DROUGHT PERSISTS IN LOWER COASTAL

BEND

Soils are too dry for planting and there is little to no subsoil moisture over wide areas in much of south Texas. The situation is worse than at any time in the memory of longtime farmers in the region. We are unable to plant any of the dryland fields at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Corpus Christi and time is running out as far as the planting window is concerned. It will take a lot of rain to even be able to plant a crop and even more to keep it going due to the dry subsoil. More to the north and east along the Gulf Coast the situation is much better. Most of our field studies will have to be in irrigated fields or on the Upper Gulf Coast. Wheat fields in the area vary from very poor to possibly 18-20 bushels per acre where rain was received south of Highway 44 in western Nueces County and possibly higher yields in certain areas of San Patricio County. No insect activity was observed in the better wheat fields and no greenbugs were found on what little Johnsongrass was growing along the roadsides in that area of Nueces County. It is difficult to even think about publication of this newsletter with such dry conditions. However, there are areas in which we work to the north where crops are growing and some mention of that insect situation would be appropriate. RDP

April 17, 2013

INSECTS AND WEEDS IN FOCUS

Inside this issue:

Drought Persists In Lower Coastal Bend

Chinch Bug Activity in Wharton County

Texas A&M Agrilife Research Monthly Seminar Series

Grain Storage & Handlers Safety Conference

Crop Insect Overview

Interesting Insects

VOL 38 ISSUE 2 ENTO/SCS

CHINCH BUG ACTIVITY IN WHARTON COUNTY

We have a seed treatment test to evaluate insecticide products and rates on corn in Wharton County, and it turns out that there are heavy numbers of the insect in the non-insecticide treated plots averaging more than 300 per 100 plants. The infestation is severe on the untreated corn considering the economic treatment threshold of 40

chinch bugs per 100 plants on this size corn (6 – 10 inches tall). Before rain was received the chinch bugs had affected root growth, but the rain (1.5 – 2.0) inches resulted in some recovery. The chinch bug counts mentioned above were made after the rain. It was observed in the test that the seed treatments generally kept chinch bug numbers below the economic threshold level except for the lower rates. In cases where chinch bug numbers exceed 40 per 100 plants, especially in corn less than 6-inches tall a rescue treatment could be applied. However, gaining control with such treatment is difficult. To make an effective rescue treatment it will require two nozzles per row directed at the base of the corn with at least 15 gallons/acre applied through each nozzle for a total of 30 gallons spray volume/acre on a field area acreage basis; that is, not based on a band calculation. Products containing chlorpyrifos (Nufos, Lorsban) at labeled rates and used as directed should provide a fairly good level of control. If one is not willing to apply as directed it would be best not to spend the time and effort. The only

Page 2

time less spray volume will do the job is just after a rain when the soil is well sealed and all the chinch bugs are up higher on the plant. RDP

TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH

MONTHLY SEMINAR SERIES

Problems, Challenges and Potential Solutions for Completing Boll Weevil Eradication in the Lower Rio Grande Valley will be the topic of the next seminar at the TAMU AgriLife Research and Extension Center. It will be delivered by Dr. Charles Suh, USDA-ARS, College Station, Texas, on May 6 at 1 p.m. Dr. Suh serves with me on the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation Technical Advisory Committee and the National Cotton Council International Technical Advisory Committee. The international committee involves Mexico due to the two adjacent eradication programs along the lower Rio Grande River. Dr. Suh was hired in 1999 to conduct boll weevil research as a way to assist the eradication effort, but soon began to work on other problems as eradication moved more to the south. Due to delay in eradication progress he redirected work back to the boll weevil in 2009 with focus on improving detection of boll weevil with traps and using remote sensing technologies to detect volunteer/regrowth cotton. Dr. Suh spends a lot of time on the boll weevil and tries to critically think about solutions to overcome the problems associated with weevil eradication in the southern tip of Texas. See the attached flyer for more details and information on how to view the seminar via Lync. RDP

GRAIN STORAGE & HANDLERS SAFETY CONFERENCE

Attached is a flyer listing topics and other information to be covered at the grain handlers conference. It is designed primarily to improve safety at grain handling facilities. For more information contact Bobby McCool, County Extension Agent, San Patricio County, 361-364-6234. RDP

CROP INSECT OVERVIEW

Sorghum could become infested with yellow sugarcane aphid and/or greenbug. Generally, the insecticide seed treatments (Cruiser or Poncho) will keep these aphids under control for over a month following planting. I have not seen these aphids on johnsongrass yet this

season. Their presence on johnsongrass is usually a sign that they will be in sorghum. A few areas have reported corn earworm in plant whorls. The caterpillars, especially fall armyworms, could increase in areas following significant rainfall and rapid plant growth. Currently, my fall armyworm traps are catching very low numbers which has been the case for the past 4 months. Cotton should be scouted for thrips, aphids, cutworm, and spider mites. Once again the insecticide treatments applied to seed should provide effective protection for our normal number of thrips. Damage from thrips is most likely to occur from emergence through the 3 true leaf stage. In fact, in my field studies I have not been able to show a yield increase in cotton with a seed insecticide treatment by over-spraying that cotton with a foliar treatment. There may be cases, however, where extremely high migration of thrips from pastures etc. could move into cotton in such heavy numbers that a foliar treatment might be justified even where a seed treatment was used.

