The Illinois Wheat Association will host the Southern Illinois Winter Wheat Tour on Tuesday, May 23. The tour gives Illinois wheat farmers an opportunity to participate on a first-hand basis by making observations that will factor in to yield estimates of the 2017 winter wheat crop.
The tour will include field checks during the day with an evening report session at SIU’s Belleville Research Center, 2036 Charles Lane in Belleville, Illinois. Prior to the evening meal, yield estimates will be calculated, and attendees will have an opportunity to view wheat variety and seed treatment trials. Fred Kolb, U of I Professor of Small Grain Breeding and Emerson Nafziger, UIUC Research Education Center Coordinator will be on hand to discuss the status of wheat development and challenges from wheat diseases observed on the tour.
Locally, tour participants will meet at 9:00 a.m. at the Wabash Valley Service Company plant in Carmi.
Participants are asked to call the White County Farm Bureau office at 618-382-8512 in advance of the tour date. Participants also are asked to make a reservation for dinner by contacting Charlene Blary at the Illinois Wheat Association office at 309-557-3619 or by e-mail at [email protected] by May 16.
Those wishing to take samples of their own and join the group for the dinner and wrap-up also are asked to RSVP to Illinois Wheat Association by May 16. The Illinois Wheat Association will provide the tour instructions to those taking independent samples to ensure sampling procedures are consistent. Further details of the event can be found on the Illinois Wheat Association website at: illinoiswheat.org/events.
