Crop scouts will learn how to better manage pests during a University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Crop Scout Training for Pest Managers program March 17.

The training provides in-depth and detailed information from university specialists and private industry representatives.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., and the workshop is from 9 a.m-5 p.m at the university's Agricultural Research and Development Center near Mead.

Cost is $95. Fees include lunch, refreshment breaks, workshop materials and instruction manual. Registrants should preregister to reserve their seat and to ensure workshop materials are available the day of the training session. New reference materials are included in this year's take home instruction manual.

Topics include: how corn and soybean plants grow and develop; soybean and corn pests; insect quiz; plant morphology; using a key to identify weed seedlings; identifying weeds; crop diseases and quiz; and nutrient deficiencies.

Presenters include: Dale Flowerday, agronomist; Tamra Jackson, UNL Extension plant pathologist ; Keith Jarvi, UNL Extension entomologist ; Keith Glewen, UNL Extension educator; Lowell Sandell, UNL Extension weed science educator; and Amy Ziems, UNL Extension Educator - plant pathology

Certified Crop Advisor continuing education credits are available, with 4 in pest management, 1 in crop management and .5 in fertility/nutrient management.

For more information or to register, contact UNL Extension at (402) 624-8030, (800) 529-8030, e-mail Keith Glewen at kglewen1@unl.edu. Online registration available http://ardc.unl.edu/registration.shtml.

Information on this and other training opportunities available at http://ardc.unl.edu/training.shtml.

Download the flyer at http://ardc.unl.edu/2008CropScoutTraining.pdf.

UNL Extension is in the university's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.