2016 Crop Diagnostic School - July 27, 2016 

You’re invited to the Crop Diagnostic School for 2016!

This event will be an in-depth training opportunity for agronomists, producers, industry and retail to improve their crop scouting skills and further their agronomic knowledge. The Crop Diagnostic School will be a one-day event in Swift Current, SK. There will be three available dates to choose from:

Swift Current, SK – July 26 OR 27 OR 28 (one-day only)
Host: Wheatland Conservation Area (WCA)
Location: Registration will be at the Credit Union i-plex (2001 Chaplin Street East)
Time: 8:30am to 4:30pm (registration at 8:00am)
Cost:  $140.00 per person (includes lunch)

Each day will have the same projects and exercises:

1. Weed Scouting and ID – Hone and learn weed identification skills for common weeds in pulse crops and in the Brown Soil Zone. New for this year, a few problematic and common forage crop weeds will be included. Live weeds will be on hand to learn their identifying characteristics. As part of the diagnostic exercise, attendees will identify weeds in a designated weed patch.
2. Disease Scouting and ID – Test your knowledge of cereal leaf diseases, Fusarium Head Blight, canola diseases, pulse root rots & diseases and how to tell the difference between disease and herbicide injury. Experts will be on hand to assist with identification and to teach you about disease diagnostics
3. Insect Scouting and ID – Attendees will be given an opportunity to use a sweep net and identify both pests and beneficial insects in a real field situation. Various insect specimens, both alive and preserved, will be available for observation and discussion. Presenters focus will be on insects identified by attendees or outbreaks specific to the year or site location.
4. Soils and Fertility – This year stations will demonstrate different crop responses to: changes in salinity, changes in rates of ESN and urea, different nutrient depleted soils and changes in rhizobium inoculants and rates of N on pulses. If time permits, participants will practice hand texturing and discuss soil moisture and profiles.
5. Herbicide Injury and Crop Staging – Effective weed control requires using herbicides at the proper plant growth stage and application rate. This station will take you through staging various crops and different types of herbicide injury symptoms that occur from misapplication.
6. Diagnostic Exercise – A number of plots will be established with known production issues or concerns.  Participants will be provided a short period of time to examine plants in the plots and arrive at explanations for symptoms observed.  A discussion of symptoms will follow to assist participants in determining the proper diagnosis.

Sweep nets ($60 each including tax) will be available for online purchase during the registration process and will be available for pickup at the event. In addition, sweep nets will be available for purchase at the event by cash or cheque only. Attendees should come prepared for weather (bring rain gear, rubber boots, sunscreen, hat, etc.) as the event will be rain or shine. This will be a great opportunity to take pictures, so bring your camera.

Limited spaces are available, so register early to guarantee your spot!

Hope to see you this summer!