Corn harvest will likely start toward the end of this month. As the corn dries down the next couple weeks expect a new flush of Palmer amaranth. Moreover, with all the rain the first week of August any thin corn stand areas will likely have a new heavy flush of Palmer amaranth. Though no one wants to spend more money with corn commodity price so low, it will pay off next spring to have less Palmer amaranth to mange in soybean or cotton. Continue reading
Don’t forget the UT corn and soybean field day today at the Research and Education Center in Milan (3 Ledbetter Rd, Milan, TN 38358). Registration opens at 9:00 and tour will be begin at 9:30 a.m and will conclude with lunch.
Information on corn and soybean diseases, insects, and weed management, as well as agronomic information will be presented. Pesticide re-certification and CCA CEUs will be available.
Soybeans, wheat, and cotton were up; corn was mixed for the week. Corn prices traded mostly sideways for a second straight week. The Crop Production and WASDE reports on August 12th will be watched very closely for any yield adjustments. Continue reading at Tennessee Market Highlights.
It’s August. And though cool, wet weather in some areas delayed crop progress this season, many growers are now shifting to harvest mode. While there is maybe a little lull before harvest, review management duties as you get ready for harvest. Continue reading at Southeast Farm Press.
As reported by NASS on August 4, 2014
MOST AREAS IN NEED OF RAIN; COTTON IN NEED OF HEAT
There is general consensus that a good, soaking rain is needed across most of the State to minimize plant and pasture stress. Even through these weather conditions, both corn and soybeans are expected to produce good yields. Cool temperatures last week limited heat units for cotton, causing some producer concern. Continue reading at Crop Progress 8 3 14.
The white sugarcane aphid (WSCA) has made it well into Tennessee. On August 5th, I found relatively low populations on heading grain sorghum within the city limits of Jackson. The previous nearest find to Tennessee was in northern Mississippi and across the river from Memphis (Crittenden Co., AR). Thus, it is conceivable this insect could show up in any sorghum field in West Tennessee. It is important that everyone start scouting for this insect and report suspected infestations. Continue reading
Corn, wheat, and cotton were down; soybeans were mixed for the week. The majority of crops across the country and throughout Tennessee are in good to excellent condition. As such, as we approach harvest this fall the likeli-hood of record production for corn and soybeans continues to increase. Hav-ing downside price protection entering the 2014 harvest period is strongly encouraged. Continue reading at Tennessee Market Highlights.
I did a pretty through job in last week’s article about addressing insecticide treatment options in cotton. We’ve been collecting a lot of data this week in our trials, primarily targeting plant bugs, and I’ve seen nothing to change my opinions. The top performers list include Acephate/Orthene, Transform and Bidrin in tests with many tarnished plant bug nymphs. Various mixes of these products with each other or with a pyrethroid insecticide are also performing well. When you start with the top performing insecticides, it is often the timing and interval of applications that makes the biggest difference in insect control. Continue reading