Canola cropping practices will be featured at the Texas Plant Protection Association Conference scheduled Dec. 10-11 at the Brazos Center, 3232 Briarcrest Drive in Bryan.
Dr. Clark Neely, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service small grains and oilseed specialist in College Station, will give an overview of growing canola and its potential in Texas.
“Researchers and producers are always on the lookout for new alternative crops to help diversify cropping rotations and spread out economic risk,” Neely said. “In the past decade, canola acres have rapidly expanded to over 300,000 acres across the Southern Great Plains, and the growing infrastructure provides a realistic future for canola in Texas.”
Neely said much research is needed on this new crop under Texas environments to establish yield goals and best management practices.
This year’s conference theme is the future use of water and its impact on agriculture.
“Water availability is paramount for agricultural production and certainly is of utmost concern to everyone in Texas,” said Ray Smith, association chairman. “This conference will feature several presentations from leading experts across the state.”
Dr. Travis Miller, interim director for state operations for AgriLife Extension, will be one of the featured speakers during the opening general session Dec. 10.
Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon, Texas state climatologist, and Carlos Rubinstein, chairman of the Texas Water Development Board, will also be general session featured speakers. Nielsen-Gammon will discuss climate variability, and Rubinstein will give a Texas water outlook.
Other presentations during the general session will focus on water conservation, comparative irrigation methods, agricultural innovations from industry in dealing with climate change and a Texas farmer’s perspective on dealing with water management.
Afternoon sessions on Dec. 10 will include a look at theimpact of the Texas drought on wildlife, unmanned aerial vehicles in agriculture, and decision and precision applications of nitrogen.
The second day of the conference will feature sessions on grain, cotton, horticulture, turf, and pasture and rangeland. A student poster contest will be held as well as an awards luncheon.
For registration information, visit here.
