There is no question in my mind that a lot of useless products are used in agriculture. For the amount of money we are spending, we are not getting any return. With that in mind, Dr. Mark McFarland will kick off the symposium with a discussion of alternative products - benefit or waste. I guarantee you will be amazed at the truth.

One of the greatest challenges we face in Texas is iron and zinc nutrition. Many problems would be solved if we could just get the iron and zinc into the plant. Just because you put the product on the leaves or ground, does not mean it will be taken up. Dr. Tim Righetti will help us gain a better understanding of these mechanisms. He will also help us understand whether all those "foliar feeds" are really worth the money.

Probably the most critical yet least understood mechanism of plant nutrition is that of roots, and the soil and water environment in which roots must do their work. It is amazing that roots function at all when you look at the stress we often inflict upon them, i.e., too much water, then not enough. Dr. George Ray McEachern will provide insights into what we need to do to make sure the plant roots function properly.

We have all heard the words photosynthesis and respiration. Possibly we can spell them, but do we really know what they mean? And does it matter? Dr. Dave Reed returns this year to share his wisdom on these 2 ultra-critical plant functions. Not only does the plant need to make food, but it must be able to use it as well. Dave is great at breaking down these complex processes into understandable terms.

There is no question that the greatest problem growers face in this state is weeds. If we could just control weeds, our crops would fare much better. Dr. Scott Senseman will be on hand to discuss considerations and mechanisms for weed control.

Untold hours of labor and tons of money have been spent on crops only to have them spoil at the finish line. Dr. Luke Howard will help us understand the critical concepts and considerations of post harvest physiology to prevent such losses.

The internet continues to grow by leaps and bounds and no one really knows where we are going next. To keep you abreast of the latest happenings and uses of the internet, Dr. Dan Lineberger will be present. He is the "father" of 'Aggie-Horticulture' and maintains this great web data base.

We have all heard of grower-conducted on-farm evaluations. There is no question that great information can be garnered from such trials. However, to insure the data is valid, there are a few key considerations which must be followed. Dr. Frank Dainello will outline the key points of such research in order to insure valid data.

Lastly, we are all aware of the various laws and regulations which we face in the ordinary operation of our farms. Still, it is hard and boring, to say the least, to stay on top of such regulations even though it is a key to the maintenance of your pesticide license. To help you understand these rules, Dr. Don Renchie will present this information in a most unique way!

In addition, the symposium will conclude on the last day with a session devoted specifically to your area of interest, either fruits and grapes (fruit and grape sessions are devoted to nutrition and combined this year) or vegetables.

We will also have time for one-on-one interaction and visiting. Good information, good times, and good friends . . . . you can’t afford to miss this years symposium. See you then!