2018 Western Crop and Pest Management School Set in Williston

Farmers, crop scouts, agronomists and other agricultural professionals will have an opportunity to enhance their pest identification and management skills at the North Dakota State University Extension Service's 2018 Western Crop and Pest Management School.

The school will be held March 6-7 at the Williston Area Recreation Center on the Williston State College campus.

Participants also will be able to hear about current research results on topics such as weed control and pulse crop disease management.

This is the first time the school has been held in northwestern North Dakota for several years, according to the event's organizer, Clair Keene, area Extension cropping systems specialist at NDSU's Williston Research Extension Center.

The school starts at 9 a.m. Central time both days.

Topics and speakers for March 6 are:

Pea leaf weevil, an insect pest first detected in northwestern North Dakota in 2017 - T.J. Prochaska, area Extension crop protection specialist, NDSU North Central Research Extension Center (NCREC)

The Haney soil test: What does it mean for North Dakota soils? - Chris Augustin, area Extension soil health specialist, NCREC

Weed management update and 2018 in-crop dicamba rules for dicamba-tolerant soybeans in North Dakota - Brian Jenks, weed scientist, NCREC

Topics for afternoon breakout sessions include weed seedling identification, cover crop selection, pulse crop pathology, and identification of cabbage seedpod weevil and spider mites.

Topics and speakers for March 7 are:

Disease management in chickpeas - Michael Wunsch, plant pathologist, NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center

Best practices for long-term grain storage - Ken Hellevang, NDSU Extension agricultural engineer

Performance of new spring wheat, durum and pea varieties - John Rickertsen, research agronomist, NDSU Hettinger Research Extension Center

Unmanned aerial vehicle research update and demonstration - John Nowatzki, NDSU Extension ag machine systems specialist

Biology of legume inoculants and the nodulation process - Audrey Kalil, plant pathologist, NDSU Williston Research Extension Center (WREC)

Pipeline reclamation project - Austin Link, agronomy research specialist, WREC

Soil water use in dryland cropping systems - Jim Staricka, soil scientist, WREC

Certified crop advisers will be able to earn 9.5 continuing education units.

Registration for the school is limited to 100 participants. Register online at https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/extplantpath/events or obtain a brochure from your county office of the NDSU Extension Service and mail the registration form.

The cost is $125 if registering before Feb. 26. The registration fee is $150 after that date. Registration includes lunches, breaks and course materials.

Child care will be available on-site for $25 per child per day for children ages 3 months to 7 years. Parents will need to provide snacks and meals for their children during the workshop. For more information on child care and to preregister your child, contact Keene at 701-774-4315.

Participants must make their own lodging arrangements. Hotel room blocks will be available at the MainStay Suites, 701-572-5793, and El Rancho, 701-572-6321, in Williston until Feb. 22. Ask for the "NDSU Extension Crop School" block rate when booking rooms.

For more information about the school, contact Keene at 701-774-4315 or [email protected].