Soybean rust forum to feature national, regional experts
Feb 15, 2008 2:33 PM,
By Lamar James
Arkansas Extension Specialist
Soybean farmers will have an opportunity to learn what experts think Asian soybean rust could do this year and learn about tactics to manage the disease by attending the Soybean Rust Forum 2008 on March 4 at Brinkley, Ark.
“Climatologist Scott Isard from Penn State University is coming to discuss how environment affects movement and spread of the disease,” said Scott Monfort, associate professor/plant pathologist with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
Other speakers include Clayton Hollier, an Extension plant pathologist from Louisiana State University Ag Center; Monfort; Cliff Coker, Arkansas Extension plant pathologist at Monticello; and Jeremy Ross, Arkansas Extension soybean agronomist.
“We will finish up with a panel discussion of different impact scenarios if the disease comes into the state,” Monfort said. “It’s more of an enhanced decision-making course with audience participation. This will help farmers to understand what might happen this year, and why we sometimes change our tactics in trying to manage the disease.”
The forum, which is free, is from 8:30 a.m. until noon at the Brinkley Convention Center. Producers should register through their county Extension agents by Feb. 20. County agents should register their attendees by Feb. 22.
Crop advisers will receive CEU credits for attending. For more information, contact Debby Monfort at (501) 438-2044 or dmonfort@uark.edu.
