Category Archives: Wheat

As reported by NASS on May 14, 2012

WEEKEND SHOWERS WELCOMED BY FARMERS

Showers and thunderstorms provided some needed relief this weekend, but it has been so dry recently that all regions of the state continue to need a general soaking rain. Crops continue to develop at rapid rate well ahead of normal. Corn planting is complete, all emerged and in mostly good condition. Cotton and soybean planting and tobacco transplanting were the main farm activities last week. Fertilizing, spraying post-emergence herbicides and hay harvest were also major farm activities. The wheat crop is ripening and farmers expect to begin harvest within the next two weeks. Continue reading →

Scouring Rush

Over the past several years many have had concerns about scouring rush creeping into crop production areas.  Scouring rush is not a typical agronomic weed. It normally grows along fence rows, ditch banks, and low lying areas.  However, in long term no-tillage production systems scouring rush is increasingly encroaching into crop production areas. 

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As reported by NASS on May 7, 2012

SCATTERED SHOWERS PROVIDE LITTLE RELIEF

Unusually high temperatures and sunny days combined to minimize the benefits of scattered showers that fell in many areas across the state. Reporters in all regions reiterated the need for a general soaking rain. Row crops were holding on with three-fourths of the corn and winter wheat acres rated in good-to-excellent condition. Crop development continues to advance well ahead of the normal pace. Pastures declined some from the previous week, but cattle were reported to be mostly good condition. Other farm activities this week included post-emergence herbicide and fertilizer applications, cutting hay, scouting for insects and diseases, harvesting strawberries, and continued assessment of freeze damage on fruit crops. Continue reading →

Overall, I’m not getting any reports of widespread problems in any crop, but there has been a smattering of several things including … Continue reading →

As reported by NASS on April 30, 2012

A GOOD GENERAL SOAKING RAIN NEEDED!

Rainfall totals throughout most of the state last week were below normal, which led to short-to-very short soil moisture supplies in almost forty percent of the farmland. All crops and pastures, however, remain rated in mostly good-to-excellent condition with development advancing well ahead of the normal pace. Continue reading →

I’ve had calls about cutworms and slugs this week.  You can see my comments about slugs in last week’s post (link here).  However, the most common question has been on armyworms in wheat.  Calls have varied from low populations, but some with head clipping, to high populations that have caused severe defoliation.  The picture below is that of near complete defoliation, including the beards of wheat, from Crockett County. Continue reading →

Stripe Rust ( Puccinia striiformis): Early infections of stripe rust or yellow rust have now spread into many susceptible fields of wheat aided by the cool weather. Some yellow spots in the field may be totally covered with stripe rust and will cause yield reduction. Producers who have sprayed a foliar fungicide should experience Continue reading →

As reported by NASS on April 17, 2012

FIELDWORK AND CROP DEVELOPMENT AT RECORD PROGRESS LEVELS. Corn planting continued at a blistering pace last week and early hay and strawberry harvests began. The wheat crop was in the heading stage. These development events at week’s end were at a record rate that is a full three weeks ahead of the five-year average tempo. Many corn growers reported that they were completely finished planting. Tennessee’s wheat crop and pastures continued in good-to-excellent condition. Continue reading →

Armyworms in Wheat – Unlike some areas to our south, there have been very few calls on armyworms.  Granted, many people included an insecticide with their fungicide, but the few reports of those that didn’t indicate that armyworms are not an issue.  I have not found armyworms in the wheat at the Jackson experiment station.  Dr. Angus Catchot did an excellent podcast about the treatment threshold for armyworms in Mississippi, which is essentially the same as ours (link here).  Cereal leaf beetles also Continue reading →

As reported by NASS on April 9, 2012

CORN PLANTING TWO WEEKS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

Tennessee corn farmers took full advantage of the six days suitable for fieldwork to make great planting progress last week. Sub-normal precipitation, coupled with warmer than normal temperatures, allowed growers to end the week at forty-six percent planted. This pace is two weeks ahead of the five-year average and one of the most rapid starts on record. The Tennessee wheat crop is in good-to-excellent condition and is developing at a rate two weeks earlier than usual. The main farm work, other than planting last week, was fertilizer and pesticide applications. Pastures looked exceptionally good. Continue reading →

Crop Progress as reported by NASS on April 2, 2012

WARM SPRING “JUMP STARTS” FARM ACTIVITIES

The 2012 farming season is well underway after a mild winter allowing farmers to progress rapidly with field activities, especially planting corn. Corn farmers across the Volunteer State took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather to push corn planting progress up by one week. Also, winter wheat is developing at rate about 10 days ahead of the normal pace and was rated in mostly good condition. Wheat growers were able to make their top dressing applications on time and there have been some reports of fungicide and insecticide applications being made. Pastures are greening-up and hay supplies remain adequate. Continue reading →

I’ve had a number of questions about including insecticide with fungicide applications.  In almost all cases, there are not significant insect infestations in the field.  It is purely a convenience application.  In fact, most reports are of light aphid and cereal leaf beetle infestations, and little or no armyworm activity.  Some have used the logic that insect populations are ahead of schedule, but so is the wheat.  At this time of year, insecticides should be applied as needed based on Continue reading →