Moisture conditions have improved significantly across the area and producers are much more optimistic than they were three weeks ago. Wheat fields have responded well to the improved moisture conditions but don't expect a big jump in yields. Much of the wheat plants had already determined number of seed per head prior to the improved moisture conditions. Much of the older wheat lost many of its tillers due to drought conditions and this will lower yields as well. These rains will certainly help mature the wheat out and increase the quality of seed. Temperatures the first week of March were cold with night temperatures below 25 F. Some of the ungrazed early planted wheat fields were injured. The cold nighttime temperatures on March 22 may have caused some additional injury.

Brown wheat mites have been found in Northern Runnels County in several wheat fields

but producers should not get too alarmed. This species is most prevalent in dry weather and the population increases on wheat suffering from moisture deficiency. With the wet conditions and excellent growing conditions, mites should not increase significantly.

Leaf rust has not shown up yet but could with the current weather conditions. Spring infection can come any time from mid-March to early May and can come either from spores produced on overwintering tissue or blown in from another area. Leaf rust develops first on upper leaves from wind deposited spores. The optimum temperatures for sporulation and infection is approximately 70 F and infection can occur within four hours if leaves are wet. New pustules erupt within seven to ten days. Rust development is slowed drastically with cooler temperatures or a shorter leaf wetting period. At 60 F, a wetting period of 8-10 hours is necessary. Very wet conditions reduce spore dispersal. Wheat fields will continue to be monitored for leaf rust infection.

Grain sorghum planting is well underway and producers are encouraged to watch seeding rates closely. Soil temperatures for grain sorghum should be 55 F at the 2" depth at 7:00 a.m. for several mornings in a row or 60 F at the 4" depth at 1:00 p.m. for several days in a row before planting begins. If you're planting at minimum soil temperatures, expect approximately 60% of the planting seed planted to come up to a stand. If you plant to a warm seed bed expect 75-80% of the seed planted to come up to a stand. A plant stand of 30,000 to 40,000 plants per acre is ideal on dryland production. A warm seed bed will encourage rapid seedling growth.

When selecting a "Hybrid" look at previous years yield performance. They should have the "Stay Green" characteristics. Usually, the medium to medium late hybrids do best. Typically speaking: The longer the maturity, the higher the yield potential and the taller the plant, the higher the yield potential.

Fury Receives Corn and Sorghum Label

The pyrethroid insecticide Fury by FMC Corporation has been labeled for several crops including pecans, corn (sweet, field, seed, pop), sorghum and other crops. Refer to the label for insects, use rates, harvest and grazing restrictions and other specific instructions.

Ally Herbicide Use on Sorghum

The U.S. EPA granted a FIFRA Section 18 emergency specific exemption for the use of metsulfuron methyl (Ally) herbicide on

grain sorghum to control triazine resistant pigweed in Texas. The specific exemption becomes effective February 1, 2002 and expires August 1, 2002. A copy of the EPA approval notice must be in possession of the applicator at the time of application along with a cop of the federal container label. All applicable directions, restrictions, and precautions on the federal label and Section 18 label must be followed.

B.t. Corn and Monarch Butterflies

A group of federal, university and industry scientists led by the Agricultural Research Service has completed two years of research to answer the question: Does B.t. corn pose a threat to monarch butterflies? The answer, supported by science, is that there is not significant risk.

The results are discussed at length in a feature story that appeared in the February issue of Agricultural Research magazine. ARS, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's primary scientific research agency, also has a web site about the B.t. corn-monarch butterfly issue at: www.ars.usda.gov/is/br/btcorn.

B.t. corn is corn to which genes from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis have been added so the plants naturally produces proteins that protect it from certain caterpillar pests.

The research found that B.t. corn pollen levels had to be more than 1,000 grains per square centimeter to have any negative impact on monarch caterpillars, let alone mortality. Scientists have concluded that less than 1 percent of the time are monarch caterpillars in the environment exposed to levels that even come close to that magnitude.

A number of producers have indicated that they plan to plant early this year. Remember that the minimum soil temperature for planting cotton is a ten day average of 60 F at an eight inch soil depth (take temperature at 8:00 a.m.). When soil temperatures are 65 to 70 F, the cottonseed germinates and emerges quicker which helps to reduce the amount of time emerging seedlings are exposed to soil diseases. If cotton is planted at the minimum soil temperature and then watered, you will probably have a reduction in the final plant stand and health of the crop.

Trimax Labeled for Cotton

Bayer Crop Protection has a new formulation of imidacloprid (also the active ingredient in Gaucho, Prescribe, Admire, Provado and others) that will be sold for use on cotton. Trimax (4 lb. ai/gallon) will have use rates of 1.0-1.5 oz./acre for various insects and a tank mix recommendation with Bidrin for certain other insect pests. It reportedly will be economically priced.

Vydate Approved for Use in Texas for Stink Bugs on Cotton

The Texas Department of Agriculture recently approved a request by DuPont to add brown stink bug, green stink bug and southern green stink bug to their Vydate CLV (3.77 lb. ai/gal) label for use on cotton. The label rate range is 0.25-0.5 lb. ai/acre (8.5-17.0 fluid oz./acre). The company will generally recommend a field rate of 0.33 lb. ai/acre (11.2 oz./acre) based on several field studies including one by Dan Fromme at Wharton.

An Agricultural Waste Pesticide Collection Event has been scheduled for April 15, 2002 at Ballinger. The pesticides will be collected at the City of Ballinger Recycling Center (from Hwy 67, turn south on Hwy 83, go two blocks, located on east side). Collection of materials will be from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The TNRCC contact person is Ronnie R May 512-239-4749, site contact persons are Tommy new 915-365-3511 or Tom Guthrie 915-365-2219. For more information go to the TNRCC Website

The Runnels/Tom Green IPM pest management program will operate as a two-fold scouting program. One program will be the survey-type program that began in 2001. The second program will be an intensive scouting program. The survey-type program will be funded by the Southern Rolling Plains Cotton Growers Association and hopefully each and every cotton producer in the area will benefit from it. Local gins will have sign-up sheets so stop by and sign-up if you are interested in the scouting program. You can sign-up your fields at your local gin beginning
April 15-May 10.

Last year we had producers wanting more of their acres to be scouted. So this year we will also have an intensive scouting program. The acres signed up will be scouted twice a week.

Producers that sign up for the intensive scouting program will receive a detailed report for each field outlining the current pest situation and crop growth stage and their cotton will be scouted twice a week. The scouting fee for this program will be $10.00 per acre.

Sign up begins on April 15 thru May 10 at the following locations:

WESTSIDE GIN
WALL CO-OP
MERETA CO-OP
BALLINGER CO-OP

Scout applications are currently being taken and, once hired, the scouts will go to work the 1st of June. If you know of anyone that is interested in scouting, have them contact my office at 915-365-5212 or the Tom Green County Extension office at 915-659-6524 for an application.

You still have time to order your newsletter! The "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 twenty were issued in 2001. 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 2002, please send $10 to "Pest Management News," P.O. Box 658, Ballinger, Tx 76821, payable to "Pest Management News" by April 19, 2002.

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.