Category Archives: Wheat

17 Apr 2012

The Bug Front is Mostly Quiet

17 Apr 2012
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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 →

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09 Apr 2012

Crop Progress

09 Apr 2012
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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 →

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02 Apr 2012

Crop Progress

02 Apr 2012
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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 →

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02 Apr 2012

Spraying Insects in Wheat Just Because

02 Apr 2012
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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 →

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25 Mar 2012

Sugarcane Beetles in Corn; Cereal Leaf Beetle in Wheat

25 Mar 2012
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My counterpart, Dominic Reisig, in North Carolina wrote a couple of good articles that are worth a look (linked below).  Sugarcane beetles, like just about everything else, are out early this year.  Ed Burns, Extension Agent in Franklin County, reported “about a hundred beetles” at his shop lights last week.  I typically start getting calls about this pest beginning in early May, but count on potential problems to start earlier this year.
Sugarcane beetles are active (Dominic Reisig, NCSU)
Cereal leaf beetle update (Dominic Reisig, NCSU)

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15 Feb 2012

Technical Service Provider Training in Little Rock

15 Feb 2012
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As you know, we have been working with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), and Tennessee Association of Conservation Districts (TACD) to develop a program to highlight the impact of herbicide resistant weeds on agriculture.  It appears that some cost share incentives will be offered to those farmers with “Herbicide Resistant Weed Management Plans”.

However, these plans must be written by qualified “Technical Service Providers” (TSPs) and since this is a new program, there are currently no TSPs to write the plans.  A training program has been pulled together over the past few days to offer TSP training to any consultant interested. Continue reading →

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