johnston co ag report

Thrips levels have now picked up significantly across most of the state, primarily a result of our extended dry conditions. Cultivated and wild thrips hosts are drying down due to lack of moisture. The current dry weather pattern is sure to further increase the level of migrating thrips and worsen potential damage to cotton seedlings.

Prolonged dry conditions also favor increases of hard to control and difficult to identify, western flower thrips. Unfortunately, the first sign of western flower thrips damage to cotton seedlings is their virtually complete survival following a foliar application of normally successful insecticide rates. Damages can be limited by applying a high rate Orthene or Monitor at approximately 0.5 pound of active ingredient per acre. Even these high rates may be disappointing against this species. Expect greater survival of westerns following the seed treatments Gaucho Grande, Cruiser, Avicta, and Aeris.

Cotton seed treatments offer about a three week duration of thrips control under all kinds of weather. So watch that three week window and treat accordingly. Producers should scout for thrips symptoms and the presence of live immature thrips before a foliar spray following Temik. However, with the forecast of another week of possible dry weather and continued migrating adult thrips pressure, producers may be justified in adding an insecticide with their herbicide, thus avoiding second specific thrips treatment if thrips damage is likely over the next few days.
Seed treatments without a foliar spray generally provides good thrips control on cotton planted after April 20. Temik 15G at 3 pounds of product per acre should also get producers through the thrips damage window. A good rainfall would work wonders for our struggling crops.

Forage Management Tips For May

This time of year grazers should be managing both warm and cool season grasses. In warm season pasture situations, such as bermudagrass, fertilizer should be applied after each cutting of clipping. About every 4 to 6 weeks. There is still a small window of opportunity to plant a seed type bermudagrass.
This may be a good time to plant summer annuals (millet, sorghum-sudan, sudan) at 2 week intervals.

Do not apply any more fertilizer to cool season grass, such as fescue, at this time. Fertilizer application should be delayed until September.

Weed control at this time will be with combination of grazing pressure, mowing and herbicide applications.

The use of a high magnesium supplement is critical to avoid grass tetany, especially after a short drought.

Monsanto Cotton Program

Prolonged drought conditions in the southeastern cotton belt have prevented the planting of thousands of acres of cotton, and put a lot more cotton under early season stress. In response to recent discussions with a number of cotton producers, Monsanto will be implementing a change in the Trait Crop Loss Refund criteria for the 2007 crop year.

The Trait Crop Loss Refund portion of the Roundup Rewards® program will reimburse cotton farmers for trait fees paid for a crop that is lost or fails. Monsanto is extending its 2007 crop-loss program deadline for cotton acres lost due to drought to August 10th, in 8 states including North Carolina. This 2007 program change will provide producers who plant prior to June 10th with additional days, beyond the normal 60 day period, to work with the insurance industry regarding claims and file for Monsanto’s Crop Loss Refund if necessary. Farmers having a crop loss claim, you should report it to their seed retailer immediately. Insurance adjusters as well as Monsanto representatives will need to actually see fields prior to replanting or plowing-up your crop.

Questions about requirements or qualifications for Roundup Rewards can be answered by calling 1-800-ROUNDUP or by contacting local seed dealers.

Now Is The Time

With the Senate taking a week off in recognition of the Memorial Holiday, it is now time to find out what they are voting on. The Senate has quite a few bills, which are active and will affect farmers, agribusinesses, and agricultural industries as a whole.

Bills including the Immigration Reform, Minimum Wage Increase, Agriculture Disaster Relief, and Food Safety are just some of the ones the Senate will be concentrating on in the near future. Most people depend on different associations to help keep them informed of changes being made by the Senate or House Representatives. The changes that are now being made will drastically affect how agricultural businesses will operate in the future.

Active legislation can be viewed on the U.S. Senates website at www.senate.gov. Located on the right hand side is a section called Active Legislation, which will link to a page containing the bills the Senators are reviewing. The contact information for Senator Richard Burr are (252) 977-9522 or (910) 251-1058 and for Senator Elizabeth Dole are (919) 856-4630 or (252) 329-1093.

The U.S. Capitol switchboard can be reached at (202) 224-3121, and they can also connect you to the local Senator’s office. Full contact information containing mailing address and fax numbers for the Senators can be obtained by logging on to http://capwiz.com/ncae/home or http://capwiz.com/ncfb/home.

Take time to read over the bills for yourself. Become informed about decisions, which are being made that will affect your lively hood. Now is the time to act and call your Representatives to let them know where you stand on this and other issues. With the ever-growing loss of agricultural lands, make sure your voice is being heard.

Tobacco Budworm Management

Some budworms are present at sub-threshold levels in Johnston County tobacco fields. Tobacco fields should be scouted weekly from now until flowering for the presence of budworms. Before the crop flowers, treat when 10 percent or more of plants checked are infested with budworms. Do not count plants that have damage but no live worms. Budworms will not usually cause significant loss after buttoning and are not counted after that time. This threshold is very conservative. Based on much recent research, tobacco budworms must generally reach much higher populations to cause economic loss under the growing conditions found in most of North Carolina.

Research has shown that Denim and Tracer insecticides are the most effective for controlling budworms in tobacco. Orthene, Lannate and Warrior are also good options. Proper application is critical and should be made in accordance with label directions. Insecticides will be most effective if application can be made during the cooler part of the day such as early morning and late afternoon.

Ground Suckers in Tobacco

Ground suckers are a concern in many Johnston County tobacco fields. Numerous factors can influence the presence or lack of ground suckers. Stress, especially cool temperatures (less than 50 to 55 degrees Farenheit) is a key and can cause plants to produce ground suckers. Some varieties are more prone to producing ground suckers than others.

There is little that can be done now to manage these suckers. Cultivation to move soil up around exposed stems can promote additional rooting and cover some small suckers. Suckers that persist and grow will need to be removed later in the season. Management of temperatures in the greenhouse, and transplanting in warm temperatures can influence this problem in future seasons.

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