Register for UK Small Grain Disease Workshop – February 5, 2016

Carl A. Bradley, University of Kentucky Extension Plant Pathologist

Fusarium head blight (head scab)

A small grain disease workshop will be held at the University of Kentucky Research & Education Center in Princeton, KY (1205 Hopkinsville Street) on February 5, 2016. This is an all-day event with pre-meeting coffee and snacks beginning at 8:00 AM and presentations beginning at 8:30 AM. The meeting includes a lunch sponsored by the Kentucky Small Grain Growers Association and will adjourn at 4:00 PM. In addition to speakers from the University of Kentucky, the meeting will also feature speakers from Kansas State University, Purdue University, and Ontario, Canada.

There is no charge for this meeting, but PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. The meeting is limited to the first 150 people that register.

Black Cutworm and Armyworm Caterpillars Should be Evident

Doug Johnson, Extension Entomologist, University of Kentucky

Our insect development estimator, using the insect trap captures as our Biofix and current temperatures from the Princeton weather station indicate that egg hatch has begun and small

Cutworm and Armyworm Moth Captures Drop…. But this is just the beginning.

Doug Johnson, Extension Entomologist, University of Kentucky.

Capture of Armyworm (AW) and Black cutworm (BCW) moths at the UK-REC in Princeton have dropped back to near normal levels. This is to be expected and indicates the end of the migrator flight into Kentucky from further south. For both species we now wait and monitor for the appearance of the caterpillars.

Armyworm and Black cutworm Flights Continue

Doug Johnson, Extension Entomologist, University of Kentucky

Capture of armyworm (AW) and black cutworm (BCW) moths continue at a considerable, if slightly lower capture, compared to last week. The AW trap captured 449 moths while the BCW trap

2011 Wheat Variety Trials Available

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky

The 2011 Small Grains Variety Test is now available from the University of Kentucky. The direct link to the pdf is available here. In addition, you can go to the Small Grains Variety Testing website to access Excel files of the report.

One hundred wheat varieties were harvested in replicated plots at each of six locations across the state and the entire study average yield was 92.5 bushels per acre. Tests like these are extremely valuable in helping to identify varieties that perform well across several environments.

Armyworm Flight 2009: No consistent story; but there will be caterpillars!

Doug Johnson, Extension Entomologist
Dept. of Entomology, University of Kentucky

Early captures of armyworm moths appeared to indicate a larger than normal population for 2009. However, after several weeks of monitoring it appears that the capture counts do not indicate an obvious major outbreak situation. This is particularly true of the Princeton, KY trap. We do not yet have enough historic data to know how to interpret the Lexington trap data. However, this does NOT mean that there will not be any problems. [Please see: How to Use Insect Graphs from the UK-IPM Trap Lines at:

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/kpn/kpn_09/pn_090324.html

to review how to use the trap data.]

There will be armyworm caterpillars in susceptible host (corn, small grains, grass forages), as there are every year. In fact if we apply the day degree model to the very first moth captures there are likely caterpillars already appearing in both western and central Kentucky. These will be among the earliest of caterpillars. Remember if you are in a location warmer than where our traps are located then caterpillars will appear earlier. If you are in a cooler location they will appear later. I have received one report of armyworm caterpillars on the heads of wheat (though I have not seen this myself) from a southern Pennyrile area county.

While moth captures in our traps do not indicate a major outbreak year, we certainly have experienced weather that selects for the survival of the caterpillars. Typically armyworm populations do better in cool wet weather. At least in western Kentucky we have certainly seen such weather. Historically, grass forages and corn suffer the most damage from armyworm, but small grains are certainly at risk, particularly if the caterpillars are feeding on the heads.
Scouting techniques and thresholds are available in our IPM Manuals available at:

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/IPM/manuals.htm

If needed, insecticide recommendations are available in our Insect Management Recommendations for field crops available at:

http://pest.ca.uky.edu/EXT/Recs/welcomerecs.html

These publications may also be available at your local County Extension office.

Even though our trap counts do not suggest a big problem, the weather patterns certainly imply that scouting susceptible hosts is still important. I request that anyone that finds an armyworm infestation that requires treatment or should have been treated, please let me know at: doug.johnson@uky.edu.