Kansas State University will host its first-ever live Virtual Wheat Field Day on the evenings of Wed., May 27 and Thurs., May 28.

In a twist on the typical wheat field day that Kansas farmers often attend, K-State Research and Extension will host a two-part wheat field day live on YouTube to update growers and others on the most recent crop advances and challenges while keeping producers safe from COVID-19, said Romulo Lollato, extension wheat specialist.

The May 27-28 Virtual Wheat Field Day 2020, which Lollato said is really two “field evenings,” begins at 7 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m. each evening. Agriculture Today radio host Eric Atkinson will moderate the program. The format will allow for questions from the audience.

May 27

• Welcome and introduction – Eric Atkinson, host of Agriculture Today radio show
• State of the 2020 Kansas wheat crop and variety selection in different parts of Kansas – Romulo Lollato, K-State extension agronomist
• Diseases in the 2020 Kansas wheat crop; selecting varieties with disease resistance in mind – Erick DeWolf, K-State plant pathologist
• Variety performance and selection in western Kansas - Lucas Haag, K-State northwest area agronomist
• Introduction: New K-State extension wheat pathologist – Kelsey Andersen
• Discussion panel with questions from the audience – Eric Atkinson

May 28

• Welcome and introduction – Eric Atkinson
• Current and upcoming K-State varieties for central Kansas – Allan Fritz, K-State wheat breeder;
• Current and upcoming K-State varieties for western Kansas – Guorong Zhang, K-State wheat breeder
• Variety performance and selection in central Kansas – Stu Duncan, K-State northeast area extension agronomist
• Overview of Kansas Wheat Commission-sponsored research - Aaron Harries, KWC
• Discussion panel with questions from the audience – Eric Atkinson

More information is available by contacting Lollato at lollato@ksu.edu or 785-477-4644.