Plains Pest Management News July 30, 2021

Here’s your Plains Pest Management News for the week of July 30, 2021.

Thanks,

Blayne

 

High Plains IPM "Radio" Podcast 07/28/2021

Here’s this week’s High Plains IPM “Radio” Podcast for 07/28/2021 (audio file) Cotton: still time for cotton development, consistent small pockets of cotton aphids. Further fertility inputs could delay maturity. Fleahoppers still a threat to later plants. Sorghum: sugarcane aphid found areawide, fall armyworm (headworms) increasing. (8:30 mins)

Thanks, 

Blayne

Plains Pest Management News July 23, 2021

 Here’s your PlainsPest Management News for the week of July 23, 2021.

Thanks,

Blayne

Panhandle Uniform Wheat Variety Trial Results

 Here's some information from Dr. Jourdan M. Bell, Associate Professor and Agronomist, Dept. of Soil & Crop Sciences, Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center, Amarillo.  Thanks Dr. Bell!

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Attached are results for the High Plains Uniform Variety Trials – Panhandle Sites. South Plains sites will be included in the final state report compiled by Fernando Guillen-Portal.

 Jourdan

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High Plains IPM "Radio" Podcast 07/21/2021

Here’s this week’s High Plains IPM “Radio” Podcast for 07/21/2021 (audio file) Peanut disease window is open. Cotton: a bit behind in heat units, some fields retreated for fleahoppers, lygus and bollworm increasing. Corn: disease incidence low, spider mite activity picking up. Sorghum: reports of sugarcane aphid in southern Hale County, fall armyworm increasing, time to scout for sorghum midge. (8:46 mins) https://soundcloud.com/user-766365640-259391064/high-plains-72121

Thanks,

Blayne

 

Halfway Station Field Day Tuesday, July 27, 2021

 This Field Day will feature 1st look at new Sorghum Technologies with the best variety recommendations by popular seed companies, the World Renowned Weed Expert Dr. Pete Dotray's on-going trials in our area, a 1st in the Region look at ThryvOn as well as a look at Fungicide trials with heavy pressure, and of course the latest IPM updates.  Y'all meet us at the Halfway Research Station for this Field Day that's sure to be informative and helpful.  Lunch provided and only a $10 fee with 2 CEUs available for your pest control applicator license.  See the flyer for more information.

Thanks, 

Blayne

Plains Pest Management News July 16, 2021

 Here’s your Plains Pest Management News for the week of July 16, 2021.

Thanks,

Blayne

Seed Treatments Recommended Article

AgriLife's  Dr. Pat Porter, District Entomologist in Lubbock, shared the statement below about an article (link here and within statement) he Highly recommends.

Thanks to Dr. Porter for sharing and bringing it to our attention.

Blayne

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About those seed treatments .... A really good and balanced article

We live in a time of fake news; coverage designed to mislead and advocate one viewpoint. No, I don't need any scientific citations to back this claim up; we all know it is true. I'm writing tonight to bring a very balanced and well-referenced article to your attention, one that deals with the benefits and downsides of the seed treatments put on our corn, cotton, soybean and other seed. 

Beginning around 15 years ago, seed treatments became commonplace on corn seed, and it is now virtually impossible for High Plains growers to buy any seed without these treatments. Research has shown that the treatments often provide little if any benefit, but sometimes they do, like in our corn that has corn rootworms resistant to Bt toxins. But without the rootworm threat the value of seed treatments is far more questionable. On the other hand, cotton often benefits because of the near-constant thrips pressure early in the year, and the fact that aldicarb is not routinely used at planting anymore. Today we buy a whole package in a bag; crop genetics, Bts, insecticides, fungicides, and more. It is no longer a simple choice, and in most cases there is no longer a choice to buy one component without all of the others. 

In what I consider to be a rare moment of good journalism these days, a writer at Progressive Farmer DTN has written a thoroughly documented article on the issues around seed treatments. She provides web links to many reputable sources that either support seed treatments or argue against them. Spend some time and read it; you will both agree and disagree, but remember that long ago that is what good journalism used to be like: https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/crops/article/2021/07/13/seed-treatment-overload-unintended. I have suggested to TAMU that this article become required reading for Integrated Pest Management on campus; farming is a complicated business and we have choices, some of which serve us well, and some of which do not, and the difference may depend on whether one is looking at the short term or long term. It is complicated. I am grateful that a real journalist did the hard work to examine all sides of an issue, provide evidence each way, and let the reader decide. 

