ALBANY, Mo. - Wednesday's drippy weather set an appropriate tone for Missouri Climatologist Pat Guinan's address to a room packed with nearly 200 of the region's farmers.

Intermittent rain may have contributed to lower attendance at the 30th annual field day at the Hundley-Whaley Research Center. The University of Missouri farm in Gentry County conducts agricultural experiments for the state's benefit on a 364-acre site. Superintendent Bruce Burdick said 180 people attended this year's field day, which normally draws crowds of 400.

"This was kind of a bad year," he said, referring to the weather's impact.

Nonetheless, he took friendly jabs at Mr. Guinan in his introduction. He even asked farmers whether there should be any punishment for the weather that forced a partial cancellation of tours around the farm. Most programs were moved inside the Learning Discovery Center.

Mr. Guinan rolled with the punches and proceeded with a weather update traditionally given as part of the field day. He led off the talk with, of course, rain. Hundley-Whaley has collected nearly 20 years of weather records based on its own instruments.

"What sticks out in my head is that it's been cool and wet," he said. "I've never seen two consecutive years that have been so wet."

Mr. Guinan said Missouri has logged five consecutive months of above-normal precipitation. An excessively wet July and August have no bearing on whether an early freeze will occur, he added.

Weather conditions have consequences for farmers, Mr. Guinan said, in terms of spray application plans, planting dates and flood assessments.

Real-time weather forecasts can benefit farmers with such preparations, he said. The climatology office is trying to recruit people across the state to provide daily weather readings as part of a nationwide system known as the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network.

"It'd be really nice to get a higher concentration of precipitation reports at the sub-county level," Mr. Guinan said.

Such information can be folded into river stage forecasts compiled by the National Weather Service, he said.

The field day also featured a presentation by University Extension weed specialist Kevin Bradley, who said waterhemp is posing the biggest problem for farmers. Waterhemp has been found growing knee-high and waist-high among crops, he said.

Waterhemp has been showing resistance to the herbicide glyphosate, Mr. Bradley said.

"The answer is, you're probably not going to be able to do anything about it," he said.

He advised farmers to rotate their corn crop next year or use a pre-emergent residual herbicide if planting soybeans.

A certain, Southern-style of pigweed has appeared on some Northwest Missouri farms, along with the Asiatic dayflower.

"Glyphosate does not control this very well," Mr. Bradley said.

Other field day topics included walnut tree growth, pest monitoring, and improving corn and soybean yields.

Ray Scherer can be reached

at rscherer@npgco.com.