Category Archives: Small Grains

Cereal leaf beetle in Virginia: update for March 9, 2023

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Cereal leaf beetle, a pest of small grains, overwinters as an adult.

Adult cereal leaf beetle
Cereal leaf beetle adult

When temperatures warm, adults migrate to small grains to lay eggs; eggs are yellow-orange in color, usually in the midvein of the leaf, and may be single or several eggs end-to-end.

Cereal leaf beetle eggs

I saw a few eggs at our research center field today (March 9), they were a bit darker (and stickier) than their normal color. A female may lay 50 eggs. Larvae have orange-yellow bodies with dark heads and legs, but often appear as shiny black due to the covering of mucus and fecal matter they have on their body (they look like small slugs).

Cereal leaf beetle larvae and characteristic skeletonized leaf feeding injury

Larval feeding strips leaves of phytosynthetic tissue and can cause reductions in grain quality and yield. A temperature-based model developed using Virginia and North Carolina data shows that peak egg lay occurs at approximately 182 degree-days (using January 1 as a biofix; a lower development threshold of 8℃, and an upper development threshold of 25℃). With our warm February 2023 temperatures, we hit an earlier-than-normal peak egg threshold in Suffolk, VA on March 3 (I used the Tidewater AREC WeatherSTEM as my temperature source). The larval peak follows the egg peak by an average of 17.5 days, which would be the third week of March for Suffolk. It is important to note that the model states that extremely hot or cold years may affect its accuracy. Dominic Reisig (Professor and Extension Specialist, North Carolina State University) posted that the Salisbury, NC egg peak was predicted to occur on March 5-11, but a cooler forecast may push back the larval peak to the last week of March. As of March 8, Warsaw, VA is at 123 degree-days for cereal leaf beetle and the Eastern Shore has accumulated 119 degree-days.

To scout for cereal leaf beetle, inspect 10 tillers (stems) in at least 10 different sites. If you are seeing mostly eggs, you should scout again in 5-7 days when some have hatched into small larvae. The eggs may be parasitized. Both Virginia and North Carolina recommend an economic threshold of 25 eggs + small larvae (total) per 100 tillers. At least half of that 25 should be larvae. An insecticide spray, if needed, should target the newly-hatched larvae. Please refer to pages 4-44 and 4-45 of the Virginia Cooperative Extension 2023 Field Crops Pest Management Guide for additional information and spray recommendations. Another useful resource is a Journal of Integrated Pest Management article by Philips et al. (2011), Fifty Years of Cereal Leaf Beetle in the U.S.: An Update on Its Biology, Management, and Current Research.

Virginia Ag Expo Canceled to COVID-19 Concerns

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The 2020 VA Ag Expo has been cancelled. The Ag Expo committee with guidance from the Virginia Soybean Association and Virginia Grain Growers Association have made this difficult decision to ensure the health and safety of exhibitors and guests as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We will be reaching out to each exhibitor and sponsor to discuss our next steps. We appreciate your support and look forward to 2021!

Virginia Wheat & Barley Yield Contest

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The Virginia Grain Producers Association has announced the rules and entry forms for the small grains yield contests.  This is a great way to promote good small grain management and for top producers to be recognized. 

Click Here for Virginia Barley Yield Contest Rules

Click Here for Virginia Hard Wheat Yield Contest Rules 

Click Here for Virginia Wheat Yield Contest Rules

Herbicide Resistant Weeds Workshops

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CANCELLED! Due to Virginia Tech’s response to COVID-19 and out of concern for everyone, we are cancelling all of these workshops. We will reschedule after field season in Nov. or Dec.

Topics:

Common ragweed infesting a soybean field.
  • Herbicide Resistance- What is it and how did we get here?
  • Creating Effective Herbicide Plans
  • Integrated Weed Management of Palmer amaranth, common ragweed, and horseweed/marestail
  • Local Perspective on Weed Management
  • Putting It All Together: Creating a Weed Management Plan

CCA credits will be offered

Free lunch to start or end the program!

If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact the Extension office listed above or TDD* during business hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to discuss accommodations 5 days prior to the event. *TDD number is (800) 828-1120.

Virginia Cooperative Extension programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. An equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

Northern Neck Crops Conference – Warsaw, VA

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The 2020 Northern Neck Crops Conference will be held Thursday, Jan. 16 at the Cobham Park Baptist Church, 13829 History Land Hwy Route 3, Warsaw, VA 22572. This year’s conference will include pesticide certification training, updates from FSA, NRCS, and SWCD, and several Specialists and Agents from Virginia Cooperative Extension that will cover a wide variety of topics. We look forward to seeing your there for a great day of learning and interaction with the experts. Lunch will be provided. Agenda detail are below.

Full Attendance to the conference has been approved for Private Pesticide Applicator Recertification in Category 90 & 91, and Commercial Categories 1A, 10, and 60.  The conference has also been approved for 1.0 Virginia Nutrient Management CEU and 4.0 CCA-CEU credits.

9:00 – 9:05           Welcome – Trent Jones, VCE – Northumberland & Lancaster

9:05 – 9:50           Using Cover Crops for Weed Control – Michael Flessner, VCE – Weed Science Specialist

9:50 – 10:35        Market Update Robert Harper, Virginia Farm Bureau -Grain Division Manager

10:35 – 10:40      Irrigation Resources – Julie Shortridge, VCE – Biological Systems Engineering Specialist

10:40 – 10:55      BREAK – Please visit with our sponsors!

