AgCenter sweet potato field day set for August 16

The LSU AgCenter will hold a field day Aug. 16 at the Sweet Potato Research Station in Chase, La.

AgCenter research and extension faculty members will lead tours highlighting the foundation seed program as well as breeding, production and pest management research.

Resident coordinator Tara Smith says the breeding program will highlight two varieties released earlier this year.

Other field day topics include improving production efficiency, the best growing practices for the fresh and processed sweet potato markets and production economics.

Smith says that after lunch, grower Ken Thornhill will demonstrate a prototype bulk harvester he designed. That demonstration will be at Thornhill Farms in Wisner.

The Sweet Potato Research Station is in Franklin Parish, about 5 miles south of Winnsboro on Louisiana Highway 15.

Registration starts at 7:45 a.m.