Category Archives: Commodity

Soybean Rust found in Suffolk, VA

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On September 17, 2013 soybean (SBR) rust was observed and confirmed on soybean leaves (10/34 leaflets, 2% leaf coverage) collected from one of the Tidewater AREC sentinel plots on September 5. Suffolk is the only county in Virginia thus far with confirmed soybean rust, but we will now intensify our scouting efforts throughout the soybean-growing regions of the state.

So far in 2013, SBR has been confirmed on soybeans in 185 counties/parishes in 10 states in the U.S. (AL, GA, FL, MS, LA, SC, AR, NC, TN, and VA) including two counties in North Carolina and one county in SE Virginia.

Soybean sentinel plots and commercial fields are monitored annually for early detection of SBR and tracking of disease spread. Data are used to make recommendations for timely applications of fungicide sprays for control of SBR. Since August, soybean leaflets from sentinel plots at the Virginia Tech Tidewater AREC in Suffolk, VA have been evaluated on a weekly basis, and as in prior years, the first report of SBR in Virginia was from one of these sentinel plots. Other diseases in soybeans at this time include Cercospora blight, brown spot, frogeye leaf spot, and anthracnose.

Risk of yield loss in soybean is minimal if SBR is detected following the R6 development stage. However, growers with soybeans that have not yet reached the R6 stage should consider spraying fungicides for control of SBR (triazole or pre-mix fungicide). This is particularly relevant for late-maturing/double-cropped soybean.

Updates will be emailed weekly as we track the progress of SBR spread and disease development throughout Virginia.

NOTE: I would like to introduce myself as the new Extension Plant Pathologist (replacement for Dr. Pat Phipps) at the Virginia Tech Tidewater AREC in Suffolk, VA. My focus is plant disease management in field crops for the state of Virginia. My contact information is the following: Hillary L. Mehl, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology; Virginia Tech Tidewater AREC, 6321 Holland Road, Suffolk, VA 23437; Telephone: (757) 657-6450, ext. 423; Cell: (530) 906-0807; email: hlmehl@vt.edu

Black light tables for the week ending Sep. 19, 2013

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Corn earworm moth and brown marmorated stink bug numbers were generally low this week in local black light traps. Please click “More” to see the detailed report. Thanks to the participating Virginia Cooperative Extension Agents, Virginia Tech and Virginia State University faculty and staff, Farmers who hosted the traps, and others involved in this season’s black light trap monitoring efforts. Additional information: bltsep19-pdf

Corn earworm and BMSB black light trap captures for the week ending Sep. 12, 2013

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Please see the attached tables for this week’s corn earworm moth and brown marmorated stink bug average nightly captures in local black light traps. Thanks to the following for their reports this week: Chris Drake, John Allison, Laura Maxey, Mary Beahm, David Moore, Mark Kraemer, Scott Reiter, Kelvin Wells, Ames Herbert and his entomology crew, and Helene Doughty. Additional information: blt12sep-pdf

Black light trap catches for week ending Sep. 5, 2013

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Some of the higher corn earworm moth nightly averages were 37 (Dinwiddie-Old Hickory) and 66 per night (Charles City), but other reports were much lower (most were below 5 per night). Brown marmorated stink bug were caught in Petersburg (3.4 per night), Dinwiddie (1.1 per night in Old Hickory), and Warsaw (0.4 per night). Please click “More” for the complete tables. Thanks to the following for their reports this week: John Allison, Chris Drake, Mary Beahm, Scott Reiter, Mark Kraemer, Mike Parrish, and Ames Herbert and crew. Additional information: sep5blt-pdf

Black light trap counts for week ending August 29, 2013

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Please click “More” for the corn earworm moth and brown marmorated stink bug tables. Corn earworm moth numbers varied greatly by location, with some very high captures in Charles City. Brown marmorated stink bug numbers ranged from zero to 2.4 per night. Thanks to the following for their reports this week: David Moore, John Allison, Laura Maxey, Mary Beahm, Keith Balderson, Scott Reiter, Kelvin Wells, Mark Kraemer, Ames Herbert and crew, and Helene Doughty. Additional information: blt29aug13-pdf

Black light trap catches for week ending Aug. 22, 2013

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Please click “More” to view the average nightly black light trap captures of corn earworm moths and brown marmorated stink bugs (BMSB). This week’s corn earworm catches ranged from 0.1 to 5.1 per night; BMSB ranged from zero to 1.9 per night. Thanks to our trap operators Chris Drake, Keith Balderson, Mary Beahm, Mark Kraemer, Mike Parrish, Ames Herbert and crew, Laura Maxey, and Jim Jenrette for their reports this week. Also, thanks to all those providing a location and power source for these traps. Additional information: blt-aug22-pdf

Pyrethroid resistance monitoring update–Aug. 22, 2013

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As of August 22, 2013, we have evaluated 545 Helicoverpa zea moths (=corn earworm) (=bollworm) in our cypermethrin vial tests (cypermethrin is a standard pyrethroid). Results are provided in the attached pdf document (please click “More”). In the vial test, moths are exposed to cypermethrin for 24 hours and are then rated as dead, down, or alive. For the entire season to date, an average of 22% of H. zea moths have survived the test. Please refer to Dr. Herbert’s August 13th advisory for how to best interpret these vial test results. Additional information: cypermethrin-pdf

Kudzu bug distribution in Virginia–Aug. 22 update

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Please click “More” to view the Aug. 22, 2013 distribution map of kudzu bug in Virginia soybean and other hosts. Also in the attachment is the percent control of a long list of insecticides for kudzu bug (courtesy of Jeremy Greene at University of Georgia and Phillip Roberts at Clemson University). If you are at kudzu bug threshold (1 nymph per sweep) and decide to treat your field, you may want to consider a product (or one with similar active ingredients) from the list that has a high percent control. When choosing a product, please keep in mind any other pests that are present in your field. And, please read and follow the label. Additional information: kudzu-bug-distribution-va-2013-pdf