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2020 Idaho Association of Plant Protection Annual Meeting update

All Crops    All Locations

Posted on: October 28, 2020 by Jeff Miller

With the current situation regarding COVID-19, the Idaho Association of Plant Protection has decided to not hold an in-person meeting in 2020. Instead, we will meet virtually using Zoom. There will be no cost to participate in the meeting.

The program will run from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Wednesday, November 4, and 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Thursday, November 5. A total of 7.5 Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) and 7 ISDA Pesticide Recertification credits (ISDA) are available. Participants wishing to get ISDA credits will need to pass an online test as a way to verify attendance.

Information on the agenda and how to register can be found in the attached flier and link.

2020 Frost Alert

General Landscape and Garden    Treasure Valley

Posted on: October 14, 2020 by Nic Usabel

Many locations across the Treasure Valley could experience a frost this evening. To review more details about frost tolerance for common vegetables view the first link below. To understand more about cold weather and frost protection reference the second link.

Have you enjoyed landscape and garden insect pest alerts this season? If so, consider donating to the “2C Master Gardener: Growing Skills & Expertise for Local Outreach” crowdfunding campaign by clicking the third link. Master Gardener volunteers in Canyon County help to monitor and report insect pests to the PNW Pest Alert Network. A donation of $5 will help maintain one trapping station for the upcoming year.

Armyworm damage in eastern Idaho wheat fields

Small Grains    Eastern Idaho

armyworm

Posted on: October 6, 2020 by Jerry Neufeld

The following information is provided by Dr. Arash Rashed, Associate Professor, Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology at the University of Idaho.

There have been reports of fall armyworm damage in some wheat fields between American Falls and Firth in eastern Idaho. Please inspect your fields as managing this pest is more effective during the early stages of development. Fall Armyworms are active during dark, so field inspections need to be done with a flashlight after sunset. They have a wide host range but prefer grasses; at this time of the year, wheat, barley, alfalfa, volunteers, and pasture are examples of crops that can host fall armyworms. They feed on foliar tissue and can consume young seedlings to the ground. During the day they hide in plant litter and/or just below the soil surface. There are no set thresholds and management recommendations depend on the stages of plant and larval development and the extent of the damage. More than 2-3 larger larvae (> 1/2in) per square foot may require control. Scout as many spots as possible within a field. Damage by fall armyworm is usually patchy and spot insecticide treatment is a possibility, where needed. Larvae cannot survive freezing temperatures and are also susceptible to diseases caused by entomopathogens at high densities.

For other closely related species and damage, you can visit pages 493-499 of the publication in the first link below:

You can also learn more about this pest from the PNW Insect Management Handbook in the second link below:

2020 Idaho Master Gardener Programs in the Treasure Valley

General Landscape and Garden    Treasure Valley

Posted on: September 25, 2020 by Nic Usabel

Interested in becoming an Idaho Master Gardener. See below for program information coming near you.

UI Extension, Ada County (Boise, ID): Currently has waiting list for class. Additional information can be found at uidaho.edu/ada or by calling 208-287-5900.

UI Extension, Canyon County (Caldwell, ID): This location serves Canyon and Owyhee counties. Class to meet weekly Wednesday morning from 9am - noon January – April. Registration to open October 1st. Additional information can be found at uidaho.edu/canyon or by calling 208-459-6003.

UI Extension, Elmore County (Mountain Home, ID): Class to meet weekly Saturday from 10am – 2pm January – April. Registration open now. Additional information can be found at uidaho.edu/elmore or by calling 208-587-2136 ext. 1250

UI Extension, Washington County (Weiser, ID): This location serves the Payette River Valley (Gem, Payette, Washington, Adams counties). Additional information can be found at uidaho.edu/Washington or by calling 208-414-0415.

Don’t see your county listed? Use the link below to find all program options in Idaho.

