Annual Agronomy Day under way today on South Farm

By Jim Barlow

The battle against herbicide-resistant weeds, electronic mapping to guide
fertilizer use, and soybean varieties adapted for local climates are among
the topics for visitors to harvest today during Agronomy Day 1994 at the
UI.

The 38th annual event at the UI South Farm will feature hay-wagon tours,
displays and demonstrations until 2 p.m. This year's theme is "Food and
Agricultural Research: Beyond the Farm Gate."

"The research we do affects everyone, because everyone eats food produced
by agriculture," said Fred Kolb, chairman of this year's event. "We hope
that the tours and exhibits will convey that our research goes beyond the
farm gate and beyond production agriculture. We're trying to incorporate
information on research that is designed to improve the quality of food
and the environment."

There will be hour long field tours of research plots devoted to a variety
of topics. Tours began at 7 a.m.; the last one will begin at 1 p.m.  The
tours will allow visitors to get close-up looks at research in action,
Kolb said.

During one tour, visitors will be shown samples of herbicide-resistant
plants and will be told about field, greenhouse and laboratory studies
designed to help farmers control their weed problems.

Herbicide-resistant weeds are developing rapidly in much of the Midwest,
said Lloyd Wax, a professor of agronomy. "We need to get a handle on this,
or we'll have a substantial problem," he said. "We are trying to develop
management strategies that will delay or prevent the resistance to
herbicides in Illinois."

On the same tour, visitors will learn about soybean varieties, diseases and
how U.S. soybeans fare on the international market. Another tour will focus
on corn-related topics, herbicides and water quality, and wheat-crop
management.

A third tour will cover the use of solar power for remote fields, direct
injection of pesticides, conservation tillage and effective use of
fertilizers. The fourth tour will display the results of agricultural
entomology research in action.

There also will be a large tent housing more than 20 displays and exhibits
focusing on topics such as agricultural and food policies, safety and
health, and farmland leasing. One exhibit will feature the Functional Foods
for Health Program, a joint research program of the UI campuses at
Urbana-Champaign and Chicago that focuses on non-nutritious components
in foods that fight off diseases such as cancer.

Guests also can learn more about using computers to analyze soil data
and field history to obtain specific recommendations for fertilizer
application, costs and management. A student-operated booth will allow
prospective students to learn about the UI agronomy department, and
antique farm equipment will be on display.

Admission is free. Lunch will be available for $2 per person at 11 a.m.;
guests should register upon their arrival. Visitors can get to the South
Farm from St. Mary's Road, one block south of Kirby-Florida Avenue, behind
Assembly Hall. Parking space will be provided in grassy areas located near
the farm's buildings.