The University of Kentucky Wheat Science Group will host its Winter Wheat Meeting virtually over two days in January on the videoconferencing platform Zoom. The meeting will run from 8:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. CST on Jan. 5 and again on Jan. 8.

UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment specialists will cover several topics of interest to those involved with the wheat industry. Jan. 5 topics include crop condition, economics, soil compaction and yield potential. Stuart Foster, Western Kentucky University professor and state climatologist, will provide an overview of the state’s climate over the past 125 years.

Jan. 8 topics include crop condition, variety differences in metribuzin tolerance, management strategies to reduce insect populations in stored wheat, annual ryegrass control and integrated management of head scab.

“Head scab is one of the most damaging diseases of wheat in Kentucky and the surrounding region,” said Carl Bradley, UK extension plant pathologist. “The best control of scab comes when producers integrate multiple management practices. I will present results from trials conducted locally in Kentucky, as well as results from multi-state trials.”

Pesticide applicators can receive one specific continuing education hours in categories 1A, 10 and 12 for the first day of the meeting and two specific hours in the same categories on the second day. Certified Crop Advisers can receive 1.5 continuing education units in crop management for the first day and two credits in pest management on the second day.

Participants can access day one of the meeting at https://uky.zoom.us/j/86253972713 and day two at https://uky.zoom.us/j/85093871632. Both links are also accessible from the UK Wheat Science Group website at http://wheatscience.ca.uky.edu/.