Pecan management course offered by Oklahoma State University

The course will focus on the prioritization and practical application of major management practices according to the pecan growing season, said Eric Stafne, fruit and nut specialist for the OSU Cooperative Extension Service.

The group will meet once a month, with the exception of June, beginning March 3 through Oct. 20. The meetings are slated from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. This meeting schedule coincides with the pecan growing season. The meetings will combine traditional classroom learning with hands-on experiences, as well as an optional Web-based study component. The course will take place at the Cimarron Valley Research Station, located one-half mile north of the intersection of State Highways 33 and 177 near Perkins.

Registration is $250 per person and the registration deadline is Feb. 15. For more information, call Stephanie Larimer at 405-744-5404, or e-mail her at stephanie.larimer@okstate.edu.

“We’ve offered this management course for a number of years and have always received positive feedback from participants. The information that participants learn will continue to have a positive impact on Oklahoma’s pecan industry,” Stafne said. “Pecans are a big industry in Oklahoma and they contribute millions of dollars to the state’s economy."

There will be a number of industry professionals, as well as specialists from OSU, who will be on hand to share their expertise with the participants.

The workshops cover a variety of subjects that deal with pecan management during different parts of the growing season. Topics that will be covered throughout the course will include management overview, fertilization, tree thinning, startup rootstock trees, Internet applications, sprayer calibration/maintenance, insect management, propagation/grafting, pesticide applicator licensing, disease/insect decisions, nut thinning, preparing for harvest, equipment needs, orchard floor issues, marketing, crop load estimates, quality evaluation, tree evaluation, improving native groves, zinc application and planting rootstock trees, just to name a few.

“This course will provide participants with an in-depth experience, both in the classroom and the orchard,” Stafne said.

Participants can also attend the Oklahoma Pecan Growers Association meeting in Oklahoma City in lieu of the June workshop. The fee for attending this meeting is not included in the registration fee for the pecan management course.

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Oklahoma State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, State and Local Governments Cooperating: The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, or status as a veteran, and is an equal opportunity employer.

MEDIA CONTACT
Trisha Gedon
Communications Specialist
Agricultural Communications Services
136 Agriculture North
Stillwater, OK  74078
Phone: 405-744-3625
Fax: 405-744-5739
E-Mail: trisha.gedon@okstate.edu