The 2020 version of PB 1768, Insect Management Recommendations for Field Crops (and pasture), is now available. The guide has gone through substantial revision this year and closely matches the content on the mobile friendly Disease and Insect Field Guides at https://guide.utcrops.com/. Hard copies will be available soon and distributed through county extension offices and at various educational meetings.
This is a repeat of an article from last year (as a reminder). One of the most consistent yield responses I’ve seen in my time at UT is when a foliar insecticide application is made to wheat at this time of year (late January – late February). An insecticide application, specifically a pyrethroid insecticide, has increased yield by an average of 5.7 bushels/acre. Thus, this application has become a fairly routine recommendation. Insecticides can be co-applied with a herbicide or Continue reading
January 24, 2020 – Gibson County Extension Crop Production (Ed Jones Agri-plex) 8:00 a.m. – 2:45 p.m. (Contact Philip Shelby for details)
January 30-31, 2020 – Cotton & Rice No-Till Conference (Memphis, TN)
February 3, 2020 – Henry County Extension Crop Production (Henry Co. Fairgrounds) 6 – 9 p.m. (Contact Ranson Goodman for details)
February 4, 2020 – Middle Tennessee Grain Conference (UT Space Institute in Tullahoma, TN)
February 6, 2020 – West Tennessee Grain and Soybean Conference (Dyer Co. Fairgounds, Dyersburg, TN)
February 7, 2020 – KY/TN Grain Conference (Russellville, KY)
February 11, 2020 – Haywood/Madison Extension Crop Production (Samuel T. Bryant Distillery, Jackson, TN) 9AM-12PM (Contact Jake Mallard or Lindsay Stephenson for details)
February 12, 2020 – Tennessee Agricultural Production Association Winter Agronomic Workshop (DoubleTree Hotel, Jackson, Tennessee) 8 AM – 4 PM
February 13, 2020 – Cotton Focus (West Tennessee Research and Education Center, Jackson, TN) 8 AM-12PM (lunch provided, pre-registration is not required)
Tennessee Certified Pesticide Applicators must take recertification training in 2020. The recertification training is good for three years. In addition, those who will be spraying Engenia, Tavium, FeXapam or XtendiMax on Xtend crops must take dicamba training in 2020. A new addition from the EPA will be the requirement that anyone who purchases, mixes or applies a paraquat-containing herbicide to take the “How to Safely Use and Handle Paraquat-Containing Products” training module. Continue reading
The 2020 TN Cotton Variety Guide is now available online. This preliminary report serves as a precursor to the complete Variety Trial Results which will be published after the remaining samples have been ginned and classed. Summary tables from the 2019 season were calculated from five Official Variety Trials (OVTs) and nine County Standard Trials (CSTs) scattered throughout TN’s cotton producing counties. Continue reading
The 2019 County Standardized Trial-Soybean Results are now available.
This year, the trials evaluated 88 soybean varieties from 15 companies at 71 locations. Across all varieties and maturities, the tests averaged just over 60 bu/ac. Sufficient rains and soil moisture got this crop off to a great start and earlier planted beans showed no sign of drought stress in most locations. As the season went on, July and August offered little rain to much of TN and later planted beans suffered during pod fill and showed reduced yields in many locations. Maturity and herbicide tolerance is split into 6 protocols. Glyphosate/Dicamba tolerant varieties are tested in four separate trials; late MG III, early MG IV, late MG IV, and early MG V. Our Glufosinate tolerant trial, now hosting some 2-4-D tolerant varieties are separated into two trials; early MG IV and late MG IV.
While the finish line is either within sight or has been reached by most, Tennessee still has several acres of cotton in the field. Several have reported fall out, or seed cotton on the ground, on some of these acres. There are several methods to estimate yield loss from fall out. This article explains string-out, fall out, the method for estimating harvest loss from lock counts and covers potential sources of error in the estimate. Continue reading
With the arctic blast in the forecast and the substantial number of cotton acres left in the field, several have recently asked about how to keep water in their cotton pickers moisture system from freezing. Some operators occasionally mix a small percentage of methanol with water to lower the freezing point of water, but extreme caution must be used with this liquid since it is highly flammable. This post includes a brief demonstration concerning methanol/water mixtures and freeze points of different mixtures. Please note prior to using methanol or any other liquid in your moisture system you should consult the manufacturer. Continue reading