2020 Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

General Landscape and Garden    Treasure Valley

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys)

Posted on: September 23, 2020 by Nic Usabel

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) is an invasive insect pest from eastern Asia. Its first North America detection was in Pennsylvania in 1996. BMSB adults were first discovered in Canyon County in May 2012 and in Ada County in October 2014. This year a location with traps adjacent to orchards in Canyon and Payette counties participating in the SCRI nationwide survey has collected five (5) BMSB in two subsequent weeks.

If you believe you have found BMSB in Idaho take a specimen to your local Extension office or contact the Idaho State Department of Agriculture’s Pest Survey Program at (208) 332-8627.

BMSB has a shield-shaped body with mottled brownish-grey coloration. The adults are just over ½ inch long, and their antennae are marked with distinctive white bands. The insect’s underside is white with gray or black markings, and its legs are brown with faint white banding. Unlike most native stink bugs, BMSB has smooth “shoulders”. BMSBs have distinctive black and white “skirting” around their abdomens that protrudes from under the wings. See image.

BMSB has a broad host range that includes fruit, vegetable, ornamental, and field crop plants. The insect has a mouthpart for piercing and sucking plant sap and prefers fruits and seeds pods (reproductive structures). In Utah, the catalpa tree has shown the greatest numbers during detection and assessment of invasion risk.

Lso results delayed

Potato    All Locations

Potato Psyllid

Posted on: September 17, 2020 by Lucy Standley

Last week’s Lso results are delayed because of the shutdown of main campus buildings due to wildfire smoke. We expect to post the results to our website by the end of next week. Sorry for any inconvenience.

More information can be found here: http://www.uidaho.edu/cals/potatoes/news
--Click on the links under “Updated weekly reports” for details on trap captures.
--Click on the “Psyllid Management” link on the left panel for information on psyllid and zebra chip biology and management.

University of Idaho Pesticide Recertification Webinar Series, Fall 2020

All Crops    All Locations

Posted on: September 15, 2020 by Jerry Neufeld

The University of Idaho Pesticide Recertification trainings will not be the same this fall as they have been in the past years. In many cases, if not all, in person training will not be offered. However, you will still be able to get the credits needed for your license. Click on the pdf below for information on how to get license credits through the University of Idaho Pesticide Recertification Webinar Series.

Fall 2020 ISDA Pesticide Disposal Program

All Crops    All Locations

Posted on: September 15, 2020 by Jerry Neufeld

The Idaho State Department of Agriculture has released their schedule for the fall 2020, Pesticide Disposal Program. Click on the pdf below for all the details.

2020 Master Gardener Fall Perennial Plant Sale

General Landscape and Garden    Treasure Valley

Posted on: September 11, 2020 by Nic Usabel

Canyon County Master Gardeners are holding a Fall Perennial Plant Sale. Orders can be placed online now, see first link below, and picked up curbside Saturday, September 19th from 9 AM – Noon at the UI Extension, Canyon County location at 501 Main St. Caldwell, ID 83605.

For additional information reference the flyer link below or call UI Extension, Canyon County at 208-459-6003.

Final psyllid trap capture report for the 2020 season

Potato    All Locations

potato psyllid

Posted on: September 10, 2020 by Erik Wenninger

This week we had traps deployed in 45 of the 65 fields (69%) monitored this year; 20 fields had been vine killed and were not monitored. We found a total of 105 psyllids across 16 (35%) of the 45 fields.

Psyllids were collected on sticky traps in potato in the following counties: Canyon (5 fields), Owyhee (1 field), Elmore (4 fields), Twin Falls (5 fields), and Power (1 field).

From last week’s samples, no psyllids tested positive for Lso (liberibacter), the bacterium associated with zebra chip disease (ZC).

We are not including “heat maps” this week given that they tend to show skewed patterns with smaller sample sizes.

This week concludes our 2020 psyllid monitoring program, following recommendations from our ZC Advisory Committee of shortening the duration. However, we will report on the last set of Lso results next week.

