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AgAlerts 2006 From Griggs County
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Issue # 4, July 19, 2006
On Tuesday, July 18th, a strong south wind
provided ideal conditions for the seeds of foxtail barley to be blown into
Cooperstown from near by saline areas south of town. This event became similar
to a winter snow storm. The following pictures show the large amount
of seeds that were blown in.
(Click on pictures to enlarge)
Cooperstown Ball Diamonds and Dugouts
Flower Garden in Backyard 4-5 ft. Drift in Backyard 4-5 ft. drifts at Griggs County Shop
The drought conditions has cause more blossom
end rot in tomato than in previous years. This is a common problem in our
area. Blossom end rot is not a disease and is not contagious. This
disorder first appears on green fruits as a water soaked spot on the blossom end
of the fruit. The spot will enlarge until it covers 1/2 of the
fruit. It will become dark brown to black in color and has a leathery
texture.
Blossom end rot is a physiological condition that caused
by fluctuations in soil moisture, excessive nitrogen fertilizer, root
damage (by tillage) and plants grown rapidly during the early part of the
season. Blossom end rot can be controlled by using mulch to help
maintain more uniform soil moisture, using a balanced fertilizer, hoeing
carefully to avoid root damage and regular watering in dry weather. For a
picture of this disorder and more information use the following link. Blossom
end rot
There has been areas of the county that
soybean aphids has reached economic thresholds. When scouting for them, be
sure to determine what growth stage the crop is in. If you are finding 250
aphids per plant when the soybeans are in the R1 to R4 stage, treatment may is
recommended. If the soybeans are past the R4 growth stage, yield response
is less predictable. The R4 stage is full pod. The pod is 3/4 inch long at
one of the four uppermost nodes on the main stem with a fully developed
leaf.
The question arises, "what effect does drought have on
soybean aphid and does it pay to treat under possible low yields?"
High temperatures above 90 degrees will slow and eventually stop reproduction of
soybeans aphids and increase mortality rates. Typically, soybean aphids
have a 30-39 day life span. This can be shortened to 11 days with 90
degree or above temperatures. So will you see a net return with an
insecticide application under drought condition? If you do treat, leave a
check stripe and see if a yield increase was achieved. If so, the NDSU
Extension Service specialists would like to hear about these increases for
future references. You can contact the Griggs County Extension Office and
we will relay them to the proper specialists.
Please Contact Our Office For Additional Information
E-mail: john.swenson@ndsu.edu
Go to the 2006 AgAlert Index Page