NMSU to host onion field day July 6; Onion have been one of the more profitable crop year after year.

NMSU to host onion field day July 6 DATE: 06/27/2016 WRITER: Kristie Garcia, 575-646-4211, kmgarcia@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Stephanie Walker, 575-646-4398, swalker@nmsu.edu New Mexico State University will host an Onion Field Day Wednesday, July 6, at the Leyendecker Plant Science Research Center. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Presentations and walking tours will be from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. NMSU Extension Vegetable Specialist Stephanie Walker said the goal of the field day is to educate the public and increase awareness about the importance of onions, especially in Southern New Mexico. “People don’t realize how important onions are for New Mexico producers,” Walker said. “The crop is especially important in June and July, and valuable work is being done at NMSU in regards to onion breeding and pest management.” Topics will include the onion-breeding program at NMSU, weed identification and management in onion fields, and management and economic considerations of thrips, the most important insect pest of onions. The field day will also include a discussion about new products for onions, as they relate to the IR-4 program, which is a federally funded program that facilitates registration of sustainable pest management technology for specialty crops. “Those involved with the IR-4 program are looking at new chemistries that will hopefully be available to growers in the near future,” Walker said. NMSU’s Dona Ana County Extension Agent Jeff Anderson will be the moderator. The Leyendecker Center is located eight miles southeast of Las Cruces on Highway 28. A map may be found at: leyendeckersc.nmsu.edu. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Walker at 575-646-4398 or swalker@nmsu.edu. Individuals with disabilities who are in need of an auxiliary aid or service to participate in the field day should contact Laurie Novak at 575-646-1715 prior to the event.