LSU AgCenter ‘Scout School’ Helps Battle Bugs In Crops

TOBIE BLANCHARD

 BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA

 While schools were letting out for the summer, the LSU AgCenter was hosting two sessions of Field Crops Insect Scout School to help train crop consultants, insect scouts, extension agents and others on what and how to look for insect pests and damage in field crops. 

The sessions took place on May 25 at the Toms H. Scott Research and Extension Center in Winnsboro and on June 2 at the State Evacuation Center in Alexandria. 

James Villegas, an entomologist with the LSU AgCenter, organized the scout school and emphasized the importance of proper insect sampling and correctly identifying the insects found in the field. 

“This training plays a vital role in equipping our participants with comprehensive information on insect pest management across important field crops in the state.,” Villegas said. “The scouting school benefits both new and seasoned scouts, as well as consultants, extension agents, producers and other agricultural stakeholders, by teaching them how to identify and address insect-related issues in field crops.”

Participants heard from several AgCenter entomologists who discussed crop growth stages and challenges at each stage, pest identification in cotton, soybeans and sugarcane and the LSU AgCenter Insect Pest Management Guide 

Don Cook, a row crop entomologist from Mississippi State University, discussed the similarity of insect pests of corn and sorghum that they deal with in Mississippi.

Gage Costello attended the scout school in Winnsboro. He has worked for an ag consultant as a crop scout for eight years. Costello said the school is a good annual refresher for him and the newer scouts he brought with him this year.

“It’s good for your base core knowledge of what you are looking for in the field,” Costello said. 

Some of the attendees were high school students who work as scouts during summer. Melissa Cater, LSU AgCenter Northeast Region director, said scouting is a good introduction for agriculture for students.

“Experiences like this one give students hands-on experiences that help with their career decision-making processes and heighten their interest in agriculture as a career path,” she said.

Participants also received worker protection certification. Bryan Gueltig, LSU AgCenter pesticide safety education program coordinator, provided the training to ensure that scouts understand how to work within and around insecticides with an emphasis on safety.

Villegas said attendees who responded to a survey after the training expressed that the scout school addressed their specific learning needs and equipped them with practical skills that they can apply in their daily work. ˙

TOBIE BLANCHARD: LSU AgCenter