cropCENTRAL | Field Crop Production Resources

Update on Black Cutworm Projected Cutting Dates for Illinois

  • May 17, 2013

  • Michael Gray

Black cutworm moths continue their northward migration into Illinois and other areas of the Corn Belt. Kelly Estes, Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey Coordinator for the state, shared with me projected cutting dates for the following counties: Fayette – May 27, Pike – May 22, Edgar – May 28, Piatt – May 21, Logan – May 22, Menard – May 22, and Warren – June 6. As corn begins to emerge, producers are encouraged to look for early signs of leaf feeding.…

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Don’t Neglect to Scout for Alfalfa Weevils in the Rush to Plant Corn

  • May 17, 2013

  • Michael Gray

On May 15, I scouted a stand of alfalfa in Champaign County and found numerous third and fourth instar alfalfa weevil larvae by using a sweep net.  By May 16, 461 degree days (base 48ºF) had accumulated since January 1, 2013 for Champaign. The average degree-day accumulation by this date for the preceding 11-year period is 510. So, we are just slightly behind this long-term average. Although larvae were numerous, I did not detect significant defoliation.…

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Control Emerged Waterhemp Prior to Planting

  • May 16, 2013

  • Aaron Hager

Earlier this month, we discussed advantages of and techniques for controlling emerged weed vegetation prior to planting.  Several winter annual weed species have reached maturity while others, such as cressleaf groundsel (Figure 1),
began to flower within the past 10 days across areas of central Illinois.  Control of these mature plants with herbicides or single passes of tillage equipment will continue to be challenging.
Preplant control is also needed for emerged summer annual grass and broadleaf weed species. …

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2013 Field Day Events in Illinois

  • May 14, 2013

  • Emerson Nafziger

It’s been a difficult planting season in Illinois, but crops will eventually be growing this year, and we’ll find both expected and unexpected challenges as we move into the cropping season. Fields days organized by Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois and other institutions will focus on crops and pests, with speakers talking about current crop issues along with information from previous research. Each event will offer CEUs for CCAs.
Following is the schedule of crop-related 2013 field days organized by University of Illinois Crop Sciences and by several other institutions.…

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Soil-Residual Herbicides Applied to Emerged Corn

  • May 14, 2013

  • Aaron Hager

A potential scenario of planting delays will be corn planted in fields where no soil-residual herbicide was applied.  If the corn has not yet emerged, the soil-residual herbicide can be applied as originally planned.  But, what if the corn has emerged and the soil-residual herbicide has not been applied?  Can the application proceed as planned, or will a different product need to be selected?  The answer depends on the respective herbicide.
Most, but not all, soil residual herbicides can be applied after corn has emerged. …

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Stripe rust of wheat observed in Illinois

  • May 10, 2013

  • Aaron Hager

Stripe rust of wheat was observed in Champaign County, IL on May 10, 2013 (Fig. 1). The incidence of the disease was very low. The observation of this disease in Champaign County indicates that stripe rust likely is present in southern Illinois counties too.

 

Wheat producers will need to continue to scout their crop for stripe rust, and apply an effective fungicide if necessary (see this previous post for additional information about stripe rust and fungicides: http://bulletin.ipm.illinois.edu/?p=456).…

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Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs Breaking Winter Dormancy

  • May 10, 2013

  • Michael Gray

On May 9, Robert Bellm, University of Illinois Extension Commercial Agriculture Educator, Brownstown Research and Education Center, found a brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) in Madison County, Illinois (Figures 1 and 2). As we move further into spring, more reports of these sightings will begin to surface across the state. BMSB adults are now beginning to break their winter dormancy and move outside of their shelters (sheds, barns, homes, or other protected sites).
 
This stink bug species was first confirmed in Illinois during 2010 in Cook County.…

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The Trapping Line: May 10

  • May 10, 2013

  • Dennis Bowman

Two more black cutworm moth traps have started reporting this week, one in Piatt County and a second location in Champaign County at Parkland College.  Based on intense moth flight captures Kelly Estes, State Survey Coordinator, calculated the following projected cutting dates.

Location
Biofix Date
Projected Cutting Date

Perry (Pike County)
4/26
5/23

Logan County
4/30
5/23

Brownstown (Fayette County)
5/6
5/27

 
Here are the moth captures reported so far this month:
…

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Conditions favorable for Fusarium head blight (scab) in southern Illinois

  • May 9, 2013

  • Aaron Hager

Wheat plants are now beginning to head out and flower in parts of southern Illinois. During this critical time of wheat development, wheat becomes susceptible to infection by Fusarium graminearum, the causal agent of Fusarium head blight (FHB; also known as scab) (Fig. 1).  This disease can cause reduced grain yield, test weight, and quality.  In addition, the fungus can produce toxins that will contaminate grain such as deoxynivalenol (DON; also known as vomitoxin). …

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New Report on Economic and Environmental Impacts of Transgenic Crops Available

  • May 7, 2013

  • Michael Gray

A new peer-reviewed work has been published (April 2013) that outlines some significant global economic and environmental benefits of transgenic crops. The paper is titled — GM crops: global socio-economic and environmental impacts 1996-2011. The authors of the paper are Graham Brookes and Peter Barfoot, with PG Economics Ltd, Dorchester, United Kingdom. Provided are key findings that I gleaned from the report, some, are direct quotes from this document. As an agricultural entomologist who has conducted western corn rootworm research for many years,…

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