Information on the pesticides under European Union scrutiny

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The European Union (EU) is reviewing the current maximum residue levels (MRLs) for pesticides, some being used in peanut production. The process started in 2016 and will continue in 2017. As expected, peanut imports in EU may be affected by these changes. I am providing here information on these products (credit David Jordan and American Peanut Council), and I will continue to do so when I have new information. Although under review, please note that not all pesticides may have their MRLs lowered. peanut-notes-2017-no-12-comments-on-pesticides-eu-peanut-imports peanut-notes-2017-no-11-wto-communication-on-pesticides-and-mrls

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Peanut Variety and Quality Evaluation 2016 Report

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Growers in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina are always in need for high yielding, disease resistant and early maturing peanut varieties with good grading and processing quality. The multi-state Peanut Variety and Quality Evaluation (PVQE) program evaluates advanced breeding lines from the North Carolina State University and University of Florida breeding programs that can further be released as Virginia-type cultivars suitable for the region. These lines are compared with the current commercial cultivars, ‘Bailey’, ‘Sugg’, ‘Sullivan’, ‘Wynne’, and ‘Emery’ for yield and quality throughout the production region in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. The 2016 report with the agronomic and grade PVQE data is available here :http: //pubs.ext.vt.edu/AREC/AREC-198/AREC-198.html. A summary of the 2014-2016 agronomic and grade performance is presented in the table below. In average of 3 years and five locations each year, ‘Bailey’ produced 4,477 pounds per acre and the crop value was 776 dollars per acre. Some of the new lines, however, significantly exceeded ‘Bailey’ for both pod yield and crop value; lines N11028ol and N12008CLSmT in particular. Unlike ‘Bailey’, which has normal oil chemistry, all the breeding lines tested recently in the PVQE program are high oleic. This means they have over 75% of their oil content made of oleic fatty acid; and this characteristic extends the freshness and shelf life of the peanuts from 4 to 32 weeks.

Summary of peanut 2014-2016 results

Summary of peanut 2014-2016 results

View the Program: Virginia Eastern Shore Ag Conference and Trade Show

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We look forward to seeing you January 25th and 26th at the 27th Annual Eastern Shore Ag conference & Trade Show! You can find the program online at: https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AEczhxLIHkUCwmY&cid=05F6B732110DB231&id=5F6B732110DB231%2129963&parId=5F6B732110DB231%21813&o=OneUp. Virginia pesticide re-certification and Certified Crop Adviser credits will be available. See the program for more information.

The event will be held at the Eastern Shore Community College Workforce Development Center, 29300 Lankford Highway, Melfa, VA 23410. When you enter the driveway to the Community College, we will be meeting in the building to the left.

The Annual Oyster Roast will be held on Wednesday night, January 25th beginning with a social at 6:00 pm and oysters served at 6:30 pm. Along with oysters, there will be all-you-can-eat barbecue, sides and beverages. Tickets will be $35.00 in advance and $40.00 if purchased the day of the oyster roast.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact either Theresa Pittman (tpittman@vt.edu) or Ursula Deitch (ursula@vt.edu) for accommodation. Thank you!

Virginia Cooperative Extension logo

Virginia Eastern Shore Ag Conference and Trade Show

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Join us in Melfa, VA for the 27th Annual Eastern Shore Agricultural Conference and Trade Show on January 25-26, 2017. This event is free, open to the public, and will be held at the Eastern Shore Community College Workforce Development Center. We will offer Virginia Pesticide Recertification credits for categories 1A, 10, 60, and 90. We will also offer Certified Crop Adviser Credits for nutrient management (2), soil and water (1), integrated pest management (4.5), crop management (6), and professional development (0.5). Click on the following link for topic areas being presented: ag-conf-press-release-2017

Wild Mustard and Wild Radish

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This fall I have noticed quite a few fields plagued by wild mustard/wild radish.  These species are difficult to control primarily due to size at burndown time.  Some of the fields I have passed are already knee high and I would suspect very difficult to control now, let alone next spring.  The 7 day weather outlook is showing a warming trend with temperatures peaking near 70 degrees on Saturday.  This would be a good time to get ahead of wild mustard/wild radish.  My first suggestion for cleaning up these field would be Roundup plus 2,4-D.  Although the risk of injuring neighboring plants is less this time of year, it is not absent.  If you do decide to treat with this combination, please pay attention to what susceptible plants may be around.  Below is an article that goes more in depth about management of wild mustard/wild radish I authored for the 2017 Mid-Atlantic Field Crop Weed Management Guide and Virginia Pest Management Guide.  Excerpts similar to this one covering additional weed species can be found in both of the aforementioned publications.  Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

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Dicamba Registered for Cotton and Soybean

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Last week Monsanto received EPA registration for XtendiMax with Vapor Grip Technology for use on XtendFlex cotton and Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybean.  Attached is an article authored by Dr. Alan York at NC State pertaining specifically to cotton.  I share Dr. York’s sentiments concerning this technology and will echo these same points at winter meetings.

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2016 Soybean Yield Contest

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The Virginia Soybean Association in cooperation with Virginia Cooperative Extension would like to announce the 2016 Virginia Soybean Yield Contest. The purpose of the Virginia Soybean Yield Contest is to emphasize and demonstrate the practices necessary to produce maximum economic yields, to recognize those producers who grow high-yielding soybeans, and to gather data on the practices utilized by these outstanding producers. With the help of various seed companies, we reward and promote the achievements of Virginia’s most productive soybean farmers.

There are four Soybean Yield Contest categories: 1) Full-Season, Non-irrigated; 2) Double-Crop, Non-irrigated; and 3) Irrigated (Full-Season or Double-Crop; and 4) Most Efficient Yield (MEY). First, second, and third place winners of the full-season, double-crop, and irrigated contest will be recognized with appropriate trophies or plaques. In addition, cash awards of $200, $100, and $50 will be presented to the first, second, and third place winners in each of these categories. The winner of the MEY contest will receive a plaque declaring him or her the most efficient soybean producer in Virginia for that year.

Printable entry forms and contest details can be obtained from your County Agent or on the Soybean Extension and Research website.

Timely harvest will minimize seed quality problems

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The map below shows the amount of rainfall received in Virginia over the last 14 days.  And the weather forecast is calling for more.  While this rain may still help our double-crop soybean, early-planted early-maturing varieties will run the risk of seed quality problems if they are not harvested soon after maturity.Precip Analysis 092716For details of the main diseases that cause these problems, I refer to you to a blog from last fall (Oct 16) when seed quality problems were horrendous –  Soybean Seed Quality Continues to Deteriorate. 

But to review, the seed decaying diseases are worse when wet weather is combined with relatively warm conditions, like we are having now.  Early-maturing varieties, especially those planted in April and early-May will have the worst seed quality because they are maturing during a warmer time of the year.  I’m most concerned about maturity group (MG) III and IV soybeans; MG V’s are not yet mature.  Last year, later-maturing varieties fared better than early varieties, as shown in the 2015 variety test data below.  We rate seed on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being a perfect seed and 5 being an unsaleable product.  Usually, anything averaging 2.5 or less is pretty good seed.  Double-crop soybean seed quality is always better since they are maturing during a cooler time of the year.Seed Quality 2015

What can you do to minimize these disease?  Harvest as soon as possible.  Phomopsis seed decay will only get worse the longer that you leave mature plants in the field.  And pray for cooler and dryer conditions in October and November.