Kalil to Cover Pulse Crop Scouting Program During WREC MonDak Ag Showcase

Plant pathologist Dr. Audrey Kalil of the Williston Research Extension Center is looking forward to sharing information during the MonDak Ag Showcase scheduled in Williston on July 14-15.

"We have a lot to talk about," said Kalil, who has been working in Williston for a little more than a year. "It's a good event to share information about what we're doing here."

During the dryland tour, which takes place at the Williston Research Extension Center Ernie French Center on July 14, Kalil will discuss her role in the center's cropping sequence study.

"So far, I've been scouting for diseases on the trial," Kalil noted. "I will be talking about what I've seen in this and other studies we are currently working on."

During the lunch break on July 14, Kalil with Extension specialist for cropping systems Dr. Clair Keene and horticulture research specialist Kyla Splichal will provide a "Stump the Plant Doctors" segment.

Kalil explained people can bring in samples from their field or yard to show to the "plant doctors" who can then provide information.

"If they have a problem, we can try to help them figure it out," Kalil said. "We can also point them in the right direction for NDSU diagnostic services and literature."

In the afternoon, Kalil and Dr. Julie Pasche (NDSU) will discuss diseases of pulse crops and the results of a new pea and lentil scouting program.

On July 15, the irrigation site tour is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Extension's irrigation site located 23 miles east of Williston on Highway 1804.

That morning, Kalil will provide information regarding her study on Rhizoctonia solani disease severity and soil pathogen populations in a long term crop rotation and tillage project on sugar beets in collaboration with Dr. Bart Stevens, Research Agronomist USDA-ARS (Sidney, MT).

"So far, I haven't seen any foliar symptoms of Rhizoctonia solani in our research plots but that could change," Kalil said.

Scientists have been monitoring levels of Rhizoctonia solani  in the soil over the season and will examine sugar beets for disease at harvest. 

Kalil leads both basic and applied research programs focused on management of plant diseases on the economically important, highly diverse crops in western North Dakota. She also coordinates the summer IPM and Pulse Crop Scouting Program.

She earned her bachelors degree in biology from the University of Minnesota and her Ph.D. in plant pathology from the University of Wisconsin.