Diagnostic Days participants listen as OMAFA Corn Specialist, Ben Rosser, explains the various features of the strip tiller used at the University of Guelph Winchester Research Station. Courtesy Photo
By Laura Scott, OMAFRA
AgriNews Contributor
WINCHESTER – The 2024 Eastern Diagnostic Days was an excellent 2 days of interactive learning at the University of Guelph Winchester Research Station as remnants of Hurricane Beryl swept through.
More than 160 people participated in the Eastern Ontario Crop Diagnostic Days at the University of Guelph Winchester Research Station on July 10th and 11th. Due to rain, for the first time in Eastern Diagnostic Days history, the event had to be moved indoors due to Hurricane Beryl widespread rainfall making many of the plots impassible with moisture.
Participants got the opportunity to take in sessions with experts from across the province and complete some hands-on learning in each session. Topics covered included alfalfa nodulation and pH, integrating winter canola into Eastern Ontario crop rotations, Nitrogen options and biologicals in soybeans, localized alfalfa and corn pest management, and insights how to prevent fertilizer burn in corn.
While Winchester Research Station tours were originally scheduled for those days, they had to be postponed. However, everyone got the opportunity to check out equipment used at the research station, as the strip till bars, combines, planters, seeders, and the indoor lab equipment were all on display for attendees to browse while moving between sessions or before and after the start of the program.
A special thank you to the team at the U of G Winchester Research Station for all their help to quickly flip the event indoors and set up some equipment for viewing. Another thanks to all of our sponsors, speakers and committee members for making this an excellent event yet again!
