Back to the basics soil fertility training March 11 in Marianna

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Whether you’re new to soil science or been at it for years, there’s never a bad time to review the basics, and that’s what the March 11 soil fertility training workshop at Marianna is all about.

The workshop will be facilitated by Trent Roberts, professor of soil fertility, soil testing, and Bronc Finch, assistant professor and extension soil fertility specialist, and Chandler Arel, extension crop, soils and environmental sciences, all of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

The March 11 soil workshop will include a tour of the state's soil test lab (U of A System Division of Agriculture file photo).

The event will be held at the Lon Mann Cotton Research Station, 3121 Highway 1 South, Marianna, and opens with on-site check-in at 8 a.m.

Lunch will be provided to participants who register by March 4. Participants may register online.

“This is the first soil fertility workshop that we have hosted in several years,” Roberts said. “We are going to get back to basics and cover some introductory topics so that we can build on them going forward.”

Finch called the workshop “an opportunity to refresh or gain new knowledge about some of the basics principles of soil fertility.” 

“We hope that this workshop will lay the groundwork for future educational activities,” Roberts said.

The event will include sessions on:

• Plant essential nutrients.

• Soil basics.

• Soil and water conservation.

• Soil testing philosophy/interpretation.

Additionally, the workshop will include a tour of the Division of Agriculture’s Soil Testing and Research Lab, located at the cotton station. Since it opened in 1976, the lab has tested an estimated 5.7 million soil samples. In 2023 alone, the lab tested a record 220,032 soil samples.

The workshop is being presented by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, the Arkansas Plant Food Association and the Arkansas Soil Testing Board.

For more information on personal finance, visit uaex.uada.edu/money. To learn more about extension programs, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uark.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.

Corn College offers tours, training for Arkansas corn producers

By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture

MARIANNA, Ark. — Corn producers will have the opportunity to learn about the latest research and get hands-on training in weed control, insect and disease management, nutrient deficiency identification and more at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s inaugural Corn College on Aug. 7.

CORN COLLEGE — The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s first Corn College will be on Aug. 7, 2024, in Marianna, Arkansas. (UADA graphic)

The training will be 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Lon Mann Cotton Research Station at 3121 Highway 1 South, Marianna. Check-in begins at 8 a.m. and tours and training start at 8:30 a.m.

“Unlike a regular field day, this is an opportunity for crop consultants, producers and industry professionals to see first-hand corn production programs and have in-depth discussions and hands-on training on issues facing Arkansas growers,” said Jason Kelley, extension corn agronomist for the Division of Agriculture.

Continuing education units will be available and lunch will be provided.

Registration is $100, and the deadline to register is Aug. 2.

Register Now

No on-site registration will be offered. 

Attendees will tour the research station and receive hands-on training in:

• weed control programs

• insect and disease identification and management

• irrigation management

• nutrient deficient identification and management

• agronomic considerations

Tour stops and topics covered include:

Weed Control — Discussion and showcase of weed control programs with a focus on yellow nutsedge and morning glory control.
Instructor: Tom Barber, extension weed specialist

Disease Management — Common corn disease identification, hybrid susceptibility to foliar diseases, disease management options, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
Instructors: Terry Spurlock and Camila Nicolli, extension plant pathologists

Insect Management — Corn borer identification and management, corn earworm (Bt resistance and damage), stored grain insect management, late-season defoliation impacts.Instructors: Glenn Studebaker, Ben Thrash and Nick Bateman, extension entomologists

Irrigation Practices — Irrigation scheduling with Watermark sensors and the mobile app, telemetry for sensors, feel method, types of sensors for irrigation, sap flow, and irrigation initiation and termination for corn.Instructor: Chris Henry, irrigation specialist

Agronomics — Growth and development, corn DD50 program, short stature corn, pollination issues, use of drones for plant stand evaluation. 
Instructors: Jason Kelley, extension agronomist; Chuck Capps, corn verification coordinator; Jason Davis, remote sensing extension specialist

Fertility Programs — Corn response to potassium; identifying common nutrient deficiencies in corn including potassium and zinc; comprehensive corn nutrient management for optimal yields and profitability. Pre-tassel crop nitrogen status and fertilizer need assessment using drones.

Instructors: Gerson Drescher, Trent Roberts and Aurelie Poncet, soil and precision ag specialists

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.