10:55 -11:40       IPM Updates – Sally Taylor, VCE – Entomology Specialist

11:40 – 12:35      Weathering the Storm: How to Cultivate a Productive Mindset – Jeremy Daubert, VCE – Rockbridge County

12:35 – 1:15         LUNCH

1:15 – 1:20           Program Updates – Scott Hammond, NRCS – Soil Conservationist

1:20 – 1:25           Program Updates – Brandon Dillistin, NNSWCD – District Technical Manager

1:25 – 2:15           Corn and Small Grain Production Update – Wade Thomason, VCE – Grains Specialist

2:15 – 2:30           Break & Evaluations

2:30 – 3:00           Legal Updates – Robert Christian, Pesticide Investigator – VDACS

3:00 – 3:30           Safety Updates – Trent Jones & Stephanie Romelczyk, VCE – Northern Neck

3:30 – 3:40           Wrap Up & Paperwork

Harvest Wheat, Plant Double-Crop Soybean As Soon As Possible

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The recent hot and dry weather is really drying the wheat down quickly.  We harvested our first wheat today (the moisture was ranging from 16 to 20%) and planted soybean immediately afterwards.  Just 2 days ago, the wheat grain moisture was in the mid-20’s!

That experiment is part of our ongoing efforts to harvest higher quality wheat and increase our double-crop soybean yields.  Now, I’m not advising you to harvest your wheat at 20% unless you have a buyer that will take it, preferably without a discount, or you have a way to dry down quickly.  High moisture wheat will heat up quickly and you will need to do something with it right away.

With that said, we have seen great benefits from harvesting higher moisture wheat and getting the soybean planted immediately.  Our Mid-Atlantic regional project conducted from 2015 thru 2017 found greater wheat yields and test weight, and greater soybean yields.  Our data is shown below.  Note that I’m only showing Virginia wheat data as the date where yield began declining differed among the states (this data was earlier as we moved south), but the general shape of the graph was similar.  Different colored symbols represent different years.

 

 

 

 

Note that our soybean yield usually start declining rapidly in mid-June.

In summary, there is benefit from harvesting wheat and planting soybean as soon as possible.  However, read the previous blog, To Plant or Not to Plant into Dry Soil, before making too many decisions.  Not only is our topsoil dry, but the wheat may have removed moisture much deeper – giving us little total soil moisture.

Wheat Disease Update – May 9, 2019

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Fusarium head blight (FHB) risk is continuing to increase in parts of Virginia. Upcoming rain events will increase risk over the next three days (see figure below). Much of the wheat in the southern part of the state is past the vulnerable flowering stage, but wheat that is at or about to enter flowering may be at risk. Consider applying a fungicide if risk is moderate to high, especially on susceptible or moderately susceptible varieties. Fungicides should be applied at early flowering or up to one week later. Do not apply a strobilurin-containing fungicide since this can increase DON contamination. Recommended fungicides include Prosaro, Caramba, Proline, and Miravis Ace. Increased incidence and severity of leaf blotch and powdery mildew have been observed in some fields, and these fungicides will also provide control of foliar diseases.

Wheat Disease Update – May 1, 2019

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There is increased risk of Fusarium head blight (FHB) in some parts of Virginia, especially near the Northern Neck and Eastern Shore of Virginia. Wheat in much of the state is flowering, and if a field is in a high risk area a fungicide application is recommended. Recommended fungicides for control of FHB and DON contamination include Caramba, Prosaro, Proline, and Miravis Ace. Do not apply a strobilurin-containing fungicide after the flag leaf stage since this has the potential to increase DON concentrations in the grain. To maximize their effectiveness, fungicides for FHB and DON control should be applied at early flowering or up to one week later. Fungicides that control FHB and DON will also control foliar diseases including powdery mildew, leaf rust, stripe rust, and leaf blotch.

Wheat varieties vary in susceptibility to FHB and DON, and this should be considered when making decisions of whether or not to apply a fungicide at flowering for FHB control. The FHB Risk Tool (http://www.wheatscab.psu.edu/) allows you to select the susceptibility of your wheat variety to determine risk. You can find information on FHB susceptibility of your wheat variety from your seed dealer or in the Virginia Cooperative Extension Small Grains publication. The FHB Risk algorithm adjusts the relative risk based on the variety susceptibility as illustrated below. For assistance with small grains disease identification or for additional management recommendations contact Dr. Hillary Mehl, Extension Plant Pathologist (hlmehl@vt.edu).

FHB risk for susceptible (S) wheat, May 1, 2019.

FHB risk for moderately resistant (MR) wheat, May 1, 2019.

Wheat Disease Update – April 25, 2019

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Most of the wheat crop in Virginia is currently between flag leaf emergence and heading with some wheat close to the flowering stage. Foliar diseases including powdery mildew and leaf blotch have been observed in some fields, but overall levels of disease have been low so far. As wheat reaches the flowering stage, it is susceptible to infection with Fusarium head blight (FHB), and this is the critical stage for making fungicide applications. Currently, the risk for FHB infection is low throughout Virginia. In addition, the 3-day forecast indicates risk will remain low. FHB risk can be monitored using the Fusarium Risk Assessment Tool (http://www.wheatscab.psu.edu/).
Recommended fungicides for control of FHB and DON contamination include Caramba, Prosaro, Proline, and Miravis Ace. Do not apply a strobilurin-containing fungicide after the flag leaf stage since this has the potential to increase DON concentrations in the grain. To maximize their effectiveness, fungicides for FHB and DON control should be applied at early flowering or up to one week later. Fungicides that control FHB and DON will also control foliar diseases including powdery mildew, leaf rust, stripe rust, and leaf blotch. For specific wheat disease management recommendations or assistance with disease identification, contact Dr. Hillary L. Mehl (hlmehl@vt.edu). The 2019 Fungicide Efficacy Table for Wheat can be downloaded below.

NCERA 184 Wheat fungicide table 2019_Final