Alabama Crops Report
January 19, 2021
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The Alabama Cooperative Extension System creates integrated pest management guides for major row crops; small and stored grains; pastures and forage crops; commercial turfgrass; noncropland; houses, buildings and grounds; commercial trees and ornamental crops; commercial horticultural crops; and homeowners lawns and ornamental and garden crops. These guides are compiled by both current and former Extension entomologists, plant pathologists, weed scientists, and a pesticide education specialist. Each IPM guide provides information on the selection, rates, application, and safe and proper use of pesticides.
Because the status of pesticides is constantly changing, some that are currently listed in the guides may no longer be legal. Also, some recently labeled pesticides may not yet be included. For these reasons, anyone preparing to use a pesticide should always consult the current pesticide label on the container before application. Read More
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Events |
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February 18th, 2021, 8:30am - 11:00am
The 2021 Alabama Row Crop Production Meeting will be held via Zoom on February 18th, 2021. The course is free but requires a pre-registration to enter the meeting. This meeting will provide 2 CEUs (1 for Integrated Pest Management and 1 for Crop Management). Register here.
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January - October 2021
Private applicator training events across the state have been scheduled for 2021. This list is updated as county Extension offices report new dates. However, contact your county’s Extension office to see if there are any events planned that have not yet made this list. Also, watch the Alabama Extension website calendar for more training opportunities.
Look through each different group to determine which date and location is best suited for you. These groupings are events hosted by specific agents throughout the areas they cover. Read more and see dates here.
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News |
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Cotton Situation
The most recent USDA estimate of the 2020 crop puts Alabama production at 735,000 bales from 445,000 acres harvest, for an average yield of 793 lb/A. That’s a far cry from the August numbers, which were over 200,000 bales and almost 200 lb/A higher. The decline captures the disappointment of the season and reflects the impact of hurricanes, tropical storms, and extended rainy conditions during harvest.
Weather and weathering brought significant issues with fiber quality, most notably Extraneous Matter penalties from seed coat fragments. Seed coat fragments are created in the ginning process as the lint is pulled from the seed and are associated with degradation of seed coat integrity. Rather than readily separate from lint, parts of the outer covering of the seed wind up in the lint and ultimately in the bale. There’s an excellent article by Ed Barnes of Cotton Incorporated on this subject posted on the Georgia Cotton Commission website found here.
Below are overall quality data from the crop.
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One significant bright spot for 2021 is an increase in price. Current December ’21 futures for cotton is around 77 cents per pound. We are hoping for brighter things this coming season.
Contact Steve Brown for more information.
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Summary of At-Plant Thrips Management Trials
The Auburn Cotton Entomology team conducted several research trials in 2020 to help us continue to refine the “Cotton IPM System.” Below is a short summary of some our at-planting thrips management trials. We tested several insecticide seed treatments (IST) and in-furrow treatments at Prattville and Belle Mina. Overall, our treatments performed well and generally kept thrips injury below threshold. Moving into 2021, our recommendation is to either use an imidacloprid based IST (e.g. Gaucho, Aeris, Avicta Elite) or an in-furrow application of imidacloprid, acephate or aldicarb. One consideration for acephate is rain fastness. Even when soil applied at planting, excessive rainfall can leach acephate out of the rootzone and lead to less than ideal efficacy. Use the Thrips Model and scout fields to help determine when a foliar application may be necessary to supplement at-plant treatments.
Figure below: Final thrips injury ratings (0-5 scale, 4th leaf) in at-plant seed and in-furrow insecticide trials in Prattville and Belle Mina, AL (2020). Letters indicate significant differences (P<0.05).
