Start Planning Plant Bug Management Now
Although very little, if any, cotton has been planted in the Delta, it is not too early to start thinking about managing tarnished plant bugs.
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Posts From Don Cook, Entomologist
“Bee Aware” Flags Ready for Distribution
Recently several groups in Mississippi came together and developed then adopted a set of Cooperative Standards for row crop farmers and beekeepers in an effort to increase awareness of pollinator’s and create an environment where each could coexist while minimizing any
Future of Agriculture Graduate Student Competition Results
The results from the Second Annual Future of Ag Graduate Student Competition are included in this post.
Future of Agriculture Graduate Student Competition Program
On February 6th 2014, Mississippi State University will host the second annual “Future of Agriculture Graduate Student Competitionâ€. The competition will be open to M.S. and Ph.D. students working in production agriculture.
Delta Ag Expo, Cleveland, MS – January 23 & 24, 2014
Attached please find the agenda for the Delta Ag Expo in Cleveland, MS. Make careful note that the dates of the meeting have changed from previous years due to a minor scheduling conflict with the Bolivar County Exposition Center.
Future of Agriculture Graduate Student Competition
On February 6th 2014, Mississippi State University will host the second annual “Future of Agriculture Graduate Student Competitionâ€. The competition will be open to M.S. and Ph.D. students working in production agriculture.
Tobacco Thrips in Mid-South Resistant to Thiamethoxam
Since 2011 we have seen a decline in efficacy of thiamethoxam treated cotton seed against tobacco thrips. This has led to the increase of foliar applications in mid-south cotton acres. Recently Syngenta has confirmed that populations in the mid-south region
Managing Late Season Stink Bugs in Mississippi Soybean
Over the last month we have had numerous questions about terminating stink bug applications in late season soybeans. Typically we manage stink bugs until near harvest but there are several things to consider before making an application to control stink bugs in beans beyond R6 growth stage.
Soybean Looper Control in Late Soybeans
Soybean looper has started to show up in soybean and a few applications have started in some fields. We have several good options to manage soybean looper and all of them should be considered. Belt has become the go to insecticide for looper control in a lot of situations over the last couple of years.
Yield Loss from Defoliators in Soybean and Insecticide Termination
Now that early planted beans are drying down quickly and insect pressure is increasing on late planted soybeans in some areas, many are asking when it is safe to quit spraying insect pest in soybeans. For most pest in soybean
Terminating Insecticides in Cotton
I have looked at several fields over the last couple weeks that should be considered safe from yield loss from insect pest. Keep in mind that termination rules for insects in cotton do not mean the crop is “bug proof” but
Stink Bugs Picking Up in Soybeans
With the exception of the last three years, stink bugs have always Mississippi’s number one insect pest of soybean. There are many species of stink bugs in MS soybeans but the three predominate species are Southern Green, Green, and Brown
Bollworm Applications Starting in Soybean
With many consultants reporting flushing high numbers of moths over the last 7-10 days, bollworm larvae are beginning to turn up at treatable levels in some fields now. Over the last couple days I am hearing reports of treatments going out
Bollworm Flight Later Than Normal But Now Starting
Usually in Mississippi the major bollworm flight coming off of corn usually ranges from June 25-July 7th on average. We started getting our first calls out of the south Delta this week. Many consultants are reporting scattered worms and eggs
Mississippi Kudzu Bug Update: 7/12/2013
I have had numerous calls on kudzu bugs in the last couple weeks, mainly from the southwest part of the state. Kudzu bugs were found in 4 counties in 2012 in MS. In 2013 we have now confirmed 10 additional counties, in which 6 were found in soybeans. Since these initial finds in soybeans in Warren, Claiborne, Hinds, Yazoo, Stone, and Rankin Counties, it has become common for consultants to find 4-8 adults per 25 sweeps, in a few cases up to 10-15 in a couple of these areas.
Managing Insect Pest in Mississippi Grain Sorghum
Mississippi traditionally does not plant a lot of grain sorghum compared to some states but the acres we plant (42K according to USDA, 2013) have to be scouted and managed for insect pest at least weekly. Grain sorghum in Mississippi can have significant insect issues in some years, especially on late plantings.
Rice Stink Bug Update for the Week of June 28
I know it is a little early in the year, and very little if any rice is heading at this time. However, it is not too early to start thinking about rice stink bugs.
How will rainfall impact seed treatments in soybeans, rice, cotton, and other crops?
With all of the rainfall that we have had around most of the state, there have been a lot of questions about the impact on seed treatments. In general, most of the seed treatments that are being used in all crops are water soluble. Typical levels of rainfall should not have a negative impact on the efficacy of seed treatments, but excessive rainfall may.
Kudzu Bug Finds in Mississippi Increasing
In 2012 Kudzu bugs were found in four counties in Mississippi on Kudzu. All finds were along major highways suggesting they “hitchhiked” in on vehicles. The counties were Warren, Lauderdale, Montgomery, and Carroll. In the last 2 weeks we have
Do Insecticide Seed Treatments Provide any Value on Late Planted Soybeans?
Due to the rain and cold weather this spring a much larger percent of the soybean crop will be planted later than normal. There have been several questions lately about whether or not we should still include an insecticide seed
Thrips in Cotton and Peanuts
I have been asked several times over the last week about the need for thrips control now that we have more optimal planting conditions. This is a good question and I will attempt to provide some valuable insight about thrips control in both cotton and peanuts.
Transform WG Insecticide from Dow Recieves Label for Cotton
Earlier this week Transform WG insecticide from Dow received a full Section 3 label for use in cotton.
Will cold and rainy weather impact seed treatments in corn and rice?
This is an important question right now with the weather conditions that we have had over the last few weeks. A considerable amount of corn and a little bit of rice has been planted over the last 3 to 4 weeks. In most of those fields, the crop has either just emerged or has not emerged yet.
Insecticide Seed Treatments in Soybeans
What is the importance of a neonicotinoid insecticide seed treatment in soybeans? Basically it is a risk management tool. Soybean seedlings have a tremendous amount of vigor and can tolerate a substantial amount of insect injury. However, early planted soybeans can encounter less than optimal environmental conditions which can stress plants and reduce vigor. Insect injury under these conditions is an additional stress. During 2010, it is estimated that the use of insecticide seed treatments in soybeans resulted in a value of $28.8 million to Mississippi soybean growers.
Future of Agriculture Graduate Student Competition
On February 7th 2013, Mississippi State University hosted the first annual “Future of Agriculture Graduate Student Competitionâ€. The goals of this event were to provide students an opportunity to present their research findings to a diverse audience that included growers, consultants and industry personnel and interact with people from different segments of the agricultural community.
