09/10/08 U of I's Guy named WSU Ext. Agronomist; late bllight reported

Washington Ag September 10, 2008 Stephen Guy, an extension crop management with the University of Idaho, will become Washington State University Extension agronomist in WSU's Department of Crop and Soil Sciences on Oct. 1. That's the position previously held by John Burns who retired. Guy will be responsible for leading an extensive field-based variety testing program for evaluation of public and private cereal grains and other relevant crops appropriate for the cropping system of eastern Washington. Bill Pan, chair of WSU's Crop and Soil Sciences department says Dr. Guy brings a vast experience in variety evaluation and cropping systems agronomy and has a great track record of working with growers in transferring technologies that they can use on the farm. Guy will continue work he started at UI on the oilseed crop Camelina and a long-term tillage comparison study Potato late blight has been confirmed in a field the southern Columbia Basin. Washington State University plant pathologist Dennis Johnson says the incidence of infection is low, however; Johnson: "Potatoes on the Horse Heaven Hills south to the Columbia River should be treated with a late blight fungicide on a seven to 10-day schedule until harvest." Johnson says growers need to continue to be on guard as the cooler night temperatures will favor late blight. I'm Bob Hoff.