OSU’s pecan management course begins March 10

Monday, February 9, 2015

Whether you are a seasoned grower, new to the industry or simply wanting information about pecans, the 2015 Fundamentals of Pecan Management course offered by Oklahoma State University will provide participants a wealth of research-based information.

OSU has been offering this course for 18 years and more than 500 people from around the region have participated over the years. The goal of the course is to provide an in-depth experience, both in the classroom and hands-on in the orchard, for current and prospective pecan growers, said Becky Carroll, OSU Cooperative Extension assistant specialist, fruit crops and pecans.

The class will meet one Tuesday per month beginning March 10 and continue through Oct. 20, with the exception of June. The meetings will take place from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Cimarron Valley Research Station near Perkins.

A registration fee of $250 per person is due by Feb. 27. For more information, please call Stephanie Larimer at 405-744-5404, or email 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 “2015 Fundamentals of Pecan Management.”

“We’ll focus on the prioritization and practical application of major management practices according to the pecan growing season,” Carroll said. “The topics scheduled for each session coincide with what is actually happening during the pecan growing season.”

The meetings will combine traditional classroom learning with hands-on experiences, as well as a web-based study component.

Carroll said class members have free access to the online pecan management course to supplement the in-class studies. The material is designed specifically for those who are unable to attend the regular pecan course. Due to this technology, people from 24 different states have enrolled in the online class, as well as growers from Australia, Brazil, Chile, Israel, Spain and Turkey. For more information on the online portion of the class, please visit www.pecan.okstate.edu.

“The pecan industry is big in Oklahoma and continues to have a positive impact throughout the state, especially on our economy. Oklahoma’s pecan harvest averages about 18 million pounds each year,” she said. “We continue to receive positive feedback from participants who say the information they receive is very beneficial to their operations.”

There will be a number of industry professionals, as well as specialists from OSU and the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, who will be on hand to share their expertise with the participants throughout the course.

Each of the monthly workshops will cover subjects dealing with pecan management during that particular part of the growing season. Some of the topics covered throughout the course will include management overview, site selection, pruning and training, sprayer calibration and maintenance, Mesonet tools, improving native groves, weed control, crop load estimates, insect management, alternate bearing, business plans and marketing, pesticide applicators licensing, wildlife control, harvest demonstrations, planting rootstock trees and much more.

“We’re excited to offer this course to those with an interest in the pecan industry as a way to help them make the most of their production efforts,” Carroll said.

Participants also may attend the Oklahoma Pecan Growers Association meeting in Ardmore in June since there is no workshop scheduled that month. 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 OPGA may visit the group’s website at www.okpecangrowers.com.