Hoegemeyer - the right seed

The Japanese beetles are invading corn and soybean fields in the Midwest.  Mild winters and earlier-than-normal planting conditions (first 2 weeks of April) will create a suitable environment for emerging beetles to wreak havoc on pollinating corn fields.  I have noticed increasing pressure from these beetles in the eastern part of Kansas.  Some farmers have sprayed for these insects in pollinating corn fields and in parts of Missouri high numbers of Japanese beetles have been noticed in corn and soybean fields.  Japanese beetles can injure corn fields during multiple stages in the insect’s lifecycle.   In the spring, overwintering grubs can feed on root hairs decreasing a plants ability to find nutrients and moisture and the adult beetle can defoliate the corn plant to levels warranting treatment.  Economic damage most commonly occurs to corn fields because the beetles will congregate on the ears and feed on the emerging silks which can significantly reduce pollination and yields.  Typically where you find one on an ear, you will find many because they release a pheromone which attracts other beetles to that feeding site.  It is important when scouting to look beyond field edges which typically will have higher numbers of feeding Japanese beetles, and look throughout the field as feeding could be much less.  Economic thresholds can be met when silks are clipped to less than ½” before 50% of the field is pollinated, and/or 3 or more Japanese beetles per ear.  Defoliation estimates need to be made when determining economic thresholds for soybeans.  Typically Japanese beetle feeding alone does not warrant treatment but multiple pest feeding together will. Defoliation is much more of a problem when soybeans are flowering and pod fill is taking place - 20% defoliation at this time call for chemical treatment. 

• Be prepared for grasshoppers, scout grassy field margins and if 20 to 30 grasshopper nymphs are found per square yard than treatment is warranted (10 to 15 in the field)
• The recent blessing of rains efforts need to be made in scouting fields for Grey Leaf Spot (GLS) especially on low lying fields along creek and river bottoms, and where irrigation is present.  Conditions are right in river valleys, north central Kansas, and around the Dodge City area.
• If you missed an opportunity to double crop, or if you had a crop failure consider trying a cover crop mix to improve soil health, add N, reduce weed pressure, and/or to conserve moisture for next years crops.

If you have any questions, contact your local Hoegemeyer District Sales Manager or Agronomist. 
 

Everything about this year seems to be earlier than normal.  Many soybeans are being planted now and for many producers, this is the earliest that they have ever planted soybeans.  It is a good feeling once you are finished planting and decide to let Mother Nature take over but don’t forget to check those soybean fields as they begin to emerge for Bean Leaf Beetle.  Be aware of the fact that Bean Leaf Beetle can attack those first emerging young seedlings early in the year and may cause a lot of damage in a short period of time.  The Bean Leaf Beetle body may be either a red, yellow, green or a light color cast with some darker black spots or few to no spots on their body.  A good identifier for them, spots or no spots, is that they have a real defined dark triangle shape where their wings join their body.  See pictures below for a refresher on what Bean Leaf Beetles look like.  Contact your local Hoegemeyer Agronomist or District Sales Manager if you have questions. 

[picture credit: Iowa State University and University of Nebr.]  

In corn, every one thousand in plant population lost in a field may mean 6, 7, 8 bushels or more in yield loss in the fall.  Bean population loss adds up too.  Seed treatments, traits and chemicals can help preserve the planted population but it is still very important to check those fields as the crop emerges and beyond.  Here are a few potential insects to look for early this spring. 

1. Wireworm: Major crop losses are to corn and small grains. The larvae live and develop in the soil. They injure plants by eating the newly planted stems, and by boring into stems and roots.

2. White Grub:  In the spring, the grubs move toward the soil surface to feed on plant roots, including roots of both corn and soybeans. They continue to feed throughout the summer.

3. Cutworm:  There are several species of cutworm and all of them can do damage, or worse, to the crop.  Early instars of cutworm feed on leaf tissue and resulting damage may be hard to spot.  Cutworms can move under the soil surface along the seed furrow to feed.  These plants may be completely removed or may begin to wilt and die with little sign of injury above ground. It is important to know that cutworm larvae are primarily nocturnal and will hide under debris or in the soil during the day to escape sunlight, so finding larvae in the daytime is rare or hard to do.

4. Damping Off: The single term used to describe underground, soil line, or crown rots of seedlings due to unknown causes is damping-off. The term actually covers several soil borne diseases of plants and seed borne fungi. 

5. Bean Leaf Beetle:   Early planted soybeans and especially the first fields to emerge in an area may exhibit seedling injury due to feeding by overwintering adult Bean Leaf Beetle populations. Foliar injury due to adult BLB feeding will again appear in late June and continue until fall as a succession of 1st and 2nd generation Bean Leaf Beetle adults emerge and feed on the crop

Click here to see pictures of the insects listed above.

If you have questions, contact your local Hoegemeyer District Sales Manager or Agronomist.