Total psyllid captures are still down from two weeks ago and based on previous years’ observations we would expect their numbers to continue to reduce; however, psyllids likely will continue dispersing among the remaining fields as vine kill continues. Overall captures of psyllids this season were higher than the last two seasons, though still nowhere near as high as the “epic” years of 2016 and 2012. Thus far, we have also seen our lowest incidence of Lso-positive psyllids yet (0.4%). Together, we expect that the modest psyllid abundance and very low Lso incidence this year should result in relatively low incidence of ZC in harvested tubers. But remember that, at least in our experiments with Russet Burbank, some risk of ZC remains if infection occurs within 1-2 weeks before vine kill.

More information can be found here: http://www.uidaho.edu/cals/potatoes/news
--Click on the links under “Updated weekly reports” for details on trap captures.
--Click on the “Psyllid Management” link on the left panel for information on psyllid and zebra chip biology and management.

2020 Fall Lawn Fertilization & Care

General Landscape and Garden    Treasure Valley

Posted on: September 10, 2020 by Nic Usabel

For lawns, University of Idaho turf specialists recommend splitting fertilizer into three (3) applications early May, early September, and later October/November. Reference the publications linked below to identify fertilization amounts using soil test results (first publication link) or general recommendations for southern Idaho (second publication link). Apply fertilizer following label directions.

If your lawn is suffering from soil compaction or development of a thick thatch layer fall is the optimal time to core aerate. For more information on core aeration reference the third publication link below.

Fall is a great time to control perennial weeds in the landscape if opting to use herbicides. Perennials will begin storing carbohydrates in the roots promoting herbicides to be drawn deeper into the root system and allowing for better control.

If there are additional questions on lawn care or weed management reach out to a local University of Idaho Extension office.

2020 Reduce Watering Frequency During Fall

General Landscape and Garden    Treasure Valley

Posted on: September 9, 2020 by Nic Usabel

The days are shortening, and evening temperatures are cooling. Now is the time to adjust the frequency between irrigation days for the landscape and garden.

Lawn irrigation systems should be set to increase the number of days between irrigation according to soil texture. Adjusting the frequency of watering versus the run time allows for replenishment of the water holding capacity and usable water in the soil profile (see publication link one or two below). This deep and infrequent method encourages deeper root growth of plants.

Also consider a deep watering for trees and shrubs at the drip line (see third publication link) prior to irrigation water being turned off. Evergreen trees and shrubs will continue to lose moisture from their needles or leaves all winter long.

September 3, 2020 Psyllid Monitoring Update

Potato    All Locations

Potato Psyllid

Posted on: September 3, 2020 by Lucy Standley

This week we had traps deployed in 48 of the 65 fields (73%) monitored this year; 17 fields have been vine killed and will no longer be monitored. We found a total of 92 psyllids across 18 (37%) of the 48 fields.

Psyllids were collected on sticky traps in potato in the following counties: Canyon (7 fields), Owyhee (1 field), Elmore (4 fields), Twin Falls (4 fields), and Power (2 fields).

From last week’s samples, no psyllids tested positive for Lso (liberibacter), the bacterium associated with zebra chip disease (ZC). However, due to shipping delays from last week, a few Lso results will be delayed until next week.

We are not including “heat maps” this week given that they tend to show skewed patterns with smaller sample sizes.

Total psyllid captures were down considerably this week, which was related to fewer fields being monitored but also fewer captures in most of the remaining fields. It appears that we saw peak seasonal captures last week. However, remember that, at least in our experiments with Russet Burbank, some risk of ZC remains if infection occurs within 1-2 weeks before vine kill.

More information can be found here: http://www.uidaho.edu/cals/potatoes/news
--Click on the links under “Updated weekly reports” for details on trap captures.
--Click on the “Psyllid Management” link on the left panel for information on psyllid and zebra chip biology and management.

August 28, 2020 First Lso-positive psyllid found in Canyon County

Potato    All Locations

Potato Psyllid

Posted on: August 28, 2020 by Lucy Standley

This week we had traps deployed in 60 of the 65 fields (92%) monitored this year; five fields have been vine killed and will no longer be monitored. We found a total of 199 psyllids across 35 (58%) of the 60 fields.

