"Pest Management News" is a newsletter which provides timely, accurate and pertinent information in the areas of crop production within the southern rolling plains. Newsletters are written weekly during the growing season and a total of fourteen were issued in 2000. This newsletter will keep you abreast of current insect pest populations, natural enemies, biological and cultural control tactics and chemical control options. It will also provide the user with economic thresholds and other management tools to assist the farm operator in making management decisions. Currently, there is a $10 subscription fee to cover the cost of postage. If you are interested in receiving this newsletter during 2000, please send $10 to "Pest Management News," P.O. Box 658, Ballinger, Tx 76821, payable to "Pest Management News" by April 16, 2000.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: The conference is set for March 27, 2001 at the San Angelo Convention Center. The Tom Green and Runnels County Field Crops committees have put together a very informative educational program and I want to encourage everyone to participate in the conference. More details later.

On Monday, February 5, there will be a Last Chance CEU Roundup at St. Mary's Old Church Hall. Five CEUs will be offered-two hours Laws and Regs, two hours IPM and one hour General. For more information or to

preregister by Friday, February 2, 2001, please call Marty Gibbs 365-2219, Rick Minzenmayer 365-5212 or Michael Palmer 732-4304. Cost of the course is $25.00 which includes a noon meal.

AGENDA

8:30 a.m. Registration

9:00 a.m. Brush Management Strategies-Chemical Brush Control Options Marty Gibbs-CEA-AG

10:00a.m. Pest Management Strategies in Agriculture
Rick Minzenmayer EA-IPM

11:00 a.m. Record Keeping
Mark Bills-TDA

12:00 p.m. Lunch
TDA Poster Series-Laws & Regs

1:00 p.m. Pest Management Strategies in Landscapes
Dr. Chris Sansone-Ext. Entom.

2:00 p.m. Adjourn

Wheat is all planted and up to a stand. Much of the wheat planted in December was very slow to germinate and come up to a stand. I think the cold temperatures and the fact that a lot of the planted seed was of poor quality had a lot to do with the slow germination and poor plant stands. Moisture conditions are adequate right now for the wheat but rainfall will be needed in the near future. I have had a number of calls on "What is an adequate plant stand?". That's a difficult question to answer.

Wheat that is planted in mid-December will not develop as many tillers as a wheat plant that was planted in September or October. That's why seeding rates have to be increased as the season progresses. You need at least eight plants per square foot and ten plants per square foot is optimum for average yields. Under ideal growing conditions, each plant could have three to four tillers. December planted wheat will usually not have but a couple of tillers, therefore seeding rates must be higher. Germination is also less the later you plant is the season. I will discuss estimating wheat yield later in the season but wheat yield in a function of three components: heads per square foot, seeds per head and seed size.

Greenbugs are being found in many wheat fields now and producers are encouraged to get out and check your wheat fields. Greenbugs are aphids which suck plant juice and inject toxins into the plants. They are pale green in color and have a distinct dark green stripe on their back. Greenbugs can develop rapidly under favorable weather conditions and can cause economic losses. Greenbugs reproduce rapidly at temperatures between 55° and 95° F. Natural enemy reproduction is much slower at temperatures below 65°F. That's why greenbugs can increase to large numbers during cool weather and natural enemy numbers multiply much slower. To kill 99% of the greenbug population, the average temperature must be below 20°F for at least a week and that's with no protection from snow cover. Infested fields usually have yellowed spots with small deadened areas.

The need to apply insecticide depends on the number of greenbugs present, the size and vigor of plants, the temperature, time of year, moisture condition, stage of plant growth and effectiveness of parasites and predators. Irrigated wheat can withstand larger greenbug populations than dryland wheat. Seedling wheat is very vulnerable to greenbug damage. The appearance of dead plants caused by greenbug feeding in spots within the field also may indicate a need for treatment. Populations of 25-50 greenbugs per foot of drill row in young small grain plants may warrant treatment.

Control Techniques. Low temperatures will slow the activity and effectiveness of most insecticides. It may take twice as long for an insecticide to kill at 45°F as it would at 70°F. For best results, apply insecticides when temperatures are above 50°F. If temperatures are below 50°F, apply the highest rate recommended.

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*Greenbug control with chemicals is more effective when temperature is above 50F. Use the highest recommended rate on the label when temperature is below 50F.
Chlorpyrifos. Labeled for use on wheat only. Do not make more than two applications per crop.
Dimethoate. Labeled for use on wheat only.
Disulfoton. Labeled as foliar spray only on barley and wheat. Do not graze treated fields. Do not repeat application within 30 days. Do not harvest grain within 30 days of application.
Ethyl parathion. Not labeled for use of oats and rye. No ground application. Application only by a certified commercial aerial applicator with closed mixing-loading system.
Malathion. Not as effective as disulfoton or methyl parathion, but may be used where a less toxic material is preferred for ground applications.

IT IS NOT THE CRITIC who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again because there is no effort without error and shortcomings, who knows the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the high achievement of triumph and who at worse, if he fails while daring greatly, knows his place shall never be with those timid and cold souls who know neither victory nor defeat.

Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)
26th U.S. President

Educational programs conducted by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, handicap or national origin. The information given herein is for educational purposes only. References to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Cooperative Extension Service is implied.