Ag Report: Washington County Ag Report June 24, 2003

Washington County Ag Report
June 24, 2003

Contributors are Sandy Buxton, Colleen Converse, Aaron Gabriel, Mandy Hulett, and Laura McDermott. If you would like to be removed from the mailing list or know of someone that should receive it, please let us know.

There is a fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness'.
- from the "Farm Report", Miner Institute

Announcements
FIELD CROP SCOUTING, COME EARN A PESTICIDE RECERTIFICATION CREDIT
Tuesday, July 1 at 10 am, Jim Stott Farm, Stott Rd., Argyle.
Tuesday, July 8, no formal scouting session. Get Pesticide and CCA credits at the Valatia Field Day. Call me for a ride. AG

Monday, July 7 - Cornell Potato Field Day, 9:30 am - 4 pm, Thompson Vegetable Research Farm, Freeville, sponsored by the Empire State Potato Growers Assoc. Learn more about breeding, variety trials, pest management, IPM Elements, and the Northeast Weather Assoc. Contact Don Halseth at 607-255-5460 or deh3@cornell.edu.

Tuesday, July 8 9:30 am - noon - Valatia Research Farm Weed Days - Pesticide & CCA credits. CALL AARON FOR A RIDE. Take a left on State Farm Rd. @ the Rte 9/9H intersection, just north of Valatia.

Thursday, July 10, 5:30 - 7:30 pm - Season Extension on a Southern Vermont Organic Farm - Clearbrook Farm in Shaftsbury, VT. Andrew Knafel farms 20 acres of vegetables, bedding plants, spring seedlings, and strawberries. Has 9 greenhouses, 3 just for tomatoes. His tomato system involves grafting rootstock and buying in bumblebee hives. Call the Regional Farm and Food Project to attend, 518-271-0744.

Weather Data - 2003 and average of 1999 - 2002

There has been an error for monthly rain accumulations in Jackson. It has been corrected.

Midwest Commodity Prices - from the Wall Street Journal
Corn per bushel $2.38/bu
Cotton Seed Meal per ton $132.5/ton
Soybean per bushel 6.24/bu
Corn Gluten Feed 62/ton
Hominy Feed per ton 50/ton
Wheat, soft white 3.4/bu
48% Soybean meal per ton 196/ton
Tallow per pound .175/lb
These prices are provided only to show where the general market trends are moving and to help you determine appropriate ration ingredients. Local prices will vary due to shipping, processing, and discounts.

FARM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT: The arrival of summer - hot temperatures and too much work - may also bring a potential problem: keeping everyone's cool. When everything is stressed, as we are all feeling, tempers flare and patience get short. Now is the prime time for little things to develop into big issues: someone gets annoyed, insulted or offended by someone or something else. This can really develop into a full-blown situation with long lasting repercussions if it is not dealt with appropriately. Because of the realities of finding labor, it is imperative to pay attention and work through the situation calmly. Remember, while the problem may not seem important or memorable in a long term perspective, it can still cause havoc in the short term.

LIVESTOCK PEST MANAGEMENT: We are getting into fly season. Insect development is directly influenced by temperature. When it gets hot, insects grow faster and reach maturity faster. That means that they reproduce faster and that means lots and lots of flies really fast!! So, clean out areas of manure and moist organic matter at least weekly. This material must be spread out very thinly on to fields so that it dries out to kill the eggs and maggots in it. Sanitation is the key to fly management. With each female laying 200 or more eggs each, all the traps and bait in the world can not keep up. You have to reduce fly habitats. SANITATION, SANITATION, SANITATION!!!

Soil Quality: As we get into thunderstorm season, notice water infiltration into soil after a hard storm. Raindrops are very forceful and beat the soil surface to form a muddy seal, which then dries into crust. Crusts not only slow infiltration of the next rain, but also reduce air movement into the soil for the roots (which need oxygen). The best way to protect the soil surface is by using organic mulches: straw, killed cover crops or other crop residues). Also, soils high in organic matter withstand the force of raindrops better than low-organic matter soils. They absorb more water and crust less. AG

