VOLUME 22, NO. 9                                                                                                                                                                              July 3, 2008

PROJECT SAFE SEND:

Project safe send has been around since 1992.   In that time is has helped participants get rid of nearly 2 million pounds of unusable pesticides.  Project safe send is funded through the fees paid by pesticide manufacturers to register their products in North Dakota.  People with more than 1000 pounds of pesticide to dispose of need to preregister with Julie Carlson at the North Dakota Department of Agriculture at 701-328-4997.  No other preregistration is required.  There is a limit of 20,000 pounds of pesticide per participant.  Pesticide rinse water will also be accepted at the sites.  The first 100 pounds is free, there will be a fee applied for each additional pound.  There will be 16 sites throughout the state.  The dates and locations in our area are as follows:

�         July 8 West Fargo � County Hwy Dept

�         July 9 Grafton DOT

�         July 10 Grand Forks DOT

�         July 11 Finley DOT

Collection times are from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

GRAND FORKS COUNTY AG IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION/NDSU EXTENSION VARIETY PLOT TOUR:

We will be having our variety plot tour on July 21, 2008 starting at 4:30 pm on the Chuck Nelson farm.  The Nelson farm is located 7 miles south of Grand Forks on Highway 81 (between I-29 and Highway 81 north of the Thompson exit).  The events will include our small grain variety plot, soybean variety plot, and corn plot tours.  Breeders from Westbred and representatives from Agripro will be on hand to visit about their small grain varieties.  Sam Markell, NDSU Extension plant pathologist, will give a disease update.  NDSU corn breeder, Marcelo Carena, will take us through his corn variety plot.  The evening will conclude with dinner sponsored by Farm Credit Services.  For additional information contact the Grand Forks County Extension office at 701-780-8229.

PREHARVEST INTERVALS FOR SMALL GRAIN FUNGICIDES:

A recent temporary embargo of some Kansas wheat occurred because the fields had been treated with Quilt fungicide beyond the appropriate preharvest interval (PHI) for that product (45 days).  The following preharvest intervals are indicated on our currently registered small grain fungicides:  

Product           PHI

Headline*         Feekes 10.5(~40 days)

Quadris             45 days

Caramba           30 days

Folicur**           30 days

Proline              30 days wheat, 32 days barley

Tilt**                40 days

Quilt                 45 days

Stratego            35 days

*Headline is the only product that doesn�t specify number of days in their PHI.  Feekes 10.5 is approximately 40 days before harvest in North Dakota, depending on air temperatures.  Hot temperatures push the crop to flowering, Feekes 10.51, more quickly.

**Additional tebuconazoles such as Orius, etc., or an additional propiconazoles, such as Propimax, etc. have North Dakota state supplemental labels that specify the same PHI�s as the original registered products.

Products recommended by NDSU for heading or flowering application for Fusarium head blight suppression all have 30 day PHI�s in wheat (32 days for Proline in barley), a duration that should allow ample time in North Dakota for maturity before swathing or harvest.  Producers and applicators need to take heed of these PHI�s, what happened in Kansas is a very strong reminder that labels are the law and must be followed.

DOES GLYPHOSATE PRICE MATTER:

Glyphosate has been the herbicide of choice for weed control for a decade and for good reason. It controls weeds well without injuring soybeans and its price kept dropping, which made the choice easier. However, the trend of low priced glyphosate changed in 2008.  Glyphosate prices have spiked because of reduced glyphosate supplies and increased demand.  Does this change how glyphosate is used in soybeans? Glyphosate will still be the backbone for most corn and soybean weed control programs, but the higher price may have a couple consequences. First, some people may be tempted to reduce glyphosate rates, which may lead to poor control if the weeds are too large when sprayed. Some people also suggest that reduced rates may contribute to a shift towards more tolerant weeds. Regardless of price, apply the glyphosate rate that is appropriate for the weed species and size in fields. Avoid the temptation of reducing rates below those needed for effective control just to save costs. The second consequence of higher glyphosate prices is that it may open the door for some other herbicide options. Consider the preemergence (PRE) herbicides. The cost of several PRE herbicides that are recommended as foundation treatments in Roundup Ready soybeans maybe similar to the current cost of glyphosate. �Foundation treatments� often refer to PRE herbicides that are applied at lower rates to provide early season weed suppression.  They can help to control weeds that might be tougher to control with glyphosate alone or provide early season weed suppression so that glyphosate can be applied closer to soybean canopy closure. As a result, more consistent and higher levels of weed control are typical (based on university test results). Adding a PRE herbicide also brings another herbicide mode of action into the weed management program, which may reduce the selection pressure for glyphosate-resistant weeds.   Most of the foundation herbicide programs have been promoted to improve broadleaf weed control. Some herbicides provide effective control of a mix of broadleaf and grass weeds while others are primarily effective on grass weeds. Glyphosate is only one of many items with a rapidly changing price. The prices of crops, fertilizers, seed, fuel, and land are all in flux and it may be tempting to cut costs. However, remember that the goal of a weed management program is to protect yield. The old saying about being penny wise and pound foolish certainly applies to weed management. Herbicides are a wise investment. This investment may now include more than just glyphosate. The price increase of glyphosate should make us consider if other herbicide options have a fit in soybean systems and provide benefits to improve overall weed management.

IRON CHLOROSIS DEFICIENCY:

Iron Chlorosis Deficiency (IDC) symptoms show up in newly formed leaves when iron in the plant is insufficient to meet the plants needs.  IDC shows up as yellowing between the leaf veins, the veins remain green in color.  Usually IDC is due to non absorption rather than lack of iron in the soil.  Some factors that can lead to IDC are soil pH > 7, elevated salt levels, and carbonates.  Soil pH alone is not a good indicator.  Knowing the carbonate and salt level of fields can help choosing soybean production fields.  The most important management practice is selecting a chlorosis tolerant soybean variety.  The website yellow soybeans

http://www.soilsci.ndsu.nodak.edu/yellowsoybeans/ provides IDC scores for many soybean varieties grown in the region.  Other management tips include: 

� If soybean plants are closer together (higher seeding rate) the plants seem to benefit one another and less severe IDC is observed.

� Cultivation of the crop may alleviate chlorosis as the soil is loosened and aerated. Working the ground may dry out the top of the soil and help during wet years to warm up the soil.

� Use of iron seed treatment may help the crop to stay green. Foliar applications or in-furrow application of iron containing fertilizers has resulted in variable responses and can help to eliminate or reduce IDC symptoms; however iron applications are usually expensive.

 � Crop injury, when conventional herbicides are used, may increase IDC symptoms on already stressed beans.

� Nitrogen fertilizer interferes with iron uptake and may aggravate IDC symptoms.

GET OUT AND SEE THE FAIR!!!

The Greater Grand Forks Fair will be held from July 9 � 13 at the fairgrounds.  4-H and open class exhibits will be open Thursday, July 10 thru Sunday, July 13.