The second day's program starts at 8:00 a.m. and consists of multiple concurrent sessions.
Basic crop diagnostics and tools of the trade
Ryan Miller and Dave Nicolai, University of Minnesota
In this field session, you will learn the basic principles and practices of crops diagnostics. This session is intended for beginners and practitioners with minimal crop diagnostic experience. You will learn the process of crop troubleshooting in demonstration plots and will learn how to use the “tools” of the trade, including how to interview farmers, ag professionals and other to learn more about the crop.
Highlights of this session:
- Observing crop symptoms and patterns of symptoms to help determine what might have caused the problem
- Learning how to use tools of the trade in a series of crop diagnostic plots, plots designed to mimic real world crop production problems
- Learning how to ask questions in a series of role-playing exercises in the crop diagnostic plots
Advanced crop diagnostics
Ryan Miller and Dr. Seth Naeve, University of Minnesota
In this field session, you will get your hands dirty practicing crop diagnostics skills. This session is intended for practitioners with at least a basic level of crop troubleshooting experience. The exercises will take place in a series of crop diagnostic plots designed to mimic real world crop production problems.
Highlights of this session:
- Honing your crop diagnostic skills in a series of role-playing exercises
- Practicing interacting with role-playing farmers and ag professionals to help you determine what might be causing the crop problem
Corn stand establishment and yield formation
Dr. Jeff Coulter, University of Minnesota
In this field session, you will learn how planting depth, rate, and date, along with hybrid relative maturity affect corn growth, development, and yield formation. Using demonstration plots, you will assess corn roots, stalks, canopies, and ears to understand how growth, development, and yield formation are influenced by planting depth, rate, and date, and hybrid relative maturity.
Highlights of this session:
- Learning to how to assess corn stand establishment issues and other agronomic stressors in the field
- Understanding how such issues affect growth, development, and yield formation
Identification of seedling and mature weeds
University of Minnesota faculty
In this indoor session, you will review the important physical characteristics (such as the shape of the broadleaf cotyledons and grass ligules) for identification of weed seedlings. You will also review the key plant structures and descriptions for identifying mature weeds.
Highlights of this session:
- Learning the important physical characteristics and structures of weeds to be able to effectively use identification keys for seedling and mature weeds.
- Practicing identification of live, greenhouse-grown weed seedlings
Sampling for soil fertility: Understanding the what, why, where, when, and how
Dr. Fabián Fernández, Brad Carlson, and Soil Test Lab staff, University of Minnesota
In this indoor session, you will learn how to sample for soil fertility and to interpret soil test results. You will determine what sampling strategy is best suited for your objectives and how to take a sample that accurately represents a field or area of interest. You will gain an understanding of sources of variability in soil sampling and how to strategize sampling activities accordingly.
Highlights of this session:
- Learning what variables must be considered before collecting soil samples
- Learning to critically interpret soil test results considering the variables that impact the accuracy of those values
- Touring the U of M soil testing lab to gain a better understanding of the processing and analysis of soil samples that provide the data printed on soil test reports.
Scouting and decision making for corn rootworm and European corn borer
Dr. Fei Yang and Bruce Potter, University of Minnesota
In this field session, you will learn how corn rootworms and European corn borer damage the different parts of corn plants, and how to assess individual plants for pest presence of damage. In addition, you will learn how to sample for these insects to estimate the insect pest pressure for the current season and the next season. Management options for these pests will be discussed.
Highlights of this session:
- Examining live corn plants for damage from corn rootworms and European corn borer
- Rating the level of damage on corn plants
- Learning current management recommendation for corn rootworms and European corn borer
Interactions between cover crops and preemergence (PRE) herbicides
Drs. Anna Cates and Debalin Sarangi, University of Minnesota
In this field session, you will learn why some cover crop species are more likely to be damaged by PRE herbicides than others. In demonstration plots, you will observe damage from PRE herbicides to different cover crop species, and will assess which cover crop and PRE herbicides are most risky for producers.
Highlights of this session:
- Learning how the modes of action of different PRE herbicides might be more or less likely to affect different cover crop plant families, including brassicas, grasses, and legumes.
- Assessing cover crop damage after application of different PRE herbicides.
- Learning to choose less risky cover crop options given knowledge of their herbicide problems
Small grain growth and development
Dr. Jochum Wiersma, University of Minnesota
In this field session, you will develop an understanding about the growth and development of wheat, barley, oats, triticale, and rye. Using demonstration plots, you will learn to determine the proper growth stage using the three growth stage scales that are commonly used.
Highlights of this session:
- Learning the key difference between the Feekes, Zadoks, and Haun growth staging scales; and why just counting leaves isn’t enough to stage small grains
- Understanding the importance of accurate growth staging for timely application of crop inputs and avoidance of crop injury and/or unnecessary crop losses
Alfalfa and forage identification and management
Dr. Craig Sheaffer, University of Minnesota
In this session, you will learn about alfalfa stand establishment, assessment, and best management practices for alfalfa growth in Minnesota. Using demonstration plots of alfalfa and forages, you will learn about the key characteristics of forage/grass identification for forages commonly grown in Minnesota.
Highlights of this session:
- Learning about the key identification characteristics of common forage legumes and grasses
- Understanding the staging of perennial legumes and grass maturity
- Predicting alfalfa yield potential from plant count and stem numbers
- Understanding the relationship between forage yield and forage quality
- Understanding competition dynamics among species in cover crop mixtures
