Penn State Live - Research tours offer 'drive-by' convenience at Ag Progress Days

Research tours offer 'drive-by' convenience at Ag Progress Days

Monday, July 20, 2009

University Park, Pa. -- Visitors to Penn State's Ag Progress Days, to be held Aug. 18 to 20 in Rock Springs, might feel overwhelmed by the dizzying array of options and information available at the 1,500-acre Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center. Fortunately, there's an easy way to learn more about Penn State field research aimed at producing safe and abundant food in an environmentally responsible manner.

Free bus tours of the center and other research sites leave at regular intervals from the corn crib on Main Street at Ag Progress Days to give a glimpse of research on topics ranging from crop production and pest management to honey bee health and biofuels feedstocks.

The general research tour provides a 40-minute overview of research conducted by Penn State's departments of crop and soil sciences, entomology, horticulture and plant pathology, as well as the USDA Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Lab. Buses leave daily at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., with a 5 p.m. tour on Wednesday.

Will dwindling honey bee populations trigger an increase in food prices? The Apiary Tour is a 75-minute excursion into honey bee research being conducted by Penn State faculty, staff and students to address the crisis. Buses leave daily at 10:30 a.m.

The two-hour Deer Research Center Tour lets visitors view live deer and various antler displays while discussing deer biology and management research with members of the Quality Deer Management Association. In the event of inclement weather, animals will be viewed from the bus and a slide show will be presented in the display room. Buses leave Tuesday and Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. with an additional tour at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

On the one-hour Harvesting BTUs While Improving the Woodlot Tour, the state Bureau of Forestry will demonstrate how harvesting firewood can keep homes warm while increasing the growth of remaining valuable trees. At the Ag Progress Days woodlot, trees are labeled to show species, growth potential and BTU value. Buses to this walking tour will leave daily at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m.

The 75-minute High Tunnel Tour will demonstrate how clear plastic tunnels used to grow vegetables, small fruits and cut flowers can be combined with other techniques to extend the state's growing season to almost a full year. Buses leave daily at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Switchgrass shows great promise for the production of renewable fuels, and the Switchgrass for Bioenergy Field Tour is a 75-minute trip to the USDA Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Lab to see long-term research sites, herbicide control plots and variety trials. Tours depart daily at 1:30 p.m.

The one-hour Stream Corridor Management and Riparian Buffers Tour explains how forested and grassed buffers can be installed and maintained to improve water quality in a community. Buses leave daily at 11:30.

The American Chestnut Research Tou" features a one-hour wagon ride through chestnut orchards to learn about the breeding program of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation, which is testing trees for disease resistance and biomass projects. Tours begin at the foundation's display booth on West 11th Street and are offered at 10 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday; at 10 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Wednesday; and at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Thursday.

Penn State's Ag Progress Days is held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, nine miles southwest of State College on Route 45. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 18; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 19; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 20. Admissions and parking are free. For more information, visit the Ag Progress Days Web site at http://apd.psu.edu.