by Robert Bowling Bermudagrass Stem Maggot – The Bermudagrass stem maggot (BSM), Atherigona reversur, is native to several Asian countries. In 2010 it was reported damaging bermudagrass from three counties in Georgia. This invasive fly quickly spread across the southern U.S. and, in 2013, was first reported infesting bermudagrass in Texas. The adult BSM is a small yellowish fly with dark eyes. It lays eggs on the bermudagrass stem near a node. The immature (maggot or larva) stage is yellowish and grows to about 1/8th inch long. Larvae… Read More →

Gaylon Morgan, Professor and Extension Cotton Specialist Much of the South Texas, and possibly some of West Texas’ cotton acres, will be down due to the excessively wet weather both prior to planting and following planting. Planting the seed and stand establishment were initially the concerns in South and East Texas. Now the concern is how long can cotton handle saturated soils and cloudy conditions. Below is some information and considerations when trying to make management decisions on cotton during this wet spring and summer. In waterlogged soils,… Read More →

Ronnie Schnell, Ph.D. Cropping Systems Specialist Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, College Station Recent rain events have resulted in flooding or significant ponding of water in many corn and sorghum fields across Texas. While low-lying areas may be flooded, other areas of fields may be saturated for extended periods of time. How long can corn or sorghum survive under saturated or flooded conditions? What impact will these conditions have on grain yield, if any? Oxygen is required by plants for respiration, including above ground (shoots) and below ground (roots)… Read More →

by Dr. Calvin Trostle, Extension Agronomy, Lubbock Texas producers for both grain sorghum and sunflower can access current AgriLife summary information on grain sorghum and sunflower herbicides. Both guides were prepared by Dr. Calvin Trostle, Extension agronomist/state sunflower specialist, Lubbock; and Dr. Joshua McGinty, Extension agronomist/weed control, Corpus Christi. These guides do not provide specific advice about which herbicide to use or what might be best; rather these documents are oriented toward improving producer awareness of known labeled active ingredients (primarily by brand name or original herbicides). In… Read More →

by Clark Neely, Assistant Professor and Extension Agronomist The weather for the 2014-2015 Texas wheat crop had many growers optimistic going into the harvest season with above average yields in many fields across the state. Unfortunately, excessive rains have already prevented some fields from being harvested in South Texas and lodging is quite common across the Blacklands. With continued chances of rain in the forecast, pre-harvest sprouting is another concern that many growers will have to deal with this year. Pre-harvest sprouting in wheat is not a new… Read More →

by Calvin Trostle, Ph.D., Professor & Extension Agronomist. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Lubbock, TX; (806) 746-6101, ctrostle@ag.tamu.edu Whether on your home computer, your tablet, or with your smart phone in the field, there is a convenient way to access chemical labels for everything from a quick check to assistance in planning your herbicide program. Chemical Data Management Systems, http://www.cdms.net, offers quick access to labels and Material Safety Data Sheets for herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, seed treatments, and many other labeled agricultural products. I rely on this website a… Read More →

by Jason Woodward, Associate Professor and Extension Plant Pathologist, Lubbock, TX; jewoodward@ag.tamu.edu Stand establishment is a critical stage in maximizing yield and obtaining uniformity in maturity. Assessing stand establishment allows you to determine if your crop is growing adequately and may dictate subsequent management options. Historically, cotton producers would frequently utilize high plant populations and thin to a desired density after plants have emerged. Increased seed cost and the adoption of precision planters has resulted in producers utilizing lower plant populations. Cotton plants have the ability to compensate… Read More →

by Dr. Calvin Trostle, Extension Agronomist, Lubbock, 806-746-6101, ctrostle@ag.tamu.edu; Dr. Vanessa Corriher-Olson, Extension Forages, Overton, 903-834-6191, vacorriher@ag.tamu.edu With the widespread presence of sugarcane aphid (SCA) in Texas in 2014 and the apparent expansion occurring again in 2015 for this damaging aphid to Texas sorghums—grain, forage sorghum, sorghum/sudan, etc.—growers interested in annual forage and grazing may have another option that appears to be unaffected by SCA. Hybrid pearl millet (HPM) is a leafy forage that can have a fit in some grazing and haying operations. Field observations in several… Read More →

by Thomas Isakeit, Professor and Extension Plant Pathologist, t-isakeit@tamu.edu Sorghum downy mildew is a disease that has potential to cause yield loss to susceptible hybrids if there is a high incidence in the field. Previous research has shown yield losses if disease incidence exceeds 30%. The disease occurs most commonly in the Upper Coast counties, and has usually been associated with fields grown under monoculture with hybrids susceptible to pathotypes 3 or 6. The seedling stage, about 3 to 4 weeks after planting, is a good growth stage… Read More →