Southern Research and Outreach Center

As the seasons change, Minnesotans across the state venture out to pumpkin patches and apple orchards for fun, fall activities. At the SROC, fall kicks off harvest season of our research and production fields. In recent years, however, several fields at the SROC are dotted with orange and white pumpkins instead of rows of soybean and corn. Charlie Rohwer, SROC horticultural researcher, is studying the effect of interseeding clover and pumpkin varieties for increased profitability and soil health.

In late August, the weather data on the Southern Research and Outreach Center (SROC) website modernized thanks to a new weather station provided by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). The SROC joined several other ROCs in partnering with the MDA to join and collect data for the Minnesota Ag Weather Network (MAWN). This project upgrades the ROCs’ current weather stations with technology that is standardized across the MDA’s network and provides current weather updates every 15 minutes.

To help Minnesota soybean producers understand their risks and management options, the MN Soybean Research & Promotion Council is sponsoring the fall 2024 SCN Sampling Program, which will pay for the first 500 samples received.