Agronomy News-May 2023

Up and Down: Maryland Weather at its Finest

By Mark Townsend, Agriculture Agent Associate, UME-Frederick County

It feels that most years we find ourselves finding something abnormal about the weather. This year is no exception and in some ways is...Read more aboutUp and Down: Maryland Weather at its Finest

How’s That Burndown Looking?

By Kurt Vollmer, UME Weed Management Specialist

In last month’s issue of Agronomy News, I discussed considerations for glyphosate-based burndown programs. This month I wanted to share some of my results...Read more about How’s That Burndown Looking?

Wet Cool Spring May Increase Slug Damage

By Maria Cramer, Graduate Student, and Dr. Kelly Hamby, Entomology Specialist, Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park

Recently planted field crops may be at risk from slug damage due to the heavy rains and cooler temperatures we have experienced in...Read more about Wet Cool Spring May Increase Slug Damage

Managing Fusarium Head Blight in Small Grains: Symptoms, Favorable Environments, and Disease Management Strategies

By Seyedali Hosseinrad, Nidhi Rawat, Nicole Fiorellino, and Vijay K. Tiwari
Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park

Fusarium Head Blight of wheat and barley

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a severe fungal disease that affects small grains, wheat, and barley. It is particularly problematic in regions with wet...Read more about Managing Fusarium Head Blight in Small Grains: Symptoms, Favorable Environments, and Disease Management Strategies

MDA Pesticide Container Recycling Program Ending

By Rob Hofstetter, Program Manager, Maryland Department of Agriculture, Pesticide Regulation

After collecting more than a million pounds of plastic and conducting an empty pesticide container collection program for 30 years, the Department's 2023 Program will be cancelled.

The Agricultural Container Recycling Council (ACRC) provides a contractor to pick up and/or grind the collected plastic free of charge. For the last two years, we have been working with a new contractor assigned by the ACRC. The contractor has not been able to keep up with demand, and we have received no additional assistance from the ACRC. As such, we have several sites that are full or overflowing. Until we can clean out these sites, the program will be postponed. We thank everyone who has participated in this program and apologize for any inconvenience this will cause.

We hope to be able to continue the program in 2024. For further information, please contact the Pesticide Regulation Section at (410) 841-5710 or via email at pest.reg@maryland.gov.

Don’t Forget to Take a Manure Test

By Kelly Nichols, UME Agriculture Agent, Montgomery County, and Mark Townsend, UME Agriculture Agent Associate, Frederick County

The best time to take a manure sample is when you are loading the spreader. Just like soil sampling, the goal is to take a representative sample. Liquid pits should be agitated before sampling. If bedding is used, ensure that the sample you take includes a similar amount of bedding that is in the barn. Speaking of bedding, if gypsum is used, be careful of toxic hydrogen sulfide gas that can be released during agitation.

Each type of manure (as defined by type of livestock and/or liquid vs. solid) should have its own sample. Each sample should have 10-15 collection points, or subsamples. These can be taken from different loads as the tanks or spreaders are filled. Put all samples in a clean container that is labeled with the name of the type of manure.

A list of labs in the region who do manure testing can be found on our website. Check the lab’s website for the submission form and fill it out completely. Mail the sample early in the week so it is not sitting in a mailroom over the weekend. If the sample will not be mailed right away, they can be stored in a freezer. For nutrient management plans, manure samples are valid for two years.

Pythium Root Rot in Corn

By Alyssa Koehler, Extension Field Crop Pathologist, University of Delaware

Wet conditions around the time of planting can favor the oomycete pathogen, Pythium. Symptoms of Pythium Root Rot can include stunted, slower growing plants, to...Read more about Pythium Root Rot in Corn

USDA Still Accepting Census of Ag Responses From MD Producers

USDA Press Release

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is reminding Maryland farmers and ranchers that the window is closing on the...Read more about USDA Census

April 2023 Grain Market Update (information from USDA WASDE report)

By Dale Johnson, Farm Management Specialist, University of Maryland Extension

Corn

This month’s ‘22/23 U.S. corn outlook is for reductions to imports and food, seed, and industrial (FSI) use, with unchanged ending stocks. Corn imports...Read more about April 2023 Grain Market Update

Managing and Scouting Fields for Fusarium Head Blight

By Alyssa Koehler, Extension Field Crop Pathologist, University of Delaware

Wheat anthesis (flowering) is underway and will be continuing for the next 1-2 weeks across the region. Up until the rains this past weekend, we have been at low FHB risk. We are currently tracking as...Read more about Managing and Scouting Fields for Fusarium Head Blight

New Web-Based Soybean Herbicide Tool

By Alan Leslie, Center Director, Maryland Agriculture Experiment Station

With grant funding from the Maryland Soybean Board, we have developed a new web-based app for selecting herbicides to use in soybean production. The goal for this new tool is to provide...Read more about the Web-Based Soybean Herbicide Tool

Bt and Herbicide Tolerant Traits in Corn and Current Resistance of Target Insect Pests

By Galen Dively, Professor Emeritus, University of Maryland, College Park

Listed below are the corn trait packages to make it easier to understand seed guides, sales material and bag tags. It is an abbreviated version of the Bt trait table plus related extension...Read more about Bt and Herbicide Tolerant Traits in Corn and Current Resistance of Target Insect Pests