Category Archives: 2016
Crop Tolerances to Salinity in Irrigation Waters and Soils
by Calvin Trostle, Extension Agronomy, Lubbock, (806) 723-8432, ctrostle@ag.tamu.edu The further west across Texas the more likely crops may encounter salty conditions, whether in irrigation water or in soil. In many cases water or soil conditions as determined by an appropriate test can ascertain the potential success of both traditional, alternative, or specialty crops. The numbers often suggest, when salinity in its different forms, is sufficient to conclude a producer should not plant a certain crop. My preferred reference document for crop salt tolerances is “Irrigation Water Quality… Read More →
Stink Bug Outbreak in Texas High Plains Cotton: What Can We Do Better Next Season?
by Suhas Vyavhare and Katelyn Kowles This season we experienced unusually high numbers of conchuela stink bugs in Texas High Plains cotton (parts of eastern Lubbock and Crosby counties in particular). Stink bug numbers peaked during August-September when plants were loaded with tender bolls that stink bugs feed on with their piercing-sucking mouthparts. Farmers who spotted stink bugs early and took timely action are now reaping the benefits. However, those who missed an insecticide application in infested fields are seeing severe stink bug damage now that bolls have… Read More →
Cornmycotoxins.com, a Website With Information about Mycotoxins on Corn
by Dr. Tom Isakeit, Professor and Extension Plant Pathologist The website, cornmycotoxins.com, has recently added publications on different aspects of mycotoxin contamination of corn, including management with atoxigenic strains. This is a national website devoted to providing information about corn mycotoxins and their management, with contributions from several universities and agencies, including Texas AgriLife Extension Service. The website already has a section on corn ear rot identification (Figure 1) and mycotoxin FAQs. The section on ear rot management is divided into four regional categories. The “Southwest” category includes… Read More →
New Bacterial Pathogen in Corn in Texas: Bacterial Leaf Streak
by Dr. Ron French, Extension Plant Pathologist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Amarillo rdfrench@ag.tamu.edu Dr. Tom Isakeit, Extension Plant Pathologist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, TAMU College Station t-isakeit@tamu.edu In June and July, corn leaves with brown, tan, orange to reddish streaks or stripes were observed in a few fields in Hansford and Hutchinson counties in the Texas Panhandle. The lesions were initially present between leaf veins (Figure 1) but later extended beyond the veins, with a wavy, uneven shape rather than rectangular shape (Figure 2). The lesions… Read More →
Dry Corn Grain Harvest Potential Income Losses: I. Description
by Calvin Trostle, Extension Agronomy, Lubbock, (806) 723-8432, ctrostle@ag.tamu.edu Ron Schnell, Cropping Systems Extension Agronomy, College Station, (979) 845-2935, ronschnell@tamu.edu In May we wrote in Row Crops Newsletter about the effect of harvesting dry grain on wheat yield and income. In June, Soil & Crop Sciences Extension published similar information to highlight the reduced income potential in grain sorghum from harvesting over-dry grain. Reports and on-line calculators for both crops are located on the respective small grains and sorghum pages at http://varietytesting.tamu.edu/ Though we are late in the… Read More →
INCREASED INCIDENCE OF ALTERNARIA LEAF SPOT OF COTTON
by Jason Woodward, Associate Professor and Extension Plant Pathologist Recent weather conditions throughout much of the state have been extremely conducive for the development of Alternaria leaf spot. Numerous outbreaks of the disease have been reported from the High Plains and Rolling Plains over the past several growing seasons. In recent years, the disease has been routinely observed in cotton late in the season with several factors affecting severity. Initial symptoms of the disease consist of small circular lesions that may expand up to half an inch. Margins… Read More →
Harvest-Season Recommendations and Observations for the Upper Gulf Coast and Blacklands
by Gaylon Morgan, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service The 2016 season has been a continuous challenge for the cotton producers in the Upper Gulf Coast and Blacklands of Texas. Through the planting and establishment challenges of a very wet spring and decreased fruit retention from a very dry June, July, and early August, everyone was ready to harvest and get the cotton harvested and to the gin. Then, came the string of days and now weeks of more-or-less continuous rain the Upper Gulf Coast, and to a slightly… Read More →
Cotton on the Texas High Plains: Bollworms on the Radar
by Dr. Suhas Vyavhare, Assistant Professor and Extension Entomologist, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Lubbock, TX Insect pressure remains light in most parts with cotton ranging from 5 nodes above white flower to hard cutout. We are seeing conchuela stink bug population reaching economic threshold in few fields in Crosby County. However, the infestation is much localized and it is unlikely that we will see economic stink bug infestations in cotton in other areas of the High Plains. I often encounter a few lygus adults and… Read More →
Texas Wheat Variety “Picks” for Grain: I. High Plains
by Dr. Calvin Trostle, Extension Agronomy, Lubbock, 806-746-6101, ctrostle@ag.tamu.edu; Dr. Jourdan Bell, Extension Agronomy, Amarillo, 806.677.5600, jourdan.bell@ag.tamu.edu Texas A&M AgriLife’s High Plains group has released our grain wheat variety “Picks” for the 2016-2017 cropping season. Our ongoing Picks criteria include a minimum of three years of data in AgriLife wheat variety trials across numerous annual locations within each region of Texas. For forthcoming Pick grain wheat varieties for other Texas regions see the note below. As we have noted before a “Pick” variety means this: given the data… Read More →
2016 Uniform Wheat Variety Trial Results for Rolling Plains of Texas
by Emi Kimura, Extension Specialist, Vernon, TX and Clark Neely, Small Grains Specialist, College Station, TX Variety selection is one of the most important decision that a producer needs to make before planting because it will affect yield, test weight, grain quality, and control of weeds, diseases, and insects. Therefore, unbiased and replicated variety trial results are critical to provide wheat producers comparative information of wheat varieties best suited for their wheat production region. The Uniform Wheat Variety Trial is a collaborative effort among AgriLife Research and Extension…. Read More →