Corn should be examined for chinch bug, cutworm, fall armyworm, and in some locations, scarab beetles (white grubs or adult beetles) feeding on small plants. I have observed only the chinch bugs in Wharton County. Wheat, at least in the immediate area, has no insect activity that I have observed nor has any been reported. RDP

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INTERESTING INSECTS

Bed bugs are increasing rapidly in the Corpus Christi area just as they are all over the United States. I have had more than a dozen samples brought to my office over the past year which amounts to more than 10 times the amount brought here over the previous 35 years. Reason for resurgence of the bed bug in the U. S. is unknown but might be due to such things as reduction in use of longer lasting insecticides in homes, increased travel which moves the insects around more, or some long term cycle which favors the insect. Now, if I had to choose between a bed bug infestation and cockroaches, I would choose the roaches every time. For one thing the bed bug is a blood feeder and lives close to people.

Mankind has had plenty of time to study the bed bug due to this very close association over the ages. Every time I show a bed bug to someone they comment that they are larger than expected. Actually, they are nearly 3/16 inch when fully mature. They are oval in shape and extremely flat which allows them to get in tiny cracks where they hide during the day. The adults are reddish brown in color. In apartment houses they readily migrate throughout the complex.

Bed bug control is difficult and every single crack and crevice in entire rooms must be treated to include all furniture. Everything must be treated in some manner. In addition heat that raises the temperature of the crack and crevice space to 112 degrees F will increase effectiveness of control. There is much more to treatment than listed here. RDP

For more information contact:

Roy D. Parker Extension Entomologist rd-parker@tamu.edu Dan D. Fromme Extension Agronomist d-fromme@tamu.edu 10345 Hwy 44 Corpus Christi, TX 78406 (361) 265-9203 Fax (361) 265-9434

We’re on the Web!

Newsletter available at http://agrilife.org/coastalbend/program-

areas/entomology/

Pest Management information available

at http://txaac.org/

Educational programs conducted by Texas AgriLife Extension serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, handicap or national origin. The information given herein is for

educational purposes only. References to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Texas AgriLife Extension is implied.

The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Commissioners Courts of Texas

 

Texas A&M AgriLife Research 

Monthly Seminar Series 

Problems, Challenges, and Poten al Solu ons for Comple ng Boll Weevil Eradica on in the Lower Rio Grande 

Valley 

 Dr. Charles Suh 

USDA‐ARS, College Sta on 

May 6, 2013 at 1 p.m. 

10345 Hwy 44, Corpus Chris , TX 78406 

Center Auditorium 

Seminar will be broadcast via Lync, contact Pete Flores                 

for session link (p‐flores@tamu.edu) 

Contact phone: 361.265.9201 

      E‐mail: s‐klock@tamu.edu 

Location: San Patricio County Fairgrounds—Civic Center 219 W. 5th Street, Sinton, Texas Fee: $20 (Catered Lunch) payable at the door

3 CEU’s

Sponsored by: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Nueces, San Patricio and Refugio County Farm Bureau,, Woodsboro Farmers Coop, South Texas Country Elevators Assoc.

Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex. disability, religion, age, or national origin.

The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Individuals with disabilities

who require an auxiliary aid,

service, or accommodation in

order to participate in any

Extension event are encour-

aged to contact their County

Extension Office at 361-364-

6234 at least one week in

advance of the program in

order for proper arrange-

ments to be made.

Pre-Registration required by April 17, 2013 by calling (361) 364-6234

TOPICS

OSHA Compliance — Your Responsibility

Safety Hazard Review — OSHCON Assistance

Grain Dust Research & Hazards

Grain Engulfment Hazards

Heat Stress Prevention

Grain Storage Insect Management

Fall Protection

Fire Extinguisher Safety Training

219 Vineyard Sinton, TX 78387 361-364-6234

Bob McCool County Extension Agent Ag/Natural Resources

COASTAL BEND GRAIN STORAGE & HANDLERS SAFETY

CONFERENCE

Wednesday

April 24, 2013