Integrated Pest Management

The growth period from 2 weeks pre-bloom until 3 to 4 weeks post-bloom is the most critical for protecting foliage, and especially flowers and newly set fruit from black rot (BR), Phomopsis (Ph), powdery mildew (PM), Downy mildew (DM), and Botrytis bunch rot infections.

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 materials free online at: https://www.texasinsects.org/bt-corn-trait-table.html. Information listed Includes the name of each trait package, bag tag code, Bt toxins expressed (Cry1 types and Vip3A for caterpillars, Cry3 types for rootworms), refuge requirement (RIB=% refuge in the bag or REF=% structured refuge) and herbicide tolerance (GLY= glyphosate /Roundup-Ready, LL=glufosinate/Liberty Link, 2,4D or group 1 ‘fops’ type herbicides). Note that older trait packages, with limited or no commercial availability, are listed, so you can look back and interpret previous year’s planting records, seed guides, and research results.

Take a look at the research happening here at the Central Maryland Research and Education Center in Upper Marlboro (CMREC-UM). Even though we are one of the smallest Research and Education Centers (RECs) in the State, our scope of research is quite vast.  Here at CMREC-UM you will find research on agronomy, cover crops, forestry, horticulture, irrigation, livestock, water quality and more.

Woodlands are under increasing pressure from both native and invasive insects or diseases. Insect or disease management providers are listed here.

The Crop Protection Network (cropprotectionnetwork.com) is a national working group comprised of Extension agents and specialists from across North America that provide data through publications regarding pest management in agronomic crops. The website and publications can be a great resource for your operation. The following are the most recent fungicide efficacy tables for foliar diseases of corn and soybean.

Learn about the "blue paint law" that will make marking your woodland boundaries less time-consuming. There's news about two recent awards for the Woodland Stewardship Education program, and information about the native Southern Pine Beetle. Our regular features include the "Woodland Wildlife Spotlight," "Invasives in Your Woodland," plus the events calendar, the Brain Tickler challenge, and the News and Notes section.

A County agent sent pictures of squash that were turning yellow and wilting (fig. 1). This was found to be Fusarium crown rot caused by the fungus Fusarium solani f. sp. cucurbitae with a little Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum orbiculare mixed in with it. In the field, Fusarium crown rot is generally a problem in summer and winter squash, and some pumpkin cultivars, but most cucurbits have been found to be susceptible.

There exists a lack of control efficacy information to enable decision-making about which organic insecticide product works best for a given insect pest. Here we summarize results of 153 field trials on the control efficacy of common active ingredients in organic insecticides against groups of the most difficult to control insect pests. The performance of organic products Entrust (spinosad), Azera (pyrethrin and azadirachtin), PyGanic (pyrethrin) and Neemix (azadirachtin) varied widely among pest groups, as well as among pest species within a group, providing an overall reduction in pest infestations by 73.9%, 61.7%, 48.6% and 46.1%, respectively.

Agronomy News is a statewide newsletter for farmers, consultants, researchers, and educators interested in grain and row crop forage production systems. The topic for this edition is Cost-Share Grants Expanded, Evaluating Wheat Stands, Fusarium Head Blight Management, Early-Season Wheat Disease Scouting, April IPM Insect Scouting Tips, Cover Crop Termination for 2021, Maryland Circuit Court Judge Reverses Final Maryland AFO Permit, Maryland Ag Land Preservation, Pesticide Disposal Program, Pesticide Recertification Workbook, US Corn & Soybean Planting Acreage Report, Cooperators Needed For On-Farm Nitrogen Trials, What To Do With Thinning Alfalfa Stands, Weather Outlook, and Regional Crop Reports.

Spring is a busy time on the farm that demands a lot of different tasks; one of the tasks that can be overlooked is scouting your small grains now for the presence of diseases, especially this year considering many areas of the state are off to a wet start. For a few select diseases, scouting now could pay off later in the season.