Beneficial Insects: There are lots of many different beneficial insects out there at this time. With this heat, insect populations of all types are building. For a "beneficial insect" to keep a pest insect in "balance", it must do two things. First it must consume or parasitize a significant portion of the pest population, and second, it must reproduce fast enough to keep pace with pest population reproduction. It is a tricky balance. The beneficial insect is just looking for a meal. It is not trying to "control" a pest. If it depletes its food supply, it will starve. So, beneficial insect and "pest" populations have evolved to coexist in a balance. Unfortunately, the natural balance may not be what we need to keep our crops free of damage. When we need more control than is provided by the "natural balance" of beneficial insects and pests, then we can manipulate the ecosystem. We do this by releasing more beneficials, providing attractants or extra food for the beneficials, by improving the habitat for beneficials, making the pest habitat less suitable, and by conserving the beneficials by selecting the proper pesticides. AG

Alfalfa: Increases in Alfalfa Weevil Damage in Eastern New York Alfalfa weevil damage is rising in Eastern New York. Many counties are reporting 10 to 85 percent tip feeding on re-growth after the first harvest of alfalfa. The action threshold for alfalfa weevil after the first harvest is 50% of re-growth showing damage and abundance of small larvae. I was still seeing a mixed bag of 1st to 4th instar larvae present in fields. Most of these were 2nd and 3rd instar larvae. If you have a clear seeded alfalfa field that is over threshold after the first harvest with a lot of small larvae, the use of an insecticide may be necessary. If you have a field seeded to grass and alfalfa, both forages have to be on the label and registered for use on alfalfa weevil. (from the Ken Wise, Eastern NY IPM Specialist)
We have a dilemma for insect control in grasses. According to my reference, the only insecticide registered for grasses is "Sevin". However it is only registered for grass grown for seed, and not for forage. (Not that a lot of our grass did not go to seed this year, but that is not the point.) So, there may not be any insecticide for alfalfa weevil. However there is an exception for potato leafhopper. Since there have been no insecticides registered for mixed stands of grass and alfalfa, and we got slammed by PLH a couple of years ago, folks at Cornell (and others) have successfully petitioned NYS DEC for an exemption. Warrior insecticide can be used in New York for Potato Leafhopper until August 31, 2003 on mixed stands of grass and alfalfa. You can only spray Warrior for potato leafhopper if your field is alfalfa/grass.

Field Corn: Corn is looking good in general. I did check one field that had a very low population. I think the major culprit was bird damage and perhaps some cutworm damage. The field was too mature to decipher cutworm damage. I believe bird damage was prevalent, because you could see a little nickle-size depression where you would expect a plant to be. Upon digging up these depressions, I would see a half-alive root, but no seed or stem. So I think that birds were pulling up the plants to eat the seed, and the roots were breaking off. Look for black cutworm on late-planted corn.
I have not noticed any yet, but Ken Wise advises that we keep a look out for eye spot and other diseases of corn. The photo below show eye spot lesions on corn. (from the Iowa State University Entomological Image Gallery). From Ken Wise: The eyespot disease is caused by the fungus, Kabatiella zeae. This week we saw numerous round to oval spots and up to .5 cm in diameter on the leaves. The center is tan to cream and the margin is brown to purple and a yellow halo surrounds the spot. Eyespot is favored by long periods of cool, wet weather during the growing season. Early and severe leaf blighting from eyespot in no-till and reduced tillage fields have resulted in yield losses when susceptible hybrids were grown. Yield losses can be expected when much of the leaf area is blighted within three to four weeks after silking. Defoliation from leaf blighting also increases the amount of stalk rot, resulting in additional losses from lodged corn. Eyespot can be managed with resistant hybrids, clean plowing and crop rotation


.
Grasses: We have had some hay weather, but it is still difficult to make hay. Tedding hay after mowing will be a greatly speed up drying. Depending on how wet the soil is, mow into a tight windrow, so that the exposed soil gets to dry a little bit. Then go back and ted up the hay within a few hours of mowing. Rake the hay into windrows before it gets brittle.

Pasture: Thislte and other perennials and biennials are getting near the flower stage, which is the time to mow them.

