N timing for soybeans and nutrient strategies for conservation systems like strip-till and no-till.
Purdue Extension corn specialist Dan Quinn will follow, sharing agronomic management tips for new short-stature corn hybrids. He will delve into how row spacing, seeding rates, and nitrogen management impact the performance of these compact varieties compared to their full-stature counterparts.
After a break and lunch, the afternoon session will focus on protecting yields. Boris Camiletti, an Illinois Field Crop Pathology and Extension Specialist, will outline strategies for managing established and emerging diseases in corn and soybeans, including the growing threats of tar spot and southern rust.
The conference runs from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. EST, with registration opening at 9:00 a.m. The $35 registration fee, payable at the door, includes lunch. The event also offers Certified Crop Adviser CEUs and other professional credits.
For farmers looking to ground-truth their plans for the coming year with the latest science, this conference is a prime destination. To reserve a spot, visit go.illinois.edu/BiStateCrops or contact Tricia Herr at 765-364-6363.
TAGS: short-stature corn hybrid management strategies, nitrogen and sulfur fertilization research for Midwest growers, corn and soybean disease prevention best practices, conservation tillage nutrient efficiency insights, Illinois–Indiana bi-state agriculture conference information
