University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Crop Management Training

ABOUT THIS TRAINING SESSION....

This training is part of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Crop Management Winter Programs. Trainers are from the UNL faculty and the agricultural industry. The clinics provide an unbiased approach by highly skilled trainers.

The workshop will be organized into two sessions—a morning session for first-time Hybrid-Maize users, and an afternoon session for participants who are already familiar with using this software and seek additional training. Participants can register for either both sessions or for either half-day session.

The full-day registration fee will be $80; half-day registration fee will be $45. All participants must either already have purchased the Hybrid-Maize software, or they can purchase it at the Workshop (approx $35 plus tax). If you have version 2004.1 of the Hybrid-Maize software, you will receive a free update to version 2005.1 at the Workshop. To get the update, you must be registered on our list of purchasers.

Participants can choose to bring their own laptop computer, which is the preferred mode, (with Windows 98 or later operating system), or rent a laptop computer at the Workshop ($20 at the Norfolk workshop and free at the Lincoln workshop). At time of registration, participants must specify if they will bring or rent a laptop.

Workshop Objectives
Morning session: Will provide first-time Hybrid-Maize users with an overview of how the model works and how it can help to improve crop management decisions with a focus on improving decisions about planting date, hybrid maturity, and irrigation scheduling, and on estimating dryland yield potential. This morning session may also be worthwhile for those already familiar with Hybrid-Maize who seek to refresh their skills or deepen their understanding of the software’s capabilities.

Afternoon session: Appropriate for those who participate in the morning session as well as for experienced Hybrid-Maize users. This session will focus on new tools and more dynamic capabilities of the simulation model software.

Workshop Topics and Schedule
Overview of presentations

9:00-9:20 High-Yield Agriculture for increased profit and conservation of natural resources

9:20-10:00 The Hybrid-Maize Simulation Model as a tool for Improving crop management decisions

Hands-on training sessions (laptop required)
10:00-11:00 Use of Hybrid-Maize as a tool for optimizing planting date and hybrid maturity

11:00-12:00 Analysis of rainfed yield potential and irrigation scheduling

12:00-1:00 Lunch

Hands-on training sessions (laptop required)
1:00-2:00 Acquisition of climate data and use of the new “Weather-Aide” tool for Hybrid-Maize

2:00-3:00 Real-time crop simulation to monitor crop growth status, yield potential probabilities, and in-season management options

3:00-4:00 Diagnosis of previous seasons yield constraints and potential future management improvements

Presenters include:

Ken Cassman, Professor, UNL Dept. of Agronomy and Horticulture

Achim Dobermann, Extension Soil Fertility/Nutrient Management Specialist, UNL Dept. of Agronomy and Horticulture

Maribeth Milner, Specialist, UNL Dept. of Agronomy and Horticulture

Dan Walters, Professor of Soil Sciences, UNL Dept. of Agronomy and Horticulture

Haishun Yang, Research Assistant Professor, Soil and Water Science, Research Assistant Professor, Soil and Water Science

Fee for this workshop is $45 for the morning session only, $45 for the afternoon session only, or $80 for the full day. Lunch is included in the full-day session, but is NOT in the half-day sessions.

Register today - maximum of 25 participants at each location.

Included in the registration fee is a course instruction manual which is yours to take home with you. The reference materials are an excellent resource for use in your profession. Registration fees do not include the cost of your lodging. No refunds will be given after early registration cutoff dates, except in the case of an extreme emergency.

For more information, contact UNL Extension at (402)624-8000 or via e-mail at kglewen1@unl.edu.