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You can also find Dr. Pat Porter's recommendation at AgriLife's Focus on Entomology Blog: https://focusonagriculture.blogspot.com/2021/07/about-those-seed-treatments-really-good.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FocusOnSouthPlainsAgriculture+%28FOCUS+on+South+Plains+Agriculture%29

High Plains IPM "Radio" Podcast 07/14/2021

Here’s this week’s High Plains IPM “Radio” Podcast for 07/14/2021 (audio file) Weeds more susceptible to herbicides thanks to rain. Think twice about killing white weed (silver leaf nightshade) right now because it is a major fleahopper host. Cotton: fleahoppers very high in Hale and Swisher counties, variable elsewhere. Caterpillars increasing. The need for PGR is highly dependent on variety. Corn: time to start looking for spider mites. (13:08 mins)

Thanks,

Blayne

Hands On Field Scouting Training Continues

We'll meet up at the Halfway Research Station on Monday July 19, 2021, at 9:00 a.m., to continue our Hands On Field Scouting Training.  This week's topics include:  Post Tassel Corn, Boot Sorghum, Early Cotton Bloom & Cotton Mapping.  Hope to see y'all there this coming Monday at 9:00 a.m.!

Thanks,

Blayne

Plains Pest Management News for July 09, 2021

Here’s your Plains Pest Management News for the week of July 09, 2021.

Thanks,

Blayne

High Plains IPM "Radio" Podcast 07/07/2021

Here’s this week’s High Plains IPM “Radio” Podcast for 07/07/2021 (audio file) Cotton: fleahoppers above threshold in many fields. Lygus numbers low but present. Some PGR applications still going out. Sorghum: YELLOW sugarcane aphid in pockets, no greenbugs or sugarcane aphids. Corn has no significant problems. (5:22 mins)

Thanks,

Blayne

Pest Patrol Alerts - Sign Up

 Greetings all,

We are again pleased to announce that we are partnering with Syngenta to bring you the Pest Patrol Hotline https://www.syngenta-us.com/pest-patrol.  In addition to our weekly High Plains IPM Podcast, weekly newsletter, and as needed blog releases, the Pest Patrol Alert Hotline has been a staple for our rapid alerts of wide-spread pest issues in the High Plains Region of Texas. 

Syngenta partners with select entomologists and IPM specialists from different regions across the United States to compile the Pest Patrol Alert System.  We are a proud participant in that select group of professionals.  This hotline might just be the best way to receive fast up-to-date local pest info outside of a direct phone call from an IPM specialist standing in your field!

In our weekly newsletters, podcasts, and blogs we discuss general status on agronomic and pest issues for the week and what we might be expecting around the corner and I urge you to sign up for those larger picture subjects.  However, when we have pest issues that I am making treatments in multiple fields for which I believe are area-wide, I make use of the Syngenta Pest Patrol Hotline to get a short word out quickly.  Once I find a pest issue and right after I make the solution recommendation to the producer, I record the Pest Patrol Hotline alert and send it to Syngenta’s Pest Patrol Center.  If you are signed up with the Hotline to receive alerts from me, you will receive a text message the same day it is recorded and a link where you can listen to my 1-1.5 minute alert about the offending pest and some control options. 

There is no cost to sign up for the Pest Patrol Hotline Alerts and you can sign up for as many participating IPM specialists covering as many regions as you like at Syngenta’s site.  Pest issues vary from season to season, but I generally make 2-4 Hotline Alerts each year, so you are not bombarded with text alerts.  I know other participating specialists make weekly updates and it is good to note what is happening in other areas of the Nation.  I prefer to keep the Hotline for true, widespread alerts, so you know something needing attention is probably lurking in the field when time is of the essence. 

If this type of pest alert system interests you, please sign up for Syngenta’s Pest Patrol Hotline Alert system at: https://www.syngenta-us.com/pest-patrol

 

Blayne Reed, EA-IPM Hale & Swisher

Plains Pest Management News for July 02, 2021

Here’s your Plains Pest Management News for the week of July 02, 2021.

Thanks,

Blayne