Reports of blanks in wheat heads began trickling in last week and by this week became common. The impacted areas appear to run northeast from Hardeman/Fayette Counties through Madison county and into Henry County. The injury I’ve observed has ranged from light to severe, with the worst injury appearing on acres that were planted in early October. From the windshield, the injury will likely not be noticeable; at a distance, the wheat may simply appear to be maturing rapidly (see image above). Estimated yield loss from the picture above equaled 40%. Continue reading
Category Archives: Cotton
Moth Trapping Data

A reminder that moth trapping data are updated weekly at http://www.utcrops.com/BlogStuff/2020MothTrappingData.pdf, and you can also access these data on the Quick Links of this site. Pheromone-baited traps are run for corn earworm (bollworm), tobacco budworm, and southwestern corn borer.
Currently, moth trap catches are generally low, as typically observed this time of year.
Management of Grass Escapes from Paraquat Burndown

Recent burndowns that are targeting Palmer amaranth with paraquat are working quite well on that weed. Unfortunately, that is not the case on some grass weeds like barnyardgrass, junglerice and crabgrass. Once those grasses get 4” or more in height paraquat often struggles to provide good control. Continue reading
Cotton Seedling Diseases: Getting to the ‘Root’ of the Problem
So far, the cotton growing season in Tennessee has been a little on the cool side with highs in the mid 60’s for most days and typically dropping into the lower 40’s at night. In addition to cooler temperatures, there has also been frequent rain fall. These two factors could potentially play into cotton seedling disease development. Continue reading
Call of the Week: Virtual Scout School
In this podcast, Scott Stewart lays out plans for summer educational programing, including Cotton Scout School (which will be held virtually on May 29) and Soybean Scout School (virtual with date TBD). He also discusses advantages/disadvantages of online learning and murder hornets. Listen. Continue reading
Dicamba Application Best Managment Practices
Wet and cold with more rain in the forecast. Ugg! That sums up our spring planting season to date. Hopefully, next week, we will get our break and can get a good bit done in the field. When that time comes, please remember to use best management practices applying all herbicides but particularly dicamba containing products! Continue reading
Results of UT Studies on Reasons for Junglerice Becoming a Major Pest in Tennessee Xtend Cotton and Soybean Acres

The results of some studies UT Extension has done to try to determine why junglerice has become a major weed pest in Tennessee Xtend cotton and soybean acres has provided some insights. This research was in-part supported by the Tennessee Soybean Promotion Board and from Cotton Incorporated. Continue reading
Insects on the Radar

This article is a reminder about some critters we need to watch for in the coming few weeks. It’s easy to let something slip through the cracks when you are distracted with planting operations. Try to circle back to emerging fields as best you’re able during the first 2-3 weeks after planting to check on plant stands and other issues.
Wheat – True armyworm is the insect most likely to cause issues at this time of year. Even so, it doesn’t commonly require treatment. However, excessive defoliation before the dough stage can reduce yields, and this pest is easily controlled with pyrethroid insecticides. The treatment threshold is 6-8 larvae per square foot while wheat is still in the milk stage. You can read more about true armyworms at Continue reading