Two New Sources of Information about BMSB

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug is expected to inflict serious crop damage again this year. Brown Marmorated Stink Bug has a wide host range including soybean and field corn. Two new sources providing timely information about this pest can be found on the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug page, Rutgers NJAES Snyder Research & Extension Farm Website. 

• IPM Update: BMSB Activity for the Week Ending May 23, 2011. Kris Holmstrom, Vegetable IPM Program, has reported the first capture data of the season in the Plant & Pest Advisory.
• Penn State Extension has gathered information about the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug in a special issue of the Fruit Times.

-Rabin

Sidedress Nitrogen on Corn?

Late April /early May planted corn is now reaching the growth stage V-6 ( 6 fully developed leaves-canopy about 12-18 inches high) where the crop begins to take up significant amounts of Nitrogen(N) which is critical to reaching full yield potential. With N fertilizer prices rising, it is important to use N efficiently.
Zane Helsel

Keep watch for armyworms

Our wheat fields are beginning to dry down. Watch for clipping of heads from armyworms. Also watch for armyworms moving from small grain fields into corn fields. It seems every year we have local hot spots of armyworm infestations. Unfortunately, growers are caught off guard many times and realize they have a problem when it is too late. I have not seen any problems yet, but this is prime time for a problem to occur. Often a big clue that you may have a problem is if you see birds diving into your wheat field. The birds are generally feeding on the worms when this is happening. If you find armyworms they must be less than one inch to achieve effective control.

Bill Bamka

NJAES Selected Ag Programs Calendar

Contributors: Holding a Twilight Meeting or running a Workshop? Post it yourself on the NJAES Selected Ag Programs Calendar and let other Ag Agents, Specialists, and Ag Professionals know about it. See an event you don't want to forget? Download it to your own calendar. Can't recall the date of your last group meeting? Scroll back through to find it. Keep abreast of what's happening at Rutgers Cooperative Extension.
For details email Jack Rabin.

Cereal Leaf Beetle in Wheat

I am starting to get many calls about cereal leaf beetles in wheat. This is not an easy call to make regarding control at this stage of crop development. I'll give some guidelines to help make the decision as to whether or not control is warranted for your fields.

• First, the established threshold is 0.5 to 1 larvae per stem. This number is obtained by sampling 100 stems in multiple locations in the field. Distribution of larvae is not always uniform across a field so make sure you sample at several locations within the field. 
• The second thing to consider is what stage of crop development your field is in. Generally, we are concerned with damage through the soft dough stage. Some fields I have seen are past this stage others have not yet reached it. 
• The next thing to consider is what percent of the field is showing leaf damage. Typically, we don't treat unless 10% leaf damage or greater is present. Also keep in mind that the upper most leaves are responsible for grain fill. We need to protect the flag leaf and one or two leaves below for grain fill. 
• Next , we need to look at the yield potential of the crop. This is where the price of your wheat comes into play. At this stage of the game many advise that we need to be looking at protecting fields with 60 bushel or more yield potential. Keep in mind we also need to consider how much wheat will be damaged by running across the field with a sprayer at this stage of crop development. 

As you can see this is not necessarily an easy decison to make at this point in time for some growers. This is a photo of cereal leaf beetle damage in wheat taken by Penn State Entomologist Dr. John Tooker.

Bill Bamka