Traill County Ag Alert Newsletter
May 30, 2008
SUMMER COURTHOUSE HOURS
The Traill County Courthouse has gone to summer hours. The courthouse is
open from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Friday the courthouse
is open from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
RAINFALL AND GROWING DEGREE
DAYS (GDD)
We finally received some rain on Thursday, May 29th and it is
continuing today the 30th. Totals for the 29th according
to NDAWN are Mayville 0.36, Hillsboro 0.55 and Galesburg 0.11. Hopefully the
nice slow rain will continue through Friday.
The growing degree days for corn and wheat planted on May 1st are 235 GDD for corn and 541 for wheat. We are behind last year totals by 160 GDD in wheat but 60 GDD for corn. According to the GDD for wheat if planted on May 1st the wheat should be in the 3 leaf stage.
WHEAT STANDS AND WEEDS
There are some wheat fields that look deceptively nice from the road but as
you get into them they are thin and bare in spots. The wheel tracks have
emergence problems. Until now the emergence of weeds in the small grains has
been limited, but with the recent moisture I expect that the weeds will now
emerge and producers with the thin stands will have a lot of weed competition.
It will be easy to get behind and weed competition can really hurt yields in dry
years.
KOCHIA, LAMBSQUARTER AND
RAGWEED
The small seeded broadleaf weeds that include kochia, lambsquarter and
ragweed are emerging in the row crops especially in the low areas.
Kochia is an exceptionally competitive weed. ALS herbicides provide good control of susceptible kochia populations. Unfortunately we have ALS resistant kochia and tank-mixing with other broadleaf herbicides with differing modes of action is required to slow development of resistant kochia. Dicamba, Huskie, Starane, and WideMatch control ALS resistant kochia. Bromoxynil plus MCPA or Aim also gives good control of small kochia, but plants should be small and have good spray coverage.
Please watch your lambsquarter and ragweed in your Roundup Ready corn and soybean fields as these two weeds are showing glysophate resistance in some states and we need to be vigilant. If gylsophate applications do not control these weeds be ready to rotate to another herbicide or tank mix in corn. In soybeans your options are very limited at best. A high rate of glysophate might control a higher percentage. Basagran is another option but will only control very small weeds and Basagran is a contact herbicide so good coverage is essential.
SPRINGTAILS DAMAGE RED RIVER VALLEY SUGARBEET
Numerous reports of subterranean (soil-dwelling) springtail infestations in
Red River Valley sugarbeet fields have been received this spring. Most reports
have come from central and southern portions of the Valley. Sugarbeet seedlings
are especially vulnerable this year because of the cool temperatures that have
characterized much of the spring thus far. Symptoms of springtail infestations
include failure of plants to emerge and dead/wilting plants. Areas affected by
springtails usually occur in multiple patches of 1 to 5 acres within a field.
These patches will likely increase in diameter as affected plants continue to
wither and die. Unfortunately, there is no recommended rescue treatment for
springtails in sugarbeet because post emergence-applied insecticides are not
likely to penetrate deep enough into the soil profile to reach springtails
feeding on developing seedling roots and germinating seeds.
Sometimes, the best management option is to replant the affected areas of a field. Beets should be replanted if plant population is likely to be reduced to 50 plants per 100 row feet or lower. Springtails will likely continue to feed for several weeks. Therefore, an at-plant insecticide should be used at replanting. Producers are advised to avoid granular materials containing chlorpyrifos (Lorsban 15G, Nufos 15G, Chorfos 15G, etc.), which are relatively ineffective at controlling subterranean springtails.
For more information about springtails, see extension circular no. E-1205, "Springtails in Sugarbeet: Identification, Biology, and Management." It is also located on the web at: www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/plantsci/rowcrops/e1205w.htm
CUTWORMS INFESTING AREA
SUGARBEET FIELDS
Scattered reports of cutworm infestations in sugarbeet fields have been
received from the Drayton Sugar Factory District all the way south to the
Moorhead area. Early-season cutworms typically clip the stem of seedling plants
as they feed. Most feeding activity occurs during late evening through early
morning.
If cutworm activity is suspected in a field, further scouting should consist of sifting through soil in the upper 2 inches near the base of plants in affected areas of the field. Cutworm larvae will curl up into a C-shape similar to white grubs, but differ from grubs by having darker coloring, a variety of markings on their body, and several pairs of prolegs (false legs) on their abdomen. Foliar insecticides are effective in managing cutworm infestations, and early detection is important for protection from major economic loss. A rescue insecticide should probably be applied if 4 to 5% of seedlings have been clipped by cutworm larvae.
For specific information on managing insect pests of sugarbeet, please refer to the “Insect Control” section of the 2008 Sugarbeet Production Guide or the “Sugarbeet Insects” section of the 2008 Field Crop Insect Management Recommendations. The respective WWW locations for online versions of these publications are: www.sbreb.org/Production/production.htm www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/plantsci/pests/e1143w1.htm
WHEAT STREAK MOSAIC
CONFIRMED IN WINTER WHEAT
A sample of winter wheat from south central ND was confirmed on May 23 to
have wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV), with a positive ELISA test done by the
NDSU Diagnostic Lab. The leaves tested had the yellow mottling and streaking
pattern characteristic of WSMV.
TRAILL COUNTY LANDOWNERS
Please notify the Traill County Weed Board of your interest in obtaining
Leafy Spurge Beetles. Legal land description is required. Also, Cost Share Funds
to control noxious weeds on non-cropland areas in Traill County is available. To
request an application, contact the Traill County Weed Board at 701-636-5665 or
toll-free 1-877-843-6383. Request for Cost Share Funding Applications must be
turned in before November 1, 2008 and is limited to $500 per farm operation.
Go to Traill County Agriculture Program Page
Traill County Extension Office
P.O. Box 730
Hillsboro, ND 58045
701-636-5665 or toll-free1-877-843-6383
Contact us at: NDSU.Traill.Extension@ndsu.edu