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Field and Forage Crops |
Consider the Cotton Insect Corner Web Page for items of potential interest to producers, agents, consultants and industry personnel throughout the growing season, including the illustrated Cotton Insect Scouting Guide (Spanish version also), the cotton insect Photo Gallery, upcoming Southeast Farm Press articles, the cotton project's applied research results (from 1999 to 2003), on-line bollworm moth counts from approximately 20 light traps (early July through early September), and downloadable Microsoft PowerPoint slide presentations addressing various aspects of insect management, including scouting. See the web site at: http://ipm.ncsu.edu/cotton/insectcorner/.
Predictions about cotton insects for the coming growing season -- even up to and beyond the time of planting -- are difficult. Overwintering pest levels and beneficial insect survival, the amount and quality of nearby crop and weed hosts, cotton crop development, and, most importantly, weather just prior to and during the growing season can affect insect levels. We also deal with insect pests that undergo several generations on other hosts before playing their hand on cotton. This makes early predictions even more difficult. Some observations for 2004, however, may be order.
Thrips have been difficult on cotton producers for the three of the past four years, ranking as the number two pest (damage plus cost of control) on both Bollgard and on conventional cotton. Perhaps due to our cooler conditions for seedling "growoff" and the high amount of surrounding thrips host vegetation compared with our average field size, thrips levels are almost always higher and more damaging in the Carolinas and Virginia than elsewhere in the Cotton Belt. Though relatively light in 2003, the odds appear to favor thrips again being a significant pest in 2004, especially if dry conditions persist.
On average, stink bug damage to bolls in 2002 and in 2003 was less than in 2000 and 2001. However, stink bugs and plant bugs collectively rank as the number one pest complex of Bollgard cotton, now planted on over 75 percent of North Carolina's acreage. Expect one or both of these bug pests to be a major headache in at least some areas of the state in 2004.
From 1996 to 2002, bollworm moth levels had seesawed up and down evenly, with a heavy year in 2002. This past year "tricked" us, bucking this trend in a big way. Although the 2003 flight was not early as in 2002, the flights continued high well into early September, resulting in extensive boll damage to both Bollgard and conventional cotton in many areas of the state. One good way to get an early indication of the timing and intensity of upcoming moth flights across North Carolina is to monitor light trap counts on-line (http://ipm.ncsu.edu/cotton/insectcorner/blacklight/) beginning in early July.
Upcoming cotton insect scouting schools will be posted beginning mid to late May in the North Carolina Pest News and on our web site. The classroom Microsoft PowerPoint component (approximately 3.5 megs) of these scouting schools is available on-line at: http://ipm.ncsu.edu/cotton/insectcorner/slideshow/index.html.
The cotton insect hotline Teletip tapes will begin next week. They can be accessed dialing 1-800-663-7301, then pressing "4" for cotton insect updates. These messages will be updated on Wednesdays until the beginning of the mid-July major bollworm moth flights, then twice weekly until late August.
An important new disease threat to soybean is currently the cause of much concern in the agricultural community. Asiatic soybean rust, caused by Phakospora pachyrizi, has emerged as a major constraint to soybean production in South America since 1998. Another species of rust, Phakospora meibomiae, has been endemic to portions of South America for many years but is considered less of a threat because it is not as aggressive as the Asiatic soybean rust. During the 2003-2004 growing season in Brazil, Asiatic rust was severe in many areas and required sprays of fungicides. Many industry leaders and some scientists predict that its introduction to North America is eminent and that it can have an impact on U.S. production. Some plant pathologists, however, suspect that it would be a minor problem IF AND WHEN IT DOES ARRIVE in the U.S. Predictive models suggest that conditions in eastern North Carolina are favorable for development of an epidemic of soybean rust. The soybean rust pathogen is primarily tropical in distribution and would be able to survive winter in only the most southern portions of the U.S. There are alternate hosts for this pathogen in the U.S. including Kudzu. Should this disease be introduced to the U.S. an emergency registration of additional fungicides for use on soybean will take effect for three years.
If you suspect soybean rust the following actions should be taken:
Address for U.S. Postal Service, UPS & FedEx:
Plant Disease and Insect Clinic
Campus Box 7211
1104 Williams Hall
100 Derieux Place
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-7211
State Courier Address:
Plant Disease and Insect Clinic
Campus Box 7211 NCSU
Raleigh, NC
STATE COURIER: 53-61-21
The following web sites contain additional information on and pictures of symptoms and signs of soybean rust:
http://www.unitedsoybean.org/soybeanrustguide.pdf
http://www.ncpmc.org/soybeanrust/
Employment and program opportunities are offered to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.
Last modified on April 19, 2004 by Stephen J. Toth, Jr.