‘Focus on Wheat’ added to Amarillo Farm and Ranch Show educational lineup

AMARILLO – The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will host a program on wheat during the Amarillo Farm and Ranch Show on Dec. 2 in the Amarillo Civic Center Grand Plaza, 401 S. Buchanan St. in Amarillo.

“Focus on Wheat in the Texas Panhandle” will begin with registration at 1 p.m. and conclude at 5:40 p.m. Four Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units – two general, one integrated pest management and one drift minimization – will be offered. Registration is $10 at the door.

“We have an excellent lineup of AgriLife Extension specialists across the state to discuss everything from pests to diseases and the best management practices to control them,” said Nathan Carr, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent for Potter County.

The program will include:

- Overview of Texas wheat and AgriLife Extension programs: “A focus on new herbicides and application timing.” – Dr. Clark Neely, AgriLife Extension state small grains specialist, College Station.

- Dealing with wheat disease management, fungicide and diagnostics: “A focus on High Plains virus, barley yellow dwarf and wheat streak mosaic.” – Dr. Ron French, AgriLife Extension plant pathology specialist, Amarillo.

- Best management practices related to control of wheat pests: “A focus on wheat curl mites, Russian wheat aphids and greenbugs.” – Dr. Ed Bynum, AgriLife Extension entomologist, Amarillo.

- Effects of alternative hosts and mite movement during the growing season: “A focus on the impact of temperature and water on diseases and viruses. A look at the wheat virus early detection system.” – Jacob Price, Texas A&M AgriLife Research senior research associate, Amarillo.

- Breeding for resistance to wheat streak mosaic and the introduction of TAM 204. – Dr. Jackie Rudd, AgriLife Research wheat breeder, Amarillo.

- Impact of fertility and nitrogen on small grains: “What does a soil sample mean related to fertility and nutritional management needs of wheat?” – Dr. Calvin Trostle, AgriLife Extension agronomist, Lubbock.

- Plant growth regulators in wheat. – Dr. Jourdan Bell, AgriLife Extension agronomist, Amarillo.

Source: Agrilife