Growers who have a clear understanding of what nutrients are already in their soil and what nutrients are missing are more likely to produce higher yields while saving money, according to agronomists with Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental. Reading soil test results and understanding the meaning of those results is just one of several topics that will be discussed during the West Ohio Agronomy Day Jan. 13, 2014, offered by Ohio State University Extension and Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center researchers, educators and agronomists, said Debbie Brown, an OSU Extension Educator.
OSU Extension and OARDC are the outreach and research arms, respectively, of the college. Open to growers statewide, the program is designed to help growers produce higher yields while maintaining a strong financial bottom line, Brown said. “Nutrient use is the focus of the program this year, with an emphasis on knowing the right amount of nutrients to apply,” she said. “Our goal is to help growers maximize their yields while also watching the bottom line by being judicious about how much nutrients they need to apply and how to apply it. “Yes, we want growers to get good yields, but we don’t want them to waste money by applying too much fertilizer in areas where it’s not needed. By knowing what their soil tests say, they can determine what is needed where to improve their yield potentials.”
Registration is $10 by Jan. 3, 2014, and $15 after that date. For those needing Private Pesticide Recertification Credits, the cost is $35; pre-registration materials can be found at https://www.pested.osu.edu. More information about the program is available by contacting Brown at 937-498-7239 or brown.1522@osu.edu.