Registration open for MSU crop, pest management school

From MSU News Service

BOZEMAN — Registration is now open for the Montana State University Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology’s crop and pest management school. The workshop, which will be held Jan. 5-7 at MSU, will focus on forage and pulse crops.

The 2½-day workshop will feature three guest speakers. Earl Creech, assistant professor of agronomy at Utah State University, will present two lectures on forage crop management; Pierce Paul, associate professor of cereal pathology from Ohio State University, will present two lectures on disease epidemiology and management; and Kevin McPhee, professor of pulse crop breeding at North Dakota State University, will present a lecture on a pulse breeding program.

MSU Extension Specialist Emily Glunk has organized a day devoted to forage crops, a new addition to the topics covered by the crop and pest management school. There will also be a hands-on practical session featuring beneficial insect identification from samples collected from alfalfa crops during the 2015 growing season.

Additionally, MSU Bozeman faculty and the superintendent of the MSU Central Ag Research Center will present on topics including plant breeding, weed, disease, insect and nutrient management.

Registration costs $195 and covers workshop supplies, morning and afternoon refreshments, parking and a pizza dinner at Colombo’s. Credits will be available for private and commercial/government pesticide applicator and crop consulting.