Iowa State University Extension is offering a crop scout school on March 27 at the ISU Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Nashua. The event, held at the farm’s Borlaug Learning Center in northeast Iowa, is an all-day class designed especially for growers and crop scouts with limited scouting experience (zero to two years).   

“The program enables those who attend to apply the information provided that day, back home in the fields for the upcoming crop season,” says Terry Basol, field agronomist with ISU Extension, based at Nashua.   

The main topics include corn and soybean growth and development, weed identification and herbicide injury, corn and soybean diseases, and insect pest identification and management. Live plants for weed identification and staging of corn and soybean will be used for a hands-on learning experience in conjunction with a traditional lecture approach. Sign-in starts at 9 a.m., with the program running from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

Sharpen your scouting skills 

ISU Extension field agronomist Basol, along with colleagues Brian Lang and Rebecca Vittetoe, will serve as course instructors. “Crop scouting tells farmers a lot about their crops and can help them use the information to improve yield and maximize efficiency in the use of pesticides and other crop inputs,” Basol says.  

“Also, as precision agriculture technologies have advanced, farmers have been helped greatly when it comes to crop scouting, thanks to the digital tools and mobile devices now available. No more do you have to scribble notes on pad with a pencil as you walk through the fields and make your observations,” he notes. “Also, if you are in the field and see something wrong with the crop and need an answer, having a cellphone or another mobile device or a laptop computer handy puts you in touch with the source and the information you need.” 

Preregister, class size is limited

There is an $80 registration fee, which covers lunch, materials and resources and refreshments for the day. Class size is limited to the first 30 paid registrants, so register early to secure a seat.   

To register, download the registration form online. You can also obtain a registration form by contacting your ISU Extension county office or Basol at 641-426-6801, or send an email to [email protected]. Completed registration forms should be sent to the Borlaug Learning Center, 3327 290th St. Nashua, IA 50658 and need to be postmarked no later than March 23. 

Directions to the ISU Northeast Research Farm: From Nashua at the junction of Highway 218 (Exit 220) and County Road B60, go west on B60 1.1 miles to Windfall Ave., then south 1 mile to 290th St., and then east 0.2 mile to the farm. 

Source: ISU, which is solely responsible for information provided and is wholly owned by source. Informa Business Media and all of its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.