SDSU to Host Saline Soils Workshop and Field Tour

To assist farmers dealing with salinity issues in their soils, South Dakota State University will host a Saline/Sodic Soils Workshop and Field Tour in Pierpont, South Dakota (follow the signs) on Tuesday, July 8th with registration beginning at 9:30 am.

To help farmers mitigate this growing problem, the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council has been working with SDSU on a three-year study to find possible amendments that would alleviate salinity issues, making the affected ground once again productive.

As the second year comes to a close, researchers from SDSU’s Plant Science department will share their findings with growers who would like to learn more about this issue.

Morning speakers at the event will include SDSU’s Cheryl Reese, Gregg Carlson, Doug Malo and Rachel Owen who will discuss the study’s background, objectives, results and management options.

White Lake farmer David Gillen, who has taken part in the study, will be talking about getting a return on investment in high-salt soils.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Jason Miller and Andrew Oxford will perform a rainfall demonstration with saline/sodic soils.

Lunch will be provided by the SD Wheat Growers and SD Corn Utilization Council.

The afternoon will include activities and demonstrations from 1:00-3:00 pm on Greg Tople’s farm near Pierpont. Transportation will be provided. Activities will include a soil pit site (weather permitting), soil amendment plots and gypsum vs. lime analysis. There will also be demonstrations, including soil stability tests, web soil surveys and instruction on several handheld soil measuring devices including electrical conductivity, pH meters, moisture probes and more.

Click here to view the entire day’s agenda.

Please pre-register if you plan to attend.

A charge of $10 per person will be collected at the workshop registration. This fee includes lunch, snacks and all activities.

This meeting has been approved for 2 CUEs in Soil & Water Management for Certified Crop Advisors.