STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Cover crop usage is gaining momentum on Midsouth farms and will be a major focus of the 2017 Mississippi State University Row Crop Short Course.

The MSU Extension Service will host the course at the Mill Conference Center in Starkville Dec. 4-6.

Other topics will include weed resistance, fertility issues in crop production, issues surrounding dicamba use, the economic outlook for row crops in 2018, future prospects for auxin-resistant crops and management of key insect pests in multiple cropping systems.

Experts in all areas of row crop production will be on hand to discuss current issues as well as solutions to problems faced by growers. Speakers from seven states will be featured during the course.

The Row Crop Short Course was initiated in 1983 as the Cotton Short Course. The program was amended in 2009 to accommodate a number of row crops, including soybeans, corn and rice. Attendance has steadily increased since then, with more than 600 people attending the event in 2016. 

Certified Crop Adviser continuing education units will be available.

Preregister by Nov. 27 to receive all meals free of charge by visiting http://extension.msstate.edu/row-crop-short-course. Information on lodging and a program schedule are also available on that web page. Registration after Nov. 27 costs $40.