Photo of golden wheat swaying in the wind near harvest time. — Wheat is the largest cash crop in Oklahoma, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. (Photo by Todd Johnson, OSU Agricultural Communications Services)

Chickasha Wheat Field Day set for April 30

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Media Contact: Donald Stotts | Agricultural Communications Services | 405-744-4079 | donald.stotts@okstate.edu

Wheat growers should make plans now to attend Oklahoma State University Extension’s 2021 Chickasha Wheat Field Day on April 30 or watch video presentations of the event online afterward.

The 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. field day will take place at the OSU South Central Research Station in Chickasha, Oklahoma, located at 1105 E. Iowa St. near State Highway 62. There is no cost to attend. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines will be implemented, including social distancing and the wearing of face masks. Masks and hand sanitizer will be provided to attendees.

The YouTube videos will be posted in early May so producers can take advantage of the insights offered at the field day in a timely manner, said Amanda de Oliveira Silva, OSU Extension small grains specialist.

“The field day is a great opportunity for producers to learn about wheat varieties that are commercially available and evaluate their performance for next season,” she said. “Variety trials provide an unbiased source of information to producers. It’s also a great opportunity to ask questions of OSU experts and interact with other farmers and ranchers who might have similar operational goals and challenges.”

Silva will lead the field day’s first session, focusing on key performance aspects of various wheat varieties.

OSU Wheat Genetics Chair Brett Carver will then provide insights and updates about ongoing wheat breeding efforts in the university’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. The five-most popular varieties of wheat planted in Oklahoma were developed by the OSU Wheat Improvement Team.

A session featuring the latest information about wheat diseases will be led by Bob Hunger, OSU Extension wheat pathologist.

The day’s final session will focus on nutrient management for wheat fields, led by Brian Arnall, OSU Extension precision crop nutrient management specialist.

For more information about the April 30 event, contact Grady County Extension Agricultural Educator Alexanderia Minor by email at alexanderia.richardson@okstate.edu or by phone at 405-224-2216.

Oklahoma is the nation’s third-largest winter-wheat-producing state by acreage, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture report for March.