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Efficacy of Thrips Management Options for Reducing Damage and Preserving Cotton Yields, ACC#28
Studies were conducted at the Prattville Agricultural Research Unit (PARU) in Prattville, AL and at the Tennessee Valley Research and Extension Center (TNVREC) in Belle Mina, AL, to evaluate selected seed and in-furrow treatments against thrips infesting seedling cotton. To evaluate treatments, whole plot thrips injury ratings were made on a 0-5 scale. On this scale, “0” means no injury is observed, “3” is considered the threshold when delays in maturity are likely and yield loss is possible, and “5” means thrips have killed all the plants in the plot. Although initial thrips injury ratings were higher at PARU, both locations had significant pressure at the final rating. Except for Cruiser and Orthene 97S at PARU, all treatments significantly reduced thrips injury ratings compared to the untreated controls (black seed, fungicide only). As has been consistently reported across the Mid-South and Southeast, Cruiser performed poorly at both locations, while Orthene performance was different at each location (see figure above). Although no significant differences in yield were observed among treatments, using a recommended at-plant insecticide yielded an average of ≈117 lbs of lint per acre compared to the untreated control (see figure below). These data show a consistent return on investment when using an at-plant insecticide to manage thrips in seedling cotton. Results from this study have also led to the removal of Cruiser from the AL Cotton IPM Guide recommendation for thrips management.
Figure below: Impact of seedling thrips control during bloom
Contact Scott Graham or Ron Smith for more information.
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Spring Stored Grain Pest Management
There are several tactics to control pests in grain bins, many of which begin before the grain goes into the bin. The goal is to begin storing your grain with the lowest possible numbers of insects. Strategies include cleaning empty bins inside and out, managing weed or rodent problems, and sealing any cracks or gaps. However, as we approach spring with increasing temperatures, small insect populations can quickly increase and turn into large populations.
Storage periods of one year or longer are common. During this time, grain is undisturbed and remains at risk for insect damage. Risk is especially high as Alabama experiences warm, moist weather from spring through fall. Warm grain is ideal for stored product pests. Higher temperatures mean insects feed, grow, and reproduce faster. During this time, if your bin contains high numbers of insects, an additional treatment may be warranted. Treatments for infested grain that is already in the bin are discussed below.
Top Dress Treatments
If the grain is going to be stored for more than a few months, and a protectant was not added when the grain was loaded into the bin, a top dress treatment may be helpful. Top dress treatments are applied to the surface of the grain. These treatments prevent pest infestations from the top of the structure. Most top dress treatments are incorporated into the top four inches of the grain. Some require a greater mixing depth and some are applied with no mixing. Read label for specific instructions. A list of insecticides approved as top dress treatments can be found in our Stored Grain IPM Guide.
Headspace Treatments
One particular pest that is problematic is the Indianmeal moth (see figure above). Indianmeal moths feed on damaged kernels. They are typically found in the top four inches of grain. Activity will pick up in the spring as temperatures warm. The top of the grain is the first to warm up and this is where you may see Indianmeal moths. An infestation of these moths can contaminate the grain with their frass and silk webbing. Live insects and insect parts in grain can lead to dockage.
Indianmeal moth infestations are typically limited to the top few inches, so for this particular pest, fumigation is not required for control. If you’ve had problems with Indianmeal moths previously, or find populations when sampling, a headspace treatment may be warranted. Polyvinyl strips that contain the insecticide dichlorvos can be hung in the headspace.
Fumigation
Fumigation may be required when insect populations become too high and cannot be controlled with other treatments. Aluminum phosphide is the chemical used for fumigation. It is sold typically in pellet or tablet forms, or as paper sachets, plates, or strips. When these are exposed to moisture and heat, they give off phosphine gas. Inhalation of fumigants is the most common and dangerous method of exposure.
Mild exposure can lead to an overall feeling of sickness, ringing in ears, fatigue, nausea, and pressure in the chest. Moderate poisoning can lead to weakness, vomiting, stomach and chest pain, diarrhea, and difficulty breathing. Severe poisoning can occur within a few hours to a few days following exposure. This includes fluid forming in the lungs, dizziness, blue or purple skin, unconsciousness, or death.
A fumigation management plan is necessary before any fumigant is applied. The fumigant must be left inside the bin long enough to be effective. Check the label for specific requirements. Approved fumigants can be found here.
If you are unfamiliar with grain bin fumigation, hire an outside company with trained professionals.
Contact Katelyn Kesheimer for more information.
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