In a change from the usual format, this year’s educational meetings for sugarbeet growers will be a two-day event.

“Sugarbeet MBA” (making bottom-line advancements) meetings are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 27 and 28, at the Fargo Holiday Inn, Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 3 and 4, at the Grand Forks Ramada Inn and Thursday and Friday, Feb. 19 and 20, at the Parish Center in Grafton.

“The Sugarbeet MBA seminars are designed to provide growers with technical insight and practical advice to improve on-farm results,” according to Mohamed Khan, North Dakota State University Extension Service sugar beet specialist. “Researchers from NDSU, University of Minnesota, USDA and American Crystal Sugar Company will provide growers with the latest research information.”

A registration fee of $40 is required to cover lunches and course materials. Space is limited so pre-registration is recommended. The registration deadline for Fargo and Grand Forks has been extended to Jan. 21. To register, contact Marilyn Geiszler at (701) 231-8881 or e-mail at marilyn.geiszler@ndsu.nodak.edu. Mohamed Khan can also be contracted at (701) 231-8596 or e-mail at Mohamed.khan@ndsu.nodak.edu. A total of 12.5 CEU credits are available for those attending the seminar.

Joe Giles, NDSU soil scientist, will discuss managing seedbed preparation, crop residues, adjusting planters and selecting seeding rates. Dave Franzen, NDSU precision farming specialist, will conduct a seminar on improving drainage and salinity.

Neil Gudmestad, NDSU potato and sugarbeet disease specialist, will lead a discussion on fungicide resistance management while Khan and Carl Bradley, NDSU plant pathologist, will be on a panel to discuss managing sugarbeet diseases.

A seminar on sugarbeet weed management will be lead by Alan Dexter, NDSU weed control specialist. Mark Boetel, NDSU sugarbeet entomologist, will provide insect management tips for the 2004growing season.

Other topics include how to harvest what you grow, impact of root diseases on storage, impact of sugarbeet quality on processing and how to find and utilize valuable information on the Internet.

The events are sponsored by the NDSU Extension Service, American Crystal Sugar Company, Betaseed and Bayer CropScience.