Psyllids were collected on sticky traps in potato in the following counties: Payette (1 field), Canyon (12 fields), Owyhee (2 fields), Gem (1 field), Elmore (5 fields), Gooding (1 field), Jerome (4 fields), Twin Falls (6 fields), and Power (3 field).

From last week’s samples, one psyllid (collected in Canyon County) tested positive for Lso (liberibacter), the bacterium associated with zebra chip disease (ZC). However, due to shipping delays from last week, a few Lso results will be delayed until next week.

“Heat maps” of this week’s results are included on the UI and WSU websites (see links below). “Heat maps” describe predicted psyllid densities across the landscape, based on our trap counts and on predictive models developed over six years of psyllid monitoring in Idaho. The heat maps graphically reflect the relatively high abundance of psyllids collected in some fields in Canyon and Twin Falls counties.

Total psyllid captures were the highest we have observed this year, which is not surprising given that captures typically increase toward the end of the season, likely in part due to increase dispersal in relation to senescence and vine kill. We continue to urge growers to maintain their IPM programs. Tubers may still be at high risk of ZC if infection occurs 3 or more weeks before vine kill; in our experiments with Russet Burbank, risk diminishes within 1-2 weeks before vine kill but does not disappear.

More information can be found here: http://www.uidaho.edu/cals/potatoes/news
--Click on the links under “Updated weekly reports” for details on trap captures.
--Click on the “Psyllid Management” link on the left panel for information on psyllid and zebra chip biology and management.

Grasshoppers

Small Grains    Eastern Idaho

Grasshoppers

Posted on: August 27, 2020 by Jerry Neufeld

The following information is provided by University of Idaho Extension Specialists, Drs. Arash Rashed and Juliet Marshall.

Recent reports from Montana are indicating the presence of grasshoppers in large numbers, an observation which has raised concern for winter wheat planting across the region. Although grasshopper populations are expected to decline in late summer and fall, young winter wheat and barley fields may be at risk if large numbers of grasshoppers are present at planting and crop emergence. The presence of 11-20 grasshoppers in one square yard (9 square feet) of natural border vegetation around a recently planted wheat field would be alarming and could result in significant damage upon seedling emergence.

Insecticide applications in form of seed treatments, foliar applications, and/or baits are primary approaches when large number of grasshoppers are present. However, delayed fall planting is also recommended to be integrated into the management protocol as it would minimize the window of fall crop exposure to grasshoppers. Monitor fields and surrounding vegetation. If large grasshopper populations are present, contact Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA Mormon Cricket and Grasshopper Control Program at the link below. ISDA’s Mormon Cricket and Grasshopper Control Program provides pest management recommendations and assistance to producers and ranchers across Idaho.

2020 Apple Codling Moth, Third Generation

General Landscape and Garden    Treasure Valley

Codling Moth Cydia pomonella

Posted on: August 27, 2020 by Nic Usabel

The third generation of codling moth egg hatch has begun. Current degree day models indicate 2168 DD as of August 26. Third generation egg hatch begins at 2160-2200 DD.

Continue to keep fruit protected through approximately September 15. Protection of fruit can stop after that time, even if fruit has not been harvested. By mid-September there is not enough day length to signal n eggs in the fruit to hatch.

Follow label directions for harvest or post-harvest requirements.

Idaho Association of Plant Protection 2020 Annual Meeting - November 4-5

All Crops    All Locations

Posted on: August 20, 2020 by Jeff Miller

With the current situation regarding COVID-19, the Idaho Association of Plant Protection has decided to not hold an in-person meeting in 2020. Instead, we will meet virtually using Zoom. This is an invitation and call for virtual presentations covering all aspects of plant protection including entomology, nematology, weed science, and plant pathology.

Please consider contributing research results, observations, unusual pest and disease occurrences and topics that could be discussed as a group, etc. to the meeting. We currently envision allotting each presentation a 20-minute time slot, but this may be adjusted based on the number of submissions.

Traditionally the program has gone from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Wednesday and 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Thursday. The length of the program will be dictated by the number of submissions. A final program will be advertised in October. Participation in the meeting will be free. We will attempt to certify the meeting for Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) and Pesticide Recertification credits (ISDA).

