STILLWATER, Okla. – Individuals who have been growing pecans for a while, or those who are interested in learning more about the industry, will gain a lot of knowledge from the 2010 Fundamentals of Pecan Management course hosted by Oklahoma State University.
The course will focus on the prioritization and practical application of major management practices according to the pecan growing season, said Eric Stafne, fruit and nut specialist for the OSU Cooperative Extension Service.
The group will meet once a month beginning March 2 through Oct. 19, with the exception of June. The meetings will take place from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
“This meeting schedule coincides with the pecan growing season, so that is an extra benefit to those who are already growing pecans,” Stafne said.
The meetings will combine traditional classroom learning with hands-on experiences, as well as an optional Web-based study component. The course will take place at the Cimarron Valley Research Station, located one-half mile north of the intersection of State Highways 33 and 177 near Perkins.
Registration is $250 per person and the registration deadline is Feb. 12. For more information, call Stephanie Larimer at 405-744-5404, or e-mail her at stephanie.larimer@okstate.edu. Participants may register online at http://orangehub.okstate.edu/ustores/web/index.jsp. Click on the Horticulture/Landscape store, and then select “Short Courses and Schools.” Click on “Fundamentals of Pecan Management.”
“The pecan industry is big in Oklahoma and continues to have a positive impact throughout the state, especially on our economy,” Stafne said. “We’ve offered this course for a number of years and participants indicate the information they receive is beneficial to their operations.”
There will be a number of industry professionals, as well as specialists from OSU, who will be on hand to share their expertise with the participants.
Each of the monthly workshops will cover subjects that deal with pecan management during that particular part of the growing season. Topics that will be covered throughout the course will include management overview, fertilization, tree thinning, startup rootstock trees, Internet applications, sprayer calibration/maintenance, insect management, propagation/grafting, pesticide applicator licensing, disease/insect decisions, nut thinning, preparing for harvest, equipment needs, orchard floor issues, marketing, crop load estimates, quality evaluation, tree evaluation, improving native groves, zinc application and planting rootstock trees, just to name a few.
“Our goal is to provide participants with an in-depth experience, both in the classroom and the orchard,” Stafne said.
Participants also may attend the Oklahoma Pecan Growers Association meeting in Ardmore in lieu of the June workshop. The fee for attending this meeting is not included in the registration fee for the pecan management course.
Those who would like more information about the Oklahoma Pecan Growers Association may visit the group’s Web site at http://www.hortla.okstate.edu/pecan/opga.