Turfgrass professionals, enthusiasts offered a three-day management course
Texas A&M experts offer management guidance virtually
The Texas A&M Turfgrass Shortcourse is going virtual to allow attendance by a greater number of turfgrass professionals or enthusiasts looking to gain knowledge in physiology, management principles and pest management to attend.
The program will be March 16-18 and is hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Texas A&M University Department of Soil and Crop Sciences. The fee is $200 for all three days or $65 for the one day that includes continuing education credits, CEUs.
Preregistration for the course is required and closes at midnight March 14.
The Certified Professional Turfgrass Manager Exam will also be offered through the Texas Turfgrass Association, TTA, for $75.
Registration for the TTA exam is separate. This exam will be held at a testing site in either College Station or Dallas on March 22. Registration must be done separately but in conjunction with the short course.
Participants will have the opportunity to learn from a wide range of experts with unique problem-solving perspectives, said Chrissie Segars, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension turfgrass specialist, Dallas. The objective of this short course is to empower turfgrass professionals to make confident well-informed decisions through a combination of applied and theoretical knowledge.
Program schedule
The program will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
March 16 speakers will discuss soil basics and principles, turfgrass physiology, turfgrass selection and identification, planting and establishment and general management.
March 17 topics include nutrient management, irrigation water management and water quality, cultivation practices, athletic field management and research updates.
March 18 will offer a full day of CEUs – five agricultural and four structural through the Texas Department of Agriculture. Participants must provide their correct TDA license number during registration and have an email address to receive access instructions. To qualify for CEUs, individuals must be present for the entirety of the day. The online platform will monitor presence and CEUs will be awarded accordingly.
March 18 topics include integrated pest management, insect identification and control, weeds and herbicide resistance, drift principles for turfgrass, disease management and a TTA update.
For specific times, the complete short course schedule is available. For more information, contact Segars.
