Oklahoma peanut and cotton producers will have the opportunity to see the latest field trial research, pest management strategies, and crop management insights firsthand during the 2026 Peanut & Cotton Field Day on Thursday, September 17, 2026. Hosted by Oklahoma State University Agriculture and the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, the event takes place at the Caddo Research Station, located at 28054 County Street 2540 in Fort Cobb, Oklahoma.
The event features an extensive lineup of field demonstrations, research presentations, and networking opportunities tailored directly to regional row crop growers. The afternoon kicks off early with a peanut blasting demonstration at 2:30 p.m., followed by official event check-in at 4:30 p.m. The main program runs from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., with dinner served on-site at 7:00 p.m.
Specialists and researchers from OSU Extension and the USDA Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) will lead discussions across a broad range of production challenges, including:
- Disease and Nematode Management: Rebecca Bennett with USDA-ARS Plant Pathology covers disease evaluations of peanut breeding lines alongside sesame and cotton crop rotations designed to suppress peanut nematodes.
- Cotton Pest Management: Dr. Ashleigh Faris, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Cropping Systems Entomology, presents cotton arthropod integrated pest management along with key findings from the 2025 pest survey.
- Peanut Breeding and Performance: Kelly Chamberlin with USDA-ARS Peanut Genetics reviews findings from the 2026 peanut variety trials.
- Insect Thresholds and Controls: Graduate research assistants Sydney Parcus and Gourav Beniwal detail targeted pest strategies, highlighting two-spotted spider mite control and dynamic action thresholds for stink bugs in cotton.
- Cotton Varieties and Harvest Aids: Dr. Jenny Dudak, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist for cotton, discusses Phytogen variety evaluations and effective harvest aid management.
- Weed Control: Max Smith, Assistant Extension Specialist in cotton integrated pest management, reviews weed management protocols for both peanut and cotton acres.
- Late-Season Corn Considerations: Raedan Sharry, Area Extension Specialist in Agronomy, addresses fungicide applications in late-planted corn targeting southern rusts.
The event is presented in partnership with USDA, Helena Agri-Enterprises, LLC, and the Oklahoma Peanut Commission. For additional details regarding the field day, producers can contact the OSU Field & Research Service Unit at 405-744-9607 or email agfielddays@okstate.edu, and learn more online at agriculture.okstate.edu.