Please reply by email if you would like to attend, or if you would like to present.

August 20, 2020 Psyllid Monitoring Update

Potato    All Locations

Potato Psyllid

Posted on: August 20, 2020 by Lucy Standley

This week we had traps deployed in 62 of the 65 fields (95%) monitored this year; three fields have been vine killed and will no longer be monitored. We found a total of 124 psyllids across 26 (41%) of the 62 fields. Of the 124 psyllids captured, 59 (47%) were found across 3 fields at University of Idaho Kimberly Research Center (KREC).

Psyllids were collected on sticky traps in potato in the following counties: Payette (1 field), Canyon (10 fields), Owyhee (1 field), Gem (2 fields), Elmore (5 fields), Jerome (2 fields), Twin Falls (4 fields), and Power (1 field).

From last week’s samples, no psyllids so far have tested positive for Lso (liberibacter), the bacterium associated with zebra chip disease (ZC). However, due to shipping delays from last week, a few Lso results will be delayed until next week.

“Heat maps” of this week’s results are included on the UI and WSU websites (see links below). “Heat maps” describe predicted psyllid densities across the landscape, based on our trap counts and on predictive models developed over six years of psyllid monitoring in Idaho. The heat maps graphically reflect the relatively high abundance of psyllids collected in some fields in Twin Falls County.

Total psyllid captures dropped notably relative to last week, though high captures were still observed at KREC. We continue to urge growers to have their IPM programs in place, especially where psyllid numbers have been relatively high. Tubers may still be at high risk of ZC if infection occurs 3 or more weeks before vine kill; in our experiments with Russet Burbank, risk diminishes within 1-2 weeks before vine kill but does not disappear.

More information can be found here: http://www.uidaho.edu/cals/potatoes/news
--Click on the links under “Updated weekly reports” for details on trap captures.
--Click on the “Psyllid Management” link on the left panel for information on psyllid and zebra chip biology and management.

2020 Blossom-End Rot

General Landscape and Garden    Treasure Valley - Idaho

Blossom-end rot

Posted on: August 19, 2020 by Nic Usabel

Blossom-end rot is showing up on tomato plants. Pepper, eggplant, squash, and watermelon can also be affected.

Blossom-end rot is a physiological disorder due to a shortage of calcium in young fruit. Blossom-end rot often occurs when soil moisture fluctuates as water stress interferes with calcium uptake in the plant. Most Treasure Valley garden soils have enough calcium and additions are not recommended. Refer to soil test results.

Cultural control practices: Use infrequent deep irrigation to keep the soil uniformly moist and avoid water stress or fluctuating soil moisture. Organic mulch can be used to prevent wide fluctuations in soil moisture. Avoid over fertilizing and hoeing or cultivating near the roots.

Pesticide Math Training, Online

All Crops    All Locations

Posted on: August 19, 2020 by Kimberly Tate

The UI Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program has produced three educational online training courses available for pesticide applicators, Master Gardeners, and homeowners. The Calculate Pesticides series includes real-world pesticide calculations in the following courses:

1) General Math – review basic math concepts needed for calculating pesticides.
2) Using Sprayers – develop math skills for calibrating yourself to application equipment.
3) Application Rates – identify the math formulas necessary to calculate pesticide application rates.

Simply, create your account at the National eXtension website by using this address https://campus.extension.org/course/view.php?id=1588 (also linked below). Each user must have their own identification name and password. Once you confirm your free account, you will have unlimited access to these online educational materials. If you have any questions, please contact Kimberly Tate at ktate@uidaho.edu.

Aug 18 - Ag Talk Tuesday - Last one for 2020!

All Crops    All Locations

Ag Talk Tuesday - ATT - last one of the season!

Posted on: August 17, 2020 by Kasia Duellman, Juliet Marshall, Pam Hutchinson

August 18 - 11:00 AM Mountain, Please join us for the final Ag Talk Tuesday of the 2020 growing season! We will provide crop updates followed by two guest speakers:
Jason Thomas will discuss Starling Management on Dairies. Linda Schott will discuss Soil Health Assessment.

