What's new in Michigan Organic Ag?
May 10- 23
PRODUCTION NEWS AND INFORMATION (In Parts 1, 2, and 3)
1. New Ag Network electronic Newsletter
2. Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable IPM Newsletter
3. Field Crop CAT Alert Newsletter
4. The New MSU Vegetable CAT Alert
5. The New MSU Fruit CAT Alert
6. Identify and Diagnose Soybean Emergence Problems Early
7. Codling Moth in Apple-Time to start monitoring and treatments
8. Ag Management
9. 'Ridge' apple farms may become wind farms
10. Growing Pains
11. A Growing Concern
NOTICE OF POSITION OPENINGS (In Part 3)
12. Gardening and Gleaning Supervisor needed at The Garden Project of
The Greater Lansing Food Bank
13. Youth Farm Stand Summer Youth Coordinator needed at Blandford Nature
Center
14. Assistant Needed on "Our Family Farm LLC in Manchester, MI
EVENTS (In Part 3)
15. Vegetable Cover Crop Meeting
16. Promotion Opportunity for Michigan grower/specialty food processor
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PRODUCTION NEWS AND INFORMATION
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1. New Ag Network electronic Newsletter
Vol. 5, No. 2 - May 14, 2008
http://www.new-ag.msu.edu/
In this issue:
2008 Organic research projects from MSU's Kellogg Biological Station
MSU and C.S. Mott Group host first Michigan Organic Reporting Session
Advice for certifying research sites and facilities
Workshop: Cover crops for vegetable systems
Reports from organic growers
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2. Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable IPM Newsletter
Vol. 5, No. 3 - May 23, 2008
htm format: www.vegedge.umn.edu/MNFruit&VegNews/vol5/vol5n3.htm
pdf format: www.mda.state.mn.us/plants/pestmanagement/ipm/ipmnews.htm
In this issue:
Feature Article: European Corn Borer Flight Slow to Develop
Vegetable News
Bean Leaf Beetle Overwintering Survival
Strawberry News
Strawberries and Tarnished Plant Bug
MDA's Weekly Strawberry Pest Sampling Data
Grape News
New Online Grape IPM Guide Available!
Apple News
Apple: Weekly Trap Counts
Apple Scab Infections
Degree Day Comparison for 2008 & 2007
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MSU CAT Alerts-weekly IPM crop newsletters
CAT (Crop Advisory Team) Alerts are a product of MSU Extension
educators meeting with the researchers on a weekly or bi-weekly basis
to discuss the growth and development of the crop type they
specialize. From the weekly conference call and discussion an on-line
newsletter is created offering information about the current issues.
Here I am presenting the CAT Alerts for Field Crops, Vegetables and
Fruit. Please take a look and see how this can help you understand the
pests and possible ideas for management. Pesticides are offered that
are NOT allowed on organic systems but the biology of the pest and
identification methods are very useful for all farmers. I hope you
think so too.
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3. Field Crop CAT Alert Newsletter
The New MSU Field Crop CAT (Crop Advisory Team) Alert is out and here
is the list of what is on offer:
Vol. 23, No. 7, May 22, 2008
http://www.ipm.msu.edu/cat08field/fc05-22-08.htm
In this issue:
Status of early-season pest insects
Annual weed control in alfalfa: In-season management
Alfalfa harvest: Getting it right will return big dollars
Pricing standing forage
Net blotch on winter barley
Wheat update
Regional reports
Weather
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4. The New MSU Vegetable CAT Alert
The New MSU Vegetable CAT Alert is out and here is what is on offer
http://ipm.anr.msu.edu/cat08veg/v05-21-08.htm
Vol. 23, No. 5, May 21, 2008
In this issue:
Insect update
Impacts of a cool spring on cover crops and vegetable crops management
Vegetable weed control during cool growing conditions
Buckwheat cover cropping for vegetables
2008 MSU Weed Tour
Emergency Ag Relief Act
Regional reports
Weather
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5. The New MSU Fruit CAT Alert is out and here is what is on offer
Vol. 23, No. 7, May 20, 2008
In this issue:
Tree fruit news
Winter injury in sweet cherry
Optimizing insecticide sprays for plum curculio
TNRC trapline data: Oriental fruit moth
Small fruit news
Timing cranberry fruitworm sprays in blueberry
Topsin M Section 18 request for blueberries denied by EPA
Manipulating blueberries with Gibberellin
Small fruit meeting
Other news
Emergency Ag Relief Act
Regional reports
Weather news
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6. Identify and Diagnose Soybean Emergence Problems Early
Compiled by Staff
Early detection and diagnosis of soybean emergence problems is always
important to achieving high yields. This year, early-season scouting
is even more important because of a reduction in seed quality. Growers
who begin monitoring their fields early can head off potentially
costly problems caused by diseases or pests.
