Soil Health Field Day:
Understanding the Benefits of Mycorrhizal Fungi
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
9:00am-2:00pm
at
Carter Farms
120 Merrylane Rd.
Eastover, SC 29044
1 Pesticide Applicator Continuing Credit Hour and
3 Certified Crop Advisor Credits available!
Event is free but pre-registration is required. Register online at https://carterfarms.eventbrite.com or RSVP to Charlie Fisher at fisherc@rcgov.us or (803) 576-2080.
Printable Flyer and Agenda
This Soil Health Field Day at Carter Farms, home of SC Soil Health Champion Jason Carter, will feature a special guest presentation by Dr. Wendy Taheri* about the biology of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, their importance in cropping systems, and how they are affected by farm management decisions. During a field visit, soil health experts including SC Conservation Agronomist Gordon Mikell will identify and discuss soil health, cover crop selection and management, and associated benefits. After a lunch provided by Mr. Bunky's, USC Research Professor Dr. Buz Kloot will review the findings of several soil health research and demonstration projects in the SC coastal plain. Several farmers will share information about their soil health journeys and answer audience questions during an afternoon panel discussion.
The event is free, thanks to sponsorships from the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service; University of South Carolina; Richland, Dillon, Marlboro, and Calhoun Soil and Water Conservation Districts; South Carolina Farm Bureau; Truax Company; Little Mill Seed; Pennington; and Mixon Seed.
Questions? Contact Charlie Fisher at (803) 576-2080 or fisherc@rcgov.us.
*Featuring Dr. Wendy Taheri, TerraNimbus, LLC
Dr. Taheri is a specialist in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)—plant symbionts that affect every aspect of plant physiology. During her graduate work at Indiana University, she demonstrated that selection for the right AMF communities can increase plant biomass as much as 69%. As a USDA researcher, she began developing molecular tools that allow routine assessments of AMF in agricultural soils. She also examined the manipulation of cover crops to select the best microbial community for the subsequent cash crop. After completing two consecutive terms with the USDA, Dr. Taheri founded the research company TerraNimbus, which is working to develop more effective solutions to the challenges faced by modern farmers.
Dr. Taheri’s work has been featured in John Deere’s Furrow, The Farm Journal, Acres USA, Prairie Hearth, Corn & Soybean Digest, and other publications. In this special appearance, Dr. Taheri will explain the basics of mycorrhizal fungi, their importance in cropping systems, and how they are affected by farm management decisions.