Pecan management course offered by Oklahoma State University

The course begins March 13 and will focus on the prioritization and practical application of major management practices by month, said Eric Stafne, fruit and nut specialist for the Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service.

The group will meet once a month from March through October. The meetings are slated from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. This meeting schedule coincides with the pecan growing season. The meetings will combine traditional classroom learning with hands-on experiences. The course will take place at the Oklahoma Fruit Research Station, located one-half mile north of the intersection of State Highways 33 and 177 near Perkins.

“We’ve had really good feedback about this course in the past and we believe that it will continue to have a positive impact on the pecan industry in Oklahoma,” Stafne said. “We have experienced specialists and industry professionals who will be on hand to share their expertise with the participants.”

Pecans are a big industry in Oklahoma and they contribute millions of dollars to the state’s economy.

The first workshop will deal with goal setting, management overview, fertilization, tree thinning, startup rootstock trees and Internet applications. Sprayer calibration/maintenance, weed control, pruning, insect management and disease management are the topics for the second meeting in April.

Topics offered later in the course include disease/insect decisions, nut thinning, preparing for harvest, equipment needs, orchard floor issues, marketing, crop load estimates, quality evaluation, tree evaluation and planting rootstock trees, just to name a few.

“We want to provide an in-depth experience, both in the classroom and the orchard, for current and prospective pecan growers,” Stafne said.

Participants can also attend the Oklahoma Pecan Growers Association meeting in Lawton in lieu of the June workshop. The fee for attending this meeting is not included in the registration fee for the pecan management course.

Registration is $250 per person and the registration deadline is Feb. 28. For more information, call Stephanie Larimer at 405-744-5404, or email her at stephanie.larimer@okstate.edu.

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REPORTER/MEDIA CONTACT
Trisha Gedon
Communications Specialist
Agricultural Communications Services
136 Printing Services Building
Stillwater, OK  74078
Phone: 405-744-3625
Fax: 405-744-5739
E-Mail: trisha.gedon@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, State and Local Governments Cooperating: The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, or status as a veteran, and is an equal opportunity employer.