BROOKINGS, S.D. – South Dakota State University Extension will host the 2023 Integrated Pest Management Field School from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. CDT on July 25 at the SDSU Volga Farm south of Volga, South Dakota.
The IPM Field School will include four sessions addressing soil health, insects, weeds and diseases, along with a climate presentation during the lunch hour. Connie Tande, SDSU Extension Plant Diagnostician, will be available between sessions to discuss plant samples, pest identification or other concerns.
“The IPM Field School is an excellent way to come meet our SDSU Extension professionals and gain insight into the most current research and pest issues throughout South Dakota,” said Philip Rozeboom, SDSU Extension IPM Coordinator. “We aim to cover any issue you may have as we will be discussing the weather, soils, insects, weeds, and diseases.”
This year’s sessions feature Eric Jones, assistant professor and SDSU Extension Weed Management Specialist, leading a weed field plot demonstration along with discussions on the efficacy of different corn and soybean herbicides and what weed management tactics will be most useful for this growing season.
Adam Varenhorst, associate professor and SDSU Extension Field Crop Entomologist, will host a session on insect scouting and identification of major corn and soybean crop pests. Over lunch, Laura Edwards, SDSU Extension State Climatologist, will speak about the 2023 growing season climate so far, and an outlook for the rest of the summer and fall for east central South Dakota.
Anthony Bly, SDSU Extension Soils Field Specialist; David Karki, SDSU Extension Agronomy Field Specialist; and Jim Ristau, sustainability coordinator for South Dakota Corn, will talk about biological agronomy, including why microbiological diversity and other soil health principles must be in place before crop production will see benefits.
Connie Strunk, SDSU Extension Plant Pathology Field Specialist; and Madalyn Shires, assistant professor and SDSU Extension Plant Pathology Specialist, will discuss crop disease diagnostics, including tar spot in corn and soybean cyst nematode. Attendees will practice scouting for disease, rating for disease incidence and severity, and digging for soybean cyst nematodes.
There will also be a black-light tent demonstrating the importance of proper personal protective equipment when working with pesticides, and SDSU Extension publications and handouts. Continuing education credits for Certified Crop Advisors will be available for each session and the lunch presentation.
“Earning these CCA credits is unique in that you will be out in the field participating directly with the equipment, crops, weeds, insects, soil and professionals that so many of our SDSU Extension publications, presentations and newsletters reference,” said Rozeboom.
Pre-registration is encouraged. To register, visit extension.sdstate.edu/events and search for “IPM”. Registration will also be available at 8:30 a.m. the day of the event at the SDSU Volga Farm, 21298 464 Ave., Volga, S.D., 57071.
For more information, contact Philip Rozeboom, SDSU Extension IPM Coordinator, at 605-688-4377 or Philip.Rozeboom@sdstate.edu.