Vegetables and Ornamentals: Some farms have been experiencing symptoms of edema and water wilt. Both occur from saturated soils. The wilt is caused by water logged roots and can be aggravated when water is mistakenly added. Plants very susceptible to edema include begonia, cabbage, cacti, eranthemum, ferns, geranium, jade, palms, pansies, peperomia, schefflera, violet, and tomato. Edema may be a problem on the following vegetables: tomato foliage and fruit; bean foliage and pods; cabbage; broccoli; cauliflower; Brussels sprouts; potato foliage; most cucurbit fruit, foliage and stem. Probably all succulent tissues of vegetable crops are susceptible. Symptoms of edema are variable and depend on the plant species, the plant parts affected, and tenderness of the tissue. Typically, symptoms appear on the succulent leaves, stems, flowers, and fruit of susceptible plants as single, minute, watersoaked "blisters," "wart," or galls. Symptoms are especially common on undersurfaces of leaves and occasionally will form on the larger veins and petioles. The single pimple like blisters usually are about 1 to 2 mm in diameter, but frequently two or more spots will merge to form a line of spots or a large affected area form. Following rupture of the blisters, the exposed surface may become rust-colored, brown, or tan, with corky texture. Severely affected leaves of certain plants, such a geranium, may become cup-shaped or turn yellow and drop prematurely. On cacti and other plants, pale yellowish green spots form on the shoots. These spots may remain smooth, greenish white, or watersoaked. However, these spots often result in irregular corky or rusty areas that may later become sunken.
The most common cause is the presence of abundant, warm soil water and a cool, moist atmosphere. Under these conditions the roots absorb water at a rate faster than is lost through transpiration. The rupture of the epidermis by the enlarged inner cells give a crusty appearance to older edema spots. Edema can be induced by (1) spraying with some chemicals such as ammoniacal copper carbonate in an oil emulsion, (2) injuries resulting from wind-blown sand particles and sucking insects, (3) high light intensity, and (4) accumulation of water in the intercellular spaces. Changes in weather and cultural practices of growing plants usually will avoid edema. To reduce the risk of edema occurrence, the following may be helpful:
1. Avoid irrigation or watering during cool, overcast humid weather. For potted plants in greenhouses, remove saucers under pots, or discard any water that remains in the saucer 30 minutes after watering. Irrigate or water when air temperature are rising or humidity is low.
2. In greenhouses: a) reduce the humidity of the air by venting and increasing heat; b) improve air circulation; c) increase light intensity; d) space the plants farther apart; e) for potted plants use a well-drained potting medium for potted plants and avoid standing water in saucers under the pots.
3. Avoid overfertilizing, especially when the plants are growing slowly, such as during the winter months. Maintain fertility based on a soil test. Avoid low levels of potassium and calcium.
4. Avoid cultivars that are highly susceptible to edema under your growing conditions.
(CC edited from Averre and Jones, North Carolina State University)

Springtails may be abundant due to the wet conditions. They generally are not serious pests, but it could explain some of the damage seen on young vegetable plants. Springtails, are small (less than 1/8 in.) wingless insects that live in the soil. They are called "springtails" because they possess a "jumping organ" on the underside of their abdomens and when disturbed they can jump a considerable distance. They are probably one of the most common insect-like creatures in the soil. Although their diet varies, most feed on decaying vegetation as well as algae and fungi in the soil. The wet conditions experienced this spring could result in an abundance of food for springtails, allowing populations to build well above normal. Usually, the greatest damage is done to young tender plants, especially seedlings. Springtails make irregular holes in leaves, gradually piercing the leaf with several sometimes feeding at the same site. Extensive damage to young leaves can occur if populations are high. As conditions become hotter and drier, and crops mature damage should reduce. (edited from Mike Hoffman, Cornell University)

Crucifers: The overwintering generation of cabbage root maggot has completed their emergence. After completion of spring emergence the second generation of adults will probably peak in late June/early July this year, and typically corresponds to bloom of the day lily. Growers should consider applying an insecticide (or covering with row cover) if planting occurs close to an adult peak flight. (OWYS Veg Update)
Research has shown flight peaks correspond to the following flower blooms: 1st generation = Yellow Rocket, 2nd gen. = Day Lily, 3rd gen. = Canadian Thistle and Goldenrod with the 4th gen. = New England Aster. Rotation reduces populations and is important when using row covers so maggots do not emerge under the cover. (Cornell Guidelines)