Information in regards to registration are available at:

https://webpages.uidaho.edu/extension-seed-potato/ATT.html

The Zoom meeting ID for those who have already registered is: Meeting ID: 349 427 773

Pesticide Math Online Training

General Landscape and Garden    Treasure Valley - Idaho

Posted on: August 17, 2020 by Nic Usabel

The UI Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program has produced three educational online training courses available for pesticide applicators, Master Gardeners, and homeowners. The Calculate Pesticides series includes real-world pesticide calculations in the following courses:

1) General Math – review basic math concepts needed for calculating pesticides.
2) Using Sprayers – develop math skills for calibrating yourself to application equipment.
3) Application Rates – identify the math formulas necessary to calculate pesticide application rates.

Simply, create your account at the National eXtension website by using this address https://campus.extension.org/course/view.php?id=1588 (also linked below). Each user must have their own identification name and password. Once you confirm your free account, you will have unlimited access to these online educational materials. If you have any questions, please contact Kimberly Tate at ktate@uidaho.edu.

Corn Earworm Counts - 8/16/20

Corn    Treasure Valley

corn earworm

Posted on: August 16, 2020 by Jerry Neufeld

Click on the pdf below for the corn earworm moth counts from this morning, August 16. There are still moths around this week, but there is less fresh silk for them to lay eggs in. The traps have been removed from the fields, there will be no more moth counts this growing season.

University of Idaho Small Grains Extension Variety Trial Results Are Available

All Crops    All Locations

Posted on: August 13, 2020 by Juliet Marshall

https://cropalerts.org/news/
It's harvest time for small grains!
The Preliminary Extension Variety Trial Results will be posted to https://cropalerts.org/news/ as they become available. If you wish to receive announcements via email, please email me at jmarshall@uidaho.edu

Currently, Kimberly Winter Wheat, Rupert Spring wheat and Rupert spring barley results are posted.

Also, if you haven't gotten a chance to view the Southeastern Idaho Cereal Variety VIRTUAL Field Day, the presentations are also available at both Crop Alerts and my cereals homepage.

August 13, 2020 Psyllid Monitoring Update

Potato    All Locations

Potato Psyllid

Posted on: August 13, 2020 by Lucy Standley

This week we had traps deployed in 64 of the 65 fields (98%) monitored this year; one field has been vine killed and will no longer be monitored. We found a total of 181 psyllids across 25 (39%) of the 64 fields. Of the 181 psyllids captured, 115 psyllids (63%) were found across 3 fields at University of Idaho Kimberly Research Center (KREC). Because this is an unusually high number of psyllids, we will only be testing a subset for Lso at this time.

Psyllids were collected on sticky traps in potato in the following counties: Payette (1 field), Canyon (8 fields), Owyhee (1 field), Gem (1 field), Elmore (2 fields), Gooding (1 field), Jerome (1 field), Twin Falls (8 fields), and Power (2 fields).

From last week’s samples, no psyllids tested positive for Lso (liberibacter), the bacterium associated with zebra chip disease (ZC).

“Heat maps” of this week’s results are included on the UI and WSU websites (see links below). “Heat maps” describe predicted psyllid densities across the landscape, based on our trap counts and on predictive models developed over six years of psyllid monitoring in Idaho. The heat maps graphically reflect the relatively high abundance of psyllids collected in some fields in Twin Falls County.

Total psyllid captures were higher this week; however, captures for most fields were lower, and this increase can be attributed to surprisingly high captures at KREC. Captures were relatively high in a few other Magic Valley fields, though not to the extent observed at KREC. The reason for this is not clear. We continue to urge growers to have their IPM programs in place.

More information can be found here: http://www.uidaho.edu/cals/potatoes/news
--Click on the links under “Updated weekly reports” for details on trap captures.
--Click on the “Psyllid Management” link on the left panel for information on psyllid and zebra chip biology and management.

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