Horticulture Spray Day slated March 8

Thursday, February 8, 2018

Pests in both conventional and organic horticulture food crops is a concern for producers around the state. Pests can cause damage and cut into the bottom line of growers.

To help those involved in producing both conventional and organic horticulture food crops, Oklahoma State University’s Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture is sponsoring a Horticulture Spray Day, said Becky Carroll, OSU Cooperative Extension assistant specialist, fruit crops and pecans.

“The main emphasis of this workshop is how to spray properly,” Carroll said. “While getting rid of destructive pests in crops is essential, knowing how to properly spray is just as important. If not done properly, spraying can cause additional damage on top of the pest damage.”

Slated March 8 at the Cimarron Valley Research Station near Perkins, Oklahoma, the workshop is free and open to the public. Lunch is included for those who preregister by March 1. To register, contact Stephanie Larimer at 405-744-5404, or via email at stephanie.larimer@okstate.edu. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. and educational sessions will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sessions will cover topics including reading a label, worker protection standards, pesticide licensing, recordkeeping, pesticide storage, container disposal, personal protective equipment, sprayer nozzles and controlling drift.

Also on the agenda will be demonstrations on sprayer maintenance, as well as how to calibrate handheld/backpack sprayers, boom sprayers and airblast sprayers.

“In the final part of the workshop, participants will divide into pecan, grape/fruit and vegetable areas to see specific spraying techniques appropriate for these various crops,” Carroll said. “We’ll finish off with a wrap-up session and door prizes.”

Other sponsors of Horticulture Spray Day include Oklahoma Field Research Service Unit, Noble Research Institute, Oklahoma Pecan Growers’ Association, Oklahoma Grape Industry Council and Oklahoma Fruit and Vegetable Association.

For additional information, please contact Carroll at becky.carroll@okstate.edu, or Lynn Brandenberger at lynn.brandenberger@okstate.edu.