Crop Alerts

Pink rot

Potato    Eastern Idaho

Posted on: August 20, 2003 by Jeff Miller

Severe pink rot has been identified in several fields in central and eastern Idaho. Plants appear wilted with leaves dying and plant lying down. This is different from the typical flagging symptoms associated with Verticillium wilt. Infected plants are showing lesions on the below ground stem that resemble severe Rhizoctonia. Infected stem tissue easily sloughs off. The pathogen grows from an initial below-ground stem infection up and down the stem. Tubers are becoming infected by the pathogen growing out the stolon or by direct contact if tubers are touching infected stems. Some fields have shown extremely high infection rates. In these cases, immediate vine kill is advised to prevent the pathogen from growing into healthy tubers. The severity of the problem is most likely caused by the extended high temperatures we have experienced the last several weeks. Maximum soil temperatures have been above 80 F for much of July and the early part of August. Extra water that may have been applied to help manage heat stress has compounded the pink rot problems. The University of Idaho would like to receive pink rot samples in order to determine fungicide sensitivity. Please contact Jeff Miller at 208-397-4181 or by email at jsmiller@uidaho.edu.

Malheur Experiment Station Onion Variety Day August 26

Onion    Treasure Valley - Oregon

Posted on: August 8, 2003 by Cedric Shock

Larado Cleared for Sugarbeets in Oregon for powdery mildew c

Sugarbeets    Treasure Valley - Oregon

Posted on: August 1, 2003 by Lynn Jensen

Larado has recieved a section 18 emergency label for powdery mildew control in sugarbeets for the 2003 crop year. There is a limit of application per season.

laredo on sugarbeets

Sugarbeets    Treasure Valley - Idaho

Posted on: July 31, 2003 by Jerry Neufeld

USEPA has approved the use of Laredo to control powdery mildew on sugar beets in Idaho. EPA changed the number of applications to only a single application, even though two were requested. You can view the label document, along with other Section 18 approvals on the ISDA website at http://www.idahoag.us/agresource/section18.htm

Iris Yellow Spot Virus found in Nyssa, Oregon Slope

Onion    Treasure Valley - Oregon

Posted on: July 31, 2003 by Lynn Jensen

The Iris Yellow Spot Virus has been identified on onion fields in the Nyssa and Oregon Slope areas of the Treasure Valley. Keep onions well watered and free of stress.

corn earworm

Corn    Treasure Valley - Idaho

Posted on: July 29, 2003 by Jerry Neufeld

The second generation of corn earworm will begin laying eggs in the silk of corn between 1450 and 1650 growing degree days (GDD). In the Caldwell area we will reach 1450 GDD on August 3. In the Parma area we will reach 1450 GDD tomorrow. It is still important to scout your corn fields for earworm eggs.

update on Laredo

Sugarbeets    Treasure Valley - Idaho

Posted on: July 28, 2003 by Jerry Neufeld

The following information about Laredo was posted on the UIsugarbeet website by Dr. John Gallian.

The EPA has notified George Robinson, Idaho State Department of Agriculture, that a decision will be made during the week of July 28 whether to grant the Section 18 for Laredo. If we receive permission to use Laredo, it will allow the material to be applied as the second application for powdery mildew where a strobilurin (Gem or Headline) or benzimidazole (Topsin M) has already been
applied, allowing good resistance management practices to be followed.

black bean aphid

Sugarbeets    Treasure Valley - Idaho

Posted on: July 23, 2003 by Jerry Neufeld

Amalgamated Sugar Company is reporting that Black Bean Aphids are being found in sugarbeet fields across the Treasure Valley. Growers are often mixing an insecticide with a fungicide for powdery mildew and applying them at the same time. At the present time, Laredo is still not labeled for powdery mildew in sugarbeets in Idaho. ISDA is still waiting for US-EPA to approve the label.

corn earworm

Corn    Treasure Valley - Idaho

Posted on: July 21, 2003 by Jerry Neufeld

According to the Oregon State University Growing Degree Day (GDD) model for Corn Earworm we are currently at 1139 GDD in Caldwell and 1272 GDD in the Parma area. First generation moths will begin laying eggs in fresh corn silk at approximately 1300 GDD. Eggs will hatch a few days after reaching 1300 GDD and the larvae will then begin feeding on the corn kernels. The GDD model is predicting we will reach 1300 GDD in Caldwell on July 27 and in Parma on July 22.

