Field Day highlights 50 years of research, retirement of Fisher
PORTAGEVILLE -- A lot has changed since the first Delta Center Field Day 50 years ago -- but some things never change.
"Fifty years ago when I started the big deal was to find a soybean variety that was resistant to the soybean cyst nematode," said Thomas E. "Jake" Fisher, superintendent of the Delta Center.
Delta Center research was able to take the black soybean seed coat resistance -- the only variety that had the nematode resistance -- and extend it to the more-desirable yellow seed coat variety.
"It took awhile to do that," Fisher said. "That's one of the major contributions that we've made."
And at the 50th Annual Delta Center Field day held Friday at Lee Farm, soybean variants with resistances are still a big deal as new nematodes are constantly showing up to attack crops, Fisher said.
"It's a never-ending battle," Fisher said.
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