LINCOLN — Agribusiness professionals and crop producers can focus on specific crop production topics at four University of Nebraska Crop Management Diagnostic Clinics this summer. Participants will take a close-up look at field conditions, university research, and farming techniques at clinics on soil health, precision agriculture, soybean production, and corn production. All clinics will start at the August N. Christenson Research and Education Building at the University’s Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center (formerly the Agricultural Research and Development Center) near Mead.
Keith Glewen, Nebraska Extension educator said, “Benefits of the crop management and diagnostic clinics include one-on-one attention, on-site plot demonstrations, interaction with other participants, discussions about cutting edge research and an opportunity to earn continuing education credits through the Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) program.”
Soil Health Clinic July 18
Improving and maintaining soil health is essential to the productivity of land for current and future use. Nebraska Extension is partnering with the USDA-NRCS to provide a Soil Health Clinic on July 18 with in-field training ideal for agribusiness professionals and those who work with soil management. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. The clinic is from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Topics include:
- management considerations to improve soil health;
- measuring bulk density,
- porosity and infiltration, how it impacts soil health;
- physical soil properties – its importance to soil health!;
- cover crops and how they impact soil health;
- what is soil biology?
- what you can do to change it!;
- soil characteristics, productivity and landscape position; and
- chemical soil properties.
A total of 6.5 Certified Crop Adviser credits (soil and water management – 6.5) have been applied for and are pending approval for this clinic.
Precision Agriculture Clinic Aug. 2
The Precision Ag Clinic focuses on implementing and understanding precision ag technologies and their use in crop production. Topics include:
- the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification process and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operations;
- basics of sensor-based functions and other data inputs such as economic optimum N rate (EONR);
- UAS sensor availability, selection, and applications;
- sensor-based control hardware requirements;
- UAS imagery data processing — software and interpretation;
- sensor-based applications for manured fields; and
- UAV and SENSE applicator demonstrations.
Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., followed by the clinic from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. A total of 5.5 Certified Crop Adviser credits (nutrient management – 4.5 and crop management – 1) have been applied for and are pending approval for this clinic.
Soybean Production Clinic Aug. 23
This clinic include plots with soybean growth and development at a range of vegetative/reproductive growth stages. Both the corn and soybean clinics will provide opportunities for hands-on interaction and viewing demos up close.
Soybean Clinic topics include:
- cultural practices;
- genetics/agronomics;
- insect management;
- plant pathology;
- soil fertility; and
- weed science.
Registration begins at 8 a.m. The clinic is from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
A total of 8 Certified Crop Adviser credits (pest management – 4, crop management – 2, and nutrient management – 2) have been applied for and are pending approval for this clinic.
Corn Production Clinic Aug. 24
This clinic include plots with corn growth and development at a range of vegetative/reproductive growth stages and opportunities for hands-on interaction and viewing field demos up close.
Topics featured at this year’s Corn Clinic include:
- agronomy cultural practices;
- insect damage in corn;
- plant pathology;
- soil fertility; and
- weed science.
Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. The clinic is from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
A total of 8 Certified Crop Adviser credits (pest management – 4; crop management – 2; and nutrient management – 2) have been applied for and are pending approval for this clinic.
Registration
Early registration is recommended to reserve a seat and resource materials. Cost for one clinic is $95 for those registering one week in advance and $120 after. Special pricing is available for those registering for both the Aug. 23 soybean and Aug. 24 corn production clinics: $150 by Aug. 18 or $200 after that date.
For more information or to register, contact the Nebraska Extension CMDC Programs, 1071 County Road G, Ithaca, NE 68033, call (800) 529-8030, fax (402) 624-8010, e-mail cdunbar2@unl.edu or visit their program website at http://ardc.unl.edu/cmdc.shtml.
— Deloris Pittman – Marketing and Promotions Manager for Eastern Nebraska REC
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