Record high cotton prices, rising input costs, competition from prices of grain crops and increased demands on pest management make the decision to plant cotton more stressful than ever. Below are a few reminders to help get your 2011 cotton crop off to the best start possible. Continue reading
Although a sporadic pest, sugarcane beetle caused significant losses in some corn fields last year. In the worst cases, fields had to be replanted. Thus, I’ve had a number of growers ask about how to prevent this problem again. One problem is that it is very difficult to predict when and where infestations will occur. Sugarcane beetles are in the same family as June beetles. However, they are fairly easy to identify by the jet black color and fossorial (digging-type) front legs. Overwintering beetles become active during the Continue reading
Reniform nematodes (Rotylenchulus reniformis) have been found in Bedford, Crockett, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman, Haywood, Lincoln, Madison, Obion, and Shelby counties in Tennessee. Continue reading
Aphid populations are starting to rise on wheat, but there have not been any reports of necessary treatments. The primary aphid being found is bird cherry-oat aphid. A few English grain aphids and greenbugs are also in the mix. Bird cherry-oat aphid is generally not a serious threat to cause direct damage unless populations are very high. Seed treatment applications and foliar applications to very small wheat are typically intended to prevent aphid transmission of barley yellow dwarf virus, and insecticide applications at this late date would not provide this benefit. I don’t think any state in the Midsouth has a specific treatment threshold for bird cherry-oat aphids or English grain aphids. Continue reading
Low temperatures Friday (3/25) and Saturday (3/26) morning are predicted to be at or near freezing. Currently most wheat is in the jointing stage. Continue reading
Bayer CropScience announced last week that they are discontinuing any plans for production of Temik 15G. They had not manufactured any Temik since July 2010. Thus, only Temik that is currently in the supply chain Continue reading
It seems like a good time to point out some features for people using our news blog. Continue reading
I’ve gotten several calls about a source of pheromone and moth traps for southwestern corn borer (SWCB). Below is the source where we get our traps, and this is also our source for sweep nets. I strongly recommend that anyone who grows non-Bt corn invest in moth traps Continue reading