cereal leaf beetle

Small Grains    Treasure Valley - Idaho

Posted on: July 17, 2003 by Jerry Neufeld

Adult Cereal Leaf Beetles are emerging from the soil and feeding on grasses and young corn. According the U of Idaho CIS 994 “Newly emerged adults feed on a variety of material, but prefer succulent grasses, grain, and young corn.” Their numbers can reach several hundred per plant, but rarely cause economic damage because they feed for such a short time (approximately 2 weeks) before they go into a resting stage. Adults feed entirely through the leaf surface, between the veins, in a straight line. There is only one generation per year.

corn earworm

Corn    Treasure Valley - Idaho

Posted on: July 14, 2003 by Jerry Neufeld

According to the Oregon State University Growing Degree Day (GDD) model for Corn Earworm we are currently at 967 GDD in Caldwell and 1097 GDD in the Parma area. First generation moths will begin laying eggs in fresh corn silk at approximately 1300 GDD. Eggs will hatch a few days after reaching 1300 GDD and the larvae will then begin feeding on the corn kernels. The GDD model is predicting we will reach 1300 GDD in Caldwell on July 29 and in Parma on July 23. As we approach 1300 GDD you will want to step up your field scouting and take the appropriate control measures.

powdery mildew in sugarbeets

Sugarbeets    Treasure Valley - Idaho

Posted on: July 10, 2003 by Jerry Neufeld

Powdery mildew has been positively identified by Amalgamated Sugar Company Representatives in sugarbeet fields in the Notus, Weiser and Ontario areas. In addition, loopers have been found in several sugarbeet fields around the county. An insecticide for loopers can be tank mixed with a fungicide to treat both pests at the same time.

At the present time, Laredo does not have a label for powdery mildew in sugarbeets in Idaho. ISDA and UI are working with the manufacturer and EPA on this issue. If Laredo does become available I will post that information to this website.

UI Sugarbeet Specialist Dr. John Gallian is recommending that you do not use chemicals with the same mode of action more than once a year on the same fields. In addition, he is recommending that you add 5 pounds of sulfur to each treatment in order to fight resistance.

early blight

Potato    Magic Valley

Posted on: July 7, 2003 by Terry Helms

Found Early Blight 7-4-03 in 1 Russet Burbank field near Burley.

Early blight in potatoes

Potato    Magic Valley

Posted on: July 7, 2003 by Jeff Miller and Nora Olsen

Early blight has been found in the Magic Valley. The samples had large, black stem lesions similar to late blight. However, distinct early blight lesions were present on the foliage. Although this has been seen only on a limited scale, it stresses the importance to scout fields regularly and to bring in any suspect plant samples into the University of Idaho for confidential evaluation.

powdery mildew in sugarbeets

Sugarbeets    Treasure Valley - Idaho

Posted on: July 7, 2003 by Jerry Neufeld

Representatives from Amalgamated Sugar Company are saying that now is the time to be on the lookout for powdery mildew in sugarbeets. Mildew usually shows up first at the western end of the Treasure Valley and moves east. Amalgamated field representatives are closely monitoring the mildew situation, an alert will be posted when the disease is actually found.

Small Grains Field Day

Small Grains    Treasure Valley - Idaho

Posted on: July 1, 2003 by Jerry Neufeld

Brad Brown, Extension Crop Management Specialist at the UI Parma Research and Extension Center is hosting a Small Grains Field Day on Tuesday July 8. Topics of discussion on the tour will be variety performance, malting barley issues, barley fractionation, cereal leaf beetle and other small grain issues. The tour starts at 9:00 a.m. at the Parma R and E Center and will end at noon with a lunch sponsored by the Idaho Grain Producers Association.

Green peach aphids found

Potato    Magic Valley

Posted on: June 27, 2003 by Jeff Miller

Green peach aphids have been positively identified in both Cassia and Power counties in commercial potato fields. Intensive scouting should be performed and insecticide programs may need to be initiated, depending on cultivar, destination of crop, and previous (at planting or at hilling) insecticide use. Please contact University of Idaho Extension personnel with any specific questions.

