Armyworm Update
Still hearing reports of armyworm in wheat and hay (front of the mower) this week. Blackbirds are still very visible diving into fields and letting us know where to look. Scouting wheat in Monroe County, it was easy to find armyworms under the knocked down plants in the sprayer tracks. I was able to find worms from 0.5 to 1.25 inches. The larger ones are getting close to pupating. I am also noticing a lot of common bluegrass low in the canopy as a common denominator of armyworm infestations. I also found Tachinid flies had parasitized some of the larger worms and could see the small white eggs just behind the head. Hoping that we are far enough down the finish line that we will not have any more major problems.
Eyespot and Lodged Wheat
The wheat looks fantastic in the region and is starting to change to a pale green as we move closer to the finish line. Many are saying it will be ready for harvest a little earlier this July. Unfortunately, I saw my first evidence of lodging after the storm that blew through earlier in the week. Upon closer inspection yesterday, I could see that the main culprit for the weakened wheat stem was eyespot, also known as strawbreaker. It is a soilborne fungus that attacks the roots and lower stem. It forms a brown diamond shaped lesion and the base of the stem. Gary Bergstrom informed me that Priaxor from BASF is now labeled for eyespot suppression in wheat. Application timing is between green-up and formation of the first stem node (Feekes 6). It is the only chemical option in NY. The fungus can live and spread on other grass crops and weeds from year to year.
Soybean Aphid Scouting
I was not able to find any soybean aphids yet. We seem to find first colonies in mid-June. The winged females will lay live young (all females) and will bounce from plant to plant seeding potential new colonies. We are still early enough that those soybeans treated with an insecticide on the seed should control these early aphids. These first SBA infestations are hard to locate so here’s a couple tips. Always look at the newest unopened trifoliate on the plant, not the older leaves. Secondly, look for the ants! The ants search out these aphids to get their waste products, honeydew. If you see ants on a soybean plant, I guarantee the aphids will be there. Here is a video on scouting for SBA by looking for the ants, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwWEQSnD0LM&list=PLBMGyzTr13dsj4Ufdu6Dle2AJtGJbyo6z&index=4.
Threshold is 250 aphids per plant but could be lower if on small plants particularly if plants are drought stressed.
Too Late to Plant Soybeans?
We are getting to the very end of planting season. When should we call it quits on soybeans? Planting soybeans after June 20th can be risky. If you are going to push the limits this week, here are some suggestions.
- Plant an early-mid group 2 maturity versus a group 1.
- Push up your plant populations 15 to 20 thousand per acre to compensate for fewer nodes on each plant. We follow a similar schedule for winter wheat in the fall.
- Plant on narrow rows (7 or 15) to maximize sunlight interception and optimize potential yield.
- Start clean and spray weeds earlier than usual to eliminate as much stress as possible.
I have also had questions about planting soybeans after wheat harvest. I have seen growers have success with this double crop and get 25-30 bushels. First, it must be early (first week of July) and most importantly, there must be soil moisture. If you can’t get the beans into some moisture, keep them in the bag.
Next report will be June 26.
