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Farming
Issues…
Wheat
Harvests to Insects
Justin
Petrosino, ANR Extension Educator OSU
Extension, Darke County
July 7, 2011
What is going on in Darke
County’s fields this week? There
are quite a few different issues that are important to our farmers.
Topics
range from wheat harvest to insects so let’s dive in!
Many
farmers started wheat harvest in the middle of last week. For some
harvest will
continue through the end of this week. Reports are coming in on yields
and
vomitoxin levels. Yields are highly variable this year with a range
reported
from 55 to 95 bu/a. Average yield may fall between 65 and 75 bu/a this
year. Last
week OSU Extension Plant Pathology released a report on head scab
incidence in
the state. Incidence levels in Darke County ranged from 8 to 15 %. The
report
predicted that some vomitoxin would be present in this year’s wheat
crop.
Vomitoxin levels in Darke County are variable with most early reports
stating
levels of 2 to 3 ppm. However, levels range from less than 2 ppm to as
high as
10 ppm. Statewide reported yields and vomitoxin levels from other
counties are
about as variable as Darke County.
One
thing that isn’t happening in most fields is rain! The faucet turned
off at the
end of June and if the forecast holds true it will stay dry for at
least
another week. According to the National Weather Service only Wednesday
night
holds a chance for any appreciable rainfall this week. Farmers hoping
to plant
double cropped beans and cover crops may have to alter plans unless
chances of
rainfall increase. Corn and soybeans continue to grow through the lack
of
rainfall with corn ranging from the v6 growth stage and averaging a
foot and a
half high to some early planted corn reaching chest height. Of course
early is
a relative term this year meaning mid-May!
As the
corn continues to grow Darke County reported its first western bean
cutworm in
a monitoring trap this past week. Populations have been on the rise
statewide
since 2006 when the first moth was trapped in Ohio. The moth typically
flies
from late June and early July until just after the fair. During the
flight the
moths lay eggs on the most recently emerged leaf from the whorl. Eggs
are
initially white then turn purple 24 hours before hatching. Larvae
emerge and
migrate to the corn ear where they can cause significant damage. In
past years
eggs and larvae were discovered in only a handful of fields in Ohio
with no
fields reaching economic thresholds. If a Bt corn hybrid with activity
on
western bean cutworm was not planted this year fields should be scouted
for
eggs and larvae. Control with an insecticide is only warranted if 8 %
of plants
in a field have eggs or larvae present. Timing is critical to catch
larvae
before they migrate to the corn ear. After the larvae enter the ear
insecticides are not effective. For more information on the western
bean
cutworm and its management visit http://entomology.osu.edu/ag/ or visit
the
Extension office for a factsheet.
Another
insect making its way to the county is the soybean aphid. 2011 is
predicted to
be a year of high soybean aphid populations in some regions of the
state.
Reports from Michigan and several parts of Canada indicate high soybean
aphid
populations. The insects will undoubtedly migrate south, but if they
will be a
pest in Darke County this year is still to be determined. While
scouting
soybean fields farmers should check 100 plants for aphids. If aphids
are
present at 250 insects per plant and the population is rising treatment
is
warranted. Counting aphids can be a pain but thankfully there is a
brochure at
the Extension Office that is available for free with clear pictures of
what a
few, a lot, and 250 insects per plant looks like.
For
more information on any of these matters contact Justin Petrosino at
the OSU
Extension Darke County Office at (937) 548-5215 or petrosino.3@osu.edu.
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