"Soybean emergence ranges from six days under ideal conditions to 14
days under more challenging soil conditions," says Mike Staton,
Michigan State University Extension agriculture and natural resources
educator and Soybean 2010 coordinator. "Those challenges can include
cold soil temperatures, excess soil moisture, inadequate soil
moisture, soil crusting, improper seeding depth or uniformity, poor
seed-to-soil contact, insect feeding and disease infestations."
Staton recommends that farmers who notice fields with slow or uneven
emergence should dig up the plants and inspect them for signs of
disease or insect damage to the root, hypocotyl or cotyledons.
"In most fields, the major insect pests affecting seedling emergence
are seedcorn maggots and wireworms," he says. "If seedcorn maggots
have reduced a stand to an unacceptable level, replanting should
correct the problem -- the decaying organic material that lured the
adults to the field in the first place won't be an issue. If wireworms
are responsible, the seed will need to be treated with Cruiser prior
to replanting."
Soil-borne diseases such as Phytophthora, Pythium, Rhizoctonia and
Fusarium can also damage germinating soybean seed.
Fusarium can survive a wide range of temperatures. It may not kill
seed outright but may contribute to stunting and root rot.
Pythium is more likely to create problems under cool, wet soil
conditions. It is prevalent in southwestern Michigan soils, and damage
is likely to occur when a heavy rain occurs within 24 hours following
planting. Its symptoms are swollen and bent hypocotyls. Replanting
when soil temperatures exceed 60 degrees should result in satisfactory
emergence.
Warmer temperatures (between 75 and 89 degrees F) and drier conditions
favor Rhizoctonia.
(68 to 77 degrees F). If seedlings emerged from the soil but died
quickly, Phytophthora is a likely suspect, and growers should replant
with resistant varieties or fungicide-treated seed.
If no insect feeding or disease symptoms/lesions are present on the
seedlings, look for a soil crust. If one exists, Staton suggests using
a rotary hoe to break it up, though with caution. It's important to
avoid using a rotary hoe when the plants are in the "crook" stage or
for three days afterward to prevent damage to emerging seedlings.
Large soybean seed is more likely to experience emergence problems in
crusted soils than small soybean seed because of its larger cotyledon.
If emergence problems occur but there are no signs of insects or
diseases and crusting is not the problem, determine if the planting
depth was correct and uniform, and check to see that soil is firmed
around the seeds. Some varieties may not emerge well when planted 2 or
more inches below the surface. If no planting problems are detected
and the seeds/seedlings look healthy, inadequate soil moisture is
likely the cause of the delayed emergence. Wait until a rain occurs
and recheck the field.
To determine whether replanting is warranted, Staton suggests farmers
compare the yield potential of the existing stand to that of the
replanted stand and take into
"Yield losses of 0.6 of a bushel per acre per day have been shown to
occur when planting is delayed after mid-May," he says. "A uniform
stand of 100,000 plants per acre will produce good yields, and because
seed supplies are short this year, a high-yielding variety may not be
available as we get further into the season."
For more information about soybean emergence problems, contact your
county
For more information about improving Michigan's soybean crop, visit
the Soybean 2010 Web page at web1.msue.msu.edu/soybean2010/. Soybean
2010 was developed to help Michigan growers increase soybean yields
and farm profitability by 2010. Funding is provided by MSU Extension;
Project GREEEN (Generating Research and Extension to meet Economic and
Environmental Needs), the plant industry initiative at MSU; and the
Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee.
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7. Codling Moth in Apple-Time to start monitoring and treatments
Requested by a listserv member
Mark Longstroth as an MSUE educator in Van Buren County and
specializes in fruit. He is a good resource when considering planting
new orchards, seeking varieties and management practices for organic
systems. Here is his reply to the recent ones sent about Codling Moth
in apple on this listserv.
If people are interested in fruit pests they might want to look at the
sections from Gus Howitt's book I have posted on my website and back
issues of the Fruit CAT Alert.
Note New Address and Phone Number!
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Mark Longstroth
SW Michigan District Fruit Educator
Van Buren County MSU Extension
219 Paw Paw Street, Suite 201
Paw Paw, MI 49079
Bus (269) 657-8213 x3
Cell (269) 330-2790
Code-A-Phone (269) 657-8217
Fax (269) 657-6678
Email - [log in to unmask]
Check Out My Webpages
http://web1.msue.msu.edu/vanburen/disthort.htm
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