Cucurbits: There are lots of cucumber beetles out in fields. Vine crops not treated with Admire have already been sprayed a couple times in many areas. Admire seems to be doing the trick when used. We are finding a surprise pest in spotted cucumber beetles (SCB). Normally SCB do not show up in fields till mid July or August. With the early snow cover, it is possible they over wintered where they last fed in the fall. If you rotated with corn from last year, than you might see them this year in your vine crops. (John Mishanec, ENY IPM)

Greens: Downy mildew is appearing in lettuce. It is favored by cool, rainy weather. Night temperatures of 43 to 50 and day temperatures of 55 to 70 with 100% relative humidity are ideal for disease development. This describes very well the conditions of the past several weeks! Free
moisture is needed on the lettuce leaf in order for downy mildew spores to germinate. Dry, desiccating winds and clear warm days inhibit growth. The fungus attacks older leaves first, causing light green or yellow lesions on the upper surface of the leaves. These are followed by fluffy white growth on the underside of the leaf. Lesions are angular and delineated by leaf veins as they grow larger. Eventually, affected leaves turn brown. Remove weeds and infected host debris. Conditions that prevent prolonged leaf wetness should be encouraged-for example, proper plant spacing to improve air flow. (UMASS Veg notes)

Legumes: White and Gray Mold in Beans: Weather conditions have been favorable for development of these diseases. Ronilan, Topsin M or Rovral should be applied when plants are in blossom and a second spray is recommended 5 to 6 days after the first spray. Be sure to refer to label for exact timing of these fungicides. (LI Fruit and Veg Update)

Sweet Corn: Row cover/plastic corn is in tassel. We had a big increase in trap catches this week (6/19). Expect to start finding corn borer feeding damage in bare ground sweet corn in about two weeks (7/3). There is a report of corn ear worn being caught in western NY. We will put our car worm traps out next week in case any CEW are in our neighborhood. (John Mishanec, ENY IPM)

Ornamentals:
Woody Ornamentals: Insect problems abound! Whiteflies on rhododendrons can occasionally be a real problem, and this seems to be one of those years. Large populations should be treated now, again in mid-July and in mid-August. Make sure to get material under the leaves. The options for treatment include horticultural oil, insecticidal soap, malathion or Dy-Syston. At this point, most landscapers should have removed old dead tissue from woody plants. In some cases the plant has come back fine, occasionally there is some tufted growth. In a few cases the plants look so bad it probably isn't worth trying to save them. Aphids on currant leaves cause blister like lesions on the top of the leaf - these should be controlled soon as they carry virus. Make sure to get control under leaf. Lilac leafminer can be a real eyesore. The mines are blotch shaped rather than tunnels. Prune out damage if it's limited in scope, otherwise a 3 spray approach is best beginning in mid-May, then mid-July and again in mid-August. Lots of spittelbugs on conifers. The pine spittlebug is most obvious as it has a much larger host range. The Saratoga spittlebug, which is the most damaging, feeds exclusively on Red and jack pine. Light infestations can be removed with a strong stream of water. Insecticide treatments are ineffective at this point - try to make a note to treat next year. Sooty mold will follow a heavy infestation.

Weeds: The onset of this warm, sunny weather will mean that the weed populations will jump. If you haven't been able to maintain weed populations, it will be important to hand weed now, before weed root systems become too well established. Treflan and Preen control many annual weeds and grasses in established ornamental beds, but are applied as pre-germination. After the weeds have germinated, the options are limited to manual removal or applying glyphosate with a wick applicator. One note about pond weeds - another study confirms again that barley straw is an excellent way to control pond algae (but not water plants like duckweed) if applied as a preventative. The turfgrass program at Cornell supports previous recommendations of using barley straw, floated just below the water surface. If you have an aerator, control is even better because water is circulated through the straw.

Greenhouse: A report came in about rose chafers on petunia flowers. Last year we saw loads of Rose chafer damage on all kinds of plants. Rose chafers are elongated, brown beetles and usually feed on foliage. Keep your eyes open for Botrytis, infected tissue should be removed from the greenhouse operation. Also, higher temperatures will increase problems with thrips, mites and aphids. Hopefully the sun and warm temperatures will help plants green up, so make sure fertility levels are where they need to be. Mum growers have set up cuttings - so far the weather has been very cooperative.

Sincerely,

Aaron D. Gabriel
Extension Resource Educator
Crops and Soils