Author Archives: l-francis
Increase Wheat Grain Protein via Late Season Nitrogen Application
by Brandon J. Gerrish, Small Grains Program Specialist, College Station, 207-432-1481, branman80@tamu.edu; Clark Neely, Small Grains Extension Specialist, College Station, 979-862-1412, cbneely@tamu.edu With harvest rapidly approaching, it is time to make the final management decisions that can maximize wheat revenue. In addition to controlling insects and applying fungicides, growers may want to consider making a late season nitrogen application. Despite an abundance of wheat worldwide, there is a shortage of high protein wheat which has generated protein premiums at delivery points across Texas the last several years. On… Read More →
Importance of Preplant Incorporated and Preemergence Herbicides in Peanut Production
by Emi Kimura, James Grichar, Pete Dotray, and Josh McGinty Best Management Practices (BMPs) for peanut production include effective season-long weed management. Below are four weed management principles in peanut production. 1. Start clean 2. Use residual herbicides 3. Timely postemergence applications 4. Know your weeds Early season weed management is most important which means weed control later in the season should be easier. There are roughly five critical herbicide application timings in peanut production (Table 1). These application timings include preplant burndown (PP), preplant incorporated (PPI), preemergence… Read More →
Wheat Hay vs. Grain: A comparison of economic opportunity
by Reagan Noland, Extension Agronomist, San Angelo | 325-657-7330 | reagan.noland@ag.tamu.edu Bill Thompson, Extension Economist, San Angelo | 325-657-7306 | w-thompson@tamu.edu Clark Neely, Small Grains Extension Specialist, College Station | 979-862-1412 | cbneely@tamu.edu Early spring is an important time to assess the wheat crop and determine end goals and marketing options that will maximize revenue. Recent declines in wheat grain price may make positive returns above total cost impossible. This changes the near-term objective to maximizing revenue per acre, relative to additional agronomic inputs and harvest costs. Growers… Read More →
Adjuvants: Why are adjuvants important and what is the difference between adjuvants?
by Jourdan M. Bell, Agronomist, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension – Amarillo Peter Dotray, Weed Scientist, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Service – Lubbock James Grichar, Senior Research Scientist, Texas A&M AgriLife – Corpus Christi Adjuvants are products used to enhance herbicide activity. They act as an herbicide activator or stabilizer by modifying the physical properties of spray solutions. There are numerous adjuvants on the market including nonionic surfactants, crop oil concentrates, methylated seed oils, buffering agents, antifoam agents, drift control agents, and fertilizers; consequently, there… Read More →
Scouting for Bird Cherry Oat Aphids on Wheat
By John Few, Tyler Mays, and David Drake – Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agents – IPM Thrall, Hillsboro, and Commerce TX Rhopalosiphum padi commonly known as Bird cherry oat aphid (BCOA) is an insect pest of cereals and grasses that is readily appearing now in oat and wheat fields in Texas. This insect is usually described as being pear-shaped, yellow-green, dark green, or black in color with red coloration at the base of its abdomen near the cornicles (Image 1). While feeding from this pest usually does not… Read More →
Monitoring Wheat Fields for Seedling Rust
By David Drake, John Few, and Tyler Mays – Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agents – IPM Commerce, Thrall, and Hillsboro, TX In the past several years heavy outbreaks of rust on seedling wheat, especially stripe rust, have warranted and responded favorably to an early fungicide application. This year the disease is present in high levels in the southern part of the state and fungal spores will be carried by wind to the rest of the plains where continued wet weather could provide for ideal disease conditions. When scouting… Read More →
Developing resistance to Bt genes in cotton bollworm
by John L. Few IV, IPM Agent in Southern Blacklands and Dr. David Kerns, Extension Entomologist in College Station Cotton and corn are major cash crops in Texas with a market value of over 3 million dollars combined in 2016. With this much money at stake, producers are looking for methods to ensure their crops will be successful. Cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa zea) is a major pest in cotton and cause sever yield losses. In corn, corn earworm (same insect as cotton bollworm) can occasionally cause significant direct yield… Read More →
“Nitrogen and Texas Wheat Grain Production—Topdress N Timing is Critical”
by Dr. Calvin Trostle, Extension Agronomy, TAMU Dept. of Soil & Crop Sciences, Lubbock, 806-746-6101, ctrostle@ag.tamu.edu; Dr. Jake Mowrer, Extension Soil Fertility, TAMU Dept. of Soil & Crop Sciences, College Station, 979-845.5366, jake.mowrer@tamu.edu Twelve Common Grower Questions about N for Wheat Grain Soil & Crop Sciences extension has finalized a new publication for Texas wheat. Nitrogen topdress timing involves recognizing the key jointing growth stage in wheat, and understanding when conditions may merit earlier application of topdress N. Much of the discussion in the new document is presented… Read More →
Industrial Hemp Farming & Common Questions—First, Texas Legislative Approval is Required
by Dr. Calvin Trostle, Extension Agronomy, TAMU Dept. of Soil & Crop Sciences, Lubbock, 806-746-6101, ctrostle@ag.tamu.edu (Disclaimer: The Texas A&M University System and System agencies, including Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and its employees, do not advocate for or against the passage of legislation in Texas which would legalize industrial hemp production. Furthermore, Texas A&M AgriLife does not endorse possible future legal industrial hemp production as a viable agricultural production system in Texas relative to any other crop.) Industrial Hemp—Texas Legislative Action is Required for Future Production Despite… Read More →
Recent Cold Temperatures Could Impact Wheat in Central Texas
by Dr. Clark Neely, Small Grains Extension Specialist, College Station | 979-862-1412 | cbneely@tamu.edu Dr. Reagan Noland, Regional Extension Agronomist. San Angelo | 325-657-7330 | Reagan.Noland@ag.tamu.edu Recent cold temperatures experienced across the state are causing some alarm for wheat producers. On the morning of Tuesday March 5, low temperatures ranged from near 10oF in the northern Panhandle to mid-teens in the Rolling Plains, low 20’s for much of the Blacklands and mid to upper 20’s for areas of South and Southeast Texas (Figure 1). Most of the wheat… Read More →