NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The SFA Gardens at Stephen F. Austin State University will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, in the Agriculture Building, Room 110, at 1924 Wilson Drive. Texas Agrilife Extension horticulturist Jim Kamas will present "Overcoming Pierce's Disease - a New Lease on Life for Growing Grapes on the Gulf Coast."

Jim Kamas is a Texas A&M assistant professor and extension agency fruit specialist stationed in Fredericksburg. In addition to responsibilities in fruit tree crops and general viticulture, he serves as outreach coordinator for the Texas Pierce's Disease Research and Education Program. He collaborates on a number of projects but is especially interested in grape rootstock disease tolerance and in evaluating new selections for fruit quality and tolerance to Pierce's Disease. He is co-author of the recently published "Texas Peach Handbook."

Jim lives near Blanco, Texas, and enjoys wadefishing Texas bays and collecting 78-RPM records and players.

The Theresa and Les Reeves Garden Lecture Series is generally held the third Thursday of each month at the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture's SFA Mast Arboretum. Refreshments are served by the SFA Gardens volunteers before the lecture with a rare plant raffle being held afterward. The lecture is free and open to the public. Donations to the Theresa and Les Reeves lecture series fund are always appreciated.

For more information, contact Greg Grant at (936) 468-1863 or grantdamon@sfasu.edu.