University of Wisconsin-Hancock Agricultural Research Station to Discuss Ongoing Agricultural Research at the July 20 Potato Research Field Day
The University of Wisconsin-Madison Hancock Agricultural Research Station invites you to join us on Thursday July 20, for the 2017 Potato Research Field Day from 8:45AM to 2:00pm. The field day will include a wagon tour of the research farm, and guided tours to our state of the art Potato and Vegetable Storage Facility and Potato Grading Facility. Lunch will be provided courtesy of the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association Associate Division.
You are cordially invited to attend all—or portions—of this event, which include short presentations on the progress of research impacting potato research in the Central Sands, as well as research station accomplishments. This is a free and family friendly event open to the public; and it is a fantastic opportunity to interact and network with University of Wisconsin researchers, Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers and associated businesses.
When it opened in 1916, Hancock station became the university’s fourth UW experimental farm. Establishing the station was part of a university effort—mandated by the state legislature—to create a network of research farms “located on representative soil types that are materially different than that which obtains at the central station in Madison.” From the very beginning, there was strong community support for the station, with people actively searching for solutions to the unique challenges associated with farming in the Central Sands. One hundred years ago, the area’s sandy soil was easily eroded and low in both fertility and water-holding capacity.
Presently the station has 412 acres and provides support to around 40 university research groups. Forty percent of the research activity at the Hancock ARS is done on potatoes by fourteen UW research groups including most aspects of potato field production and storage.
The Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) maintains a strong support of UW potato researchers and the Hancock ARS. A number of private companies are also very supportive of the research activity that is done at Hancock ARS. A recent testament of the partnership between UW and potato growers and industry is the station’s Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Storage Research Facility, was built by the WPVGA and transferred to the university in 2006. The facility is geared toward finding ways to curb losses and improve the quality of stored potatoes.
An additional attraction in the field day will be the WPVGA SpudMobile, that is serving to promote potatoes in Wisconsin and beyond.
The agenda for Thursday July 20 includes:
Introductions and Storage Research Facility Update 8:45-9:15 am
8:45-8:55 Dwight Mueller & Felix Navarro – ‘Welcome & Introductions-Grounds’
8:55 – 9:05 Troy Fishler – Storage Research Facility Update
9:05 – 9:15 Amanda Gevens – ‘Updates on storage disease control’
Field Wagon Tours & Research Reports 9:15am-12:00pm
K East side
9:30 – 9:40 Russ Groves– ‘IPM & IRM for vegetable insect pests’
9:40 – 9:50 Amanda Gevens– ‘Disease management’
K5 East side
9:55 – 10:05 Felix Navarro– ‘Understanding the limits of Performance of New Varieties’
10:05-10:15 Phil Townsend- ‘Use of Spectrometry and Remote Sensing in Potato Research’
K8 East side
10:20-10:45 Shelley Jansky– ‘Breeding Potato Hybrids’
Paul Bethke- ‘Effect of environment on potato quality’
Yi Wang – ‘Introduction about the New Potato and Vegetable Production Extension Program’
R2 West side
10:50-11:00 Jed Colquhoun– ‘Weed Management and Vine Desiccation Update’
S14 North side
11:05-11:15 John Bamberg- ‘Potato Genebank Update’
11:15-11:25 Jiwan Palta-‘Calcium Research Update’
S16 North side
11:30-11:40 Matt Ruark – ‘Nitrogen Management’
Field C32 North side
11:45-11:55 Jeff Endelman – ‘Potato Breeding Program Update’
Field Day Wrap-up and Announcements (HARS Grounds) – 12:00-12:30 pm
12:00 – 12:15 WPVGA Exec. Director Tamas Houlihan: ‘Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association Update’
12:15-12:30 Associate Dean Bill Barker: ‘UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Update’
Lunch will begin at 12:30 PM
Tours of the Hancock Storage Research Facility and Grading Shed at 9:30am, 11:00am and 1:30pm
Self-Guided Tours of the A.R. Albert & Villetta Albert-Hawley Horticultural Garden after 9:30am