Malheur Experiment Station Field Day

Announcements    Treasure Valley - Idaho

Posted on: June 25, 2003 by Jerry Neufeld

The Malheur Experiment Station Field day is July 9, 2003. Registration is from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m.; tours begin at 9:00 a.m. Educational topics to be covered on the tour include: Onion Production, Cereal Leaf Beetle, Potato Production, Poplar Production, Drip Irrigation and Sugarbeet Production. Lunch is provided and there will be door prizes for growers only. RSVP to Jan Jones at 541.889.2174 or Janet.Jones@orst.edu.

Malheur Experiment Station Field Day

Announcements    Treasure Valley - Oregon

Posted on: June 25, 2003 by Jerry Neufeld

The Malheur Experiment Station Field day is July 9, 2003. Registration is from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m.; tours begin at 9:00 a.m. Educational topics to be covered on the tour include: Onion Production, Cereal Leaf Beetle, Potato Production, Poplar Production, Drip Irrigation and Sugarbeet Production. Lunch is provided and there will be door prizes for growers only. RSVP to Jan Jones at 541.889.2174 or Janet.Jones@orst.edu.

Malheur Experiment Station Field Day

Announcements    All Locations

Posted on: June 25, 2003 by Jerry Neufeld

The Malheur Experiment Station Field day is July 9, 2003. Registration is from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m.; tours begin at 9:00 a.m. Educational topics to be covered on the tour include: Onion Production, Cereal Leaf Beetle, Potato Production, Poplar Production, Drip Irrigation and Sugarbeet Production. Lunch is provided and there will be door prizes for growers only. RSVP to Jan Jones at 541.889.2174 or Janet.Jones@orst.edu.

Pests in Mint

Mint    Treasure Valley - Idaho

Posted on: June 17, 2003 by Jerry Neufeld

Powdery Mildew and Loopers are being found in mint fields in the Treasure Valley of Idaho. You may want to increase your scouting efforts for these pests and take action as necessary.

Green Peach Aphids

Potato    Treasure Valley - Idaho

Posted on: June 17, 2003 by Brad Geary

Green Peach Aphid populations have risen sharply in the Treasure Valley this past week. Please monitor your fields closely to ensure your at-plant insecticides are managing the aphid population. If no at-plant insecticides were used, then monitor fields closely and schedule a foliar insecticide application when green peach aphids are found. Aphids have been found this year in the Magic Valley on cull piles. Volunteer potato plants and cull piles are an excellent source of inoculum, so make sure these unwanted potato plants have been destroyed. There were a lot of volunteer potatoes this year so watch potato fields closely, the aphids may have acquired the virus from the volunteer plants and will enter a field ready to spread a virus.

stripe rust in winter wheat

Small Grains    Treasure Valley - Idaho

Posted on: June 4, 2003 by Jerry Neufeld

Stripe rust has been found in a hard red winter wheat being produced for seed in the Treasure Valley. Stripe rust is not a problem for us in most years. It can be a serious problem when we have inoculum, conditions for infection and growth as we've had this spring, and hosts that lack tolerance or resistance. Most of our winter and spring wheat varieties have moderate to good resistance to stripe rust. Of the most commonly planted varieties of winter wheat grown in the Treasure Valley, the variety we should be most concerned about is Brundage. Brundage lacks the stripe rust resistance of Stephens, Madsen, and Malcolm winter wheats, or Alpowa, Centennial, Penawawa, or Treasure spring wheats. Two fungicides are registered for control according to the Pacific Northwest Disease Control Handbook. Quadris can be applied up to late head emergence and can not be applied within 45 days of harvest. Tilt can be used at flag leaf emergence but not later. Much of our winter wheat is beyond this growth stage so we may have missed our opportunity to use these products. Scouting for Stripe rust is appropriate at this time, especially for varieties that may be questionable as to their Stripe rust susceptibility or tolerance. Brad Brown, Specialist at the Parma Research and Extension Center provided this information.

Western Cherry Fruit Fly

Tree Fruits    Treasure Valley - Idaho

Posted on: June 3, 2003 by Tim Davis

The Idaho State Department of Ag detected another adult WCFF in a trap near Sunnyslope June 2, 2003. According to the model this is a bit late for the first adult emergence but anyhow your applications should be applied if you have not already done so.

Western Cherry Fruit Fly

Tree Fruits    Magic Valley

Posted on: June 3, 2003 by Tim Davis

The Idaho State Department of Ag detected another adult WCFF in a trap near Sunnyslope June 2, 2003. According to the model this is a bit late for the first adult emergence but anyhow your applications should be applied if you have not already done so.