Top up your rice pest skill set at a July 14 training at the Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center
“We’re at that point in the growing season when rice growers to be at their sharpest when it comes to their insect and disease ID and management skills.” — Camila Nicolli
By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
June 30, 2025
Fast facts:
- No cost to attend
- Register online
(294 words)
(Newsrooms: With file photo of Nicolli)
STUTTGART, Ark. — Sharpen your rice disease and insect management skills July 14 at a training session hosted by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture at the Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center.
The event runs from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Attendees can register online and there is no cost to attend. Organizers request that attendees RSVP by July 11 if possible to ensure lunch head count. The Bumpers Center is located at 2890 Highway 130 E. in Stuttgart.
Camila Nicolli, extension rice pathologist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said, that following the welcome, “there will be hands-on training for rice disease identification, followed by interactive case studies focused on effective disease management strategies.
“We’ll also cover common seed and seedling problems, including how to identify and address them in the field,” she said. “In the afternoon, the focus will shift to insect identification and management, with additional hands-on activities designed to strengthen field diagnostics and pest control approaches.
“We’re at that point in the growing season when rice growers to be at their sharpest when it comes to their insect and disease ID and management skills,” Nicolli said. “Early detection gives growers a chance to prepare their pest battle plan and get the best outcome for their crops.”
The agenda:
- 9 a.m. — Welcome and breakfast
- 9:30 a.m. — Rice disease ID — Camila Nicolli, extension plant pathologist for the Division of Agriculture
- 10:30 a.m. — Rice disease management — Felipe Dalla Lana da Silva, rice pathologist, Louisiana State University
- 11:30 a.m. — Seed treatment — Terry Spurlock, extension plant pathologist for the Division of Agriculture.
- Noon — Lunch
- 12:30 p.m. — Industry updates from sponsors BASF and Nichino
- 1 p.m. — Insect ID — Nick Bateman, extension entomologist for the Division of Agriculture
- 2 p.m. — Insect management — Bateman.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact Camila Nicolli cnicolli@uada.edu as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
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Media contact: Mary Hightower
mhigthower@uada.edu