7. CHECK EARLY PLANTED (late April) BEANS for SOY APHID.
By: Chris DiFonzo
I was in
fields today north of Frankenmuth that are 100% infested, averaging 70+ SBA per
plant. These were fields planted in April. V3 plant stage. No buckthorn in
the immediate area, but this part of Saginaw County is downwind from the
Shiawassee and Titibawassee Rivers and the National wildlife preserve south of
Saginaw City, all with a lot of buckthorn. So far, this seems to be a unique
location combining early planting with early aphid colonization, similar to SE
Michigan/ Monroe County in 2005, but its a good idea to concentrate on the
earliest planted fields in your area for scouting this week.
There is no
cause yet for concern unless fields are 80-100% infested, and the numbers are
high (50-100 per plant). If you are finding just a few infested plants in a
field or a hot spot here and there, that is NOT a sprayable population.
When should
small beans be sprayed? Honestly I am not sure what to do. The 250 threshold
was tested in larger beans (say, V5 or greater). I have no good data to modify
the threshold down for smaller beans. The infested fields I looked at don't
look too bad - they have adequate moisture to replace the aphid feeding, they
aren't putting on flowers or other critical structures. They at least can
tolerate 100 SBA per plant, and maybe even 250.
There are
some risks of spraying early that have been documented:
** aphid
populations can 'flare'. Predators will all be killed. The surviving aphids
will reproduce fast in the absence of predators.
Some
early-sprayed research trials end up with more aphids than unsprayed fields.
** because of
the flaring, early colonized fields that are sprayed early may end up being
sprayed 3 times instead of twice to achieve the same yield.
Chris
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Dr. Christina
DiFonzo
Field Crops
Entomology Program
Michigan
State University
East Lansing,
MI 48824
8. NEW BULLETIN HELPS
FARMERS FIGHT
HONEYBEE PROBLEMS
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- One quarter of the U.S. honeybee
population has been lost to colony collapse disorder (CCD), and interest is
growing in alternative pollinators such as native bees. A new Michigan
State University (MSU) Extension bulletin is available for farmers and other
landowners interested in exploring practices to enhance native pollinators on
their property.
“Conserving Native Bees on Farmland” (E-2985)
provides straightforward information about creating attractive environments for
native bees. The bulletin teaches the reader about various native bee species
and gives recommendations about nesting sites and food resources.
Honeybees are the most economically important pollinator and
are used widely for pollinating crops, but they are also susceptible to
diseases and parasites. Colony collapse disorder is a mysterious condition that
has appeared recently in which adult honeybees abandon their hives for what
appears to be no reason at all.
“With honeybee health problems, focusing on native bees
is a strategy to reduce the risks of sole dependence on honeybees,” said
Rufus Isaacs, associate professor of entomology. “Our goal is to
help growers make sure they can pollinate their crops and have reliable
production on their farms every year.”
Entomology graduate student Julianna Tuell did native bee
research with 13 growers in conventional blueberry farms and semi-abandoned
blueberry fields. She studied a variety of native bees, their habitat needs and
feeding preferences. The bulletin compiles her research into recommendations
for farmers, gardeners and anyone growing crops that rely on bees for
pollination.
“The native bees contribute to pollination, but they
won’t replace honeybees,” Tuell said. “The good news is that
native bees do not seem to be affected by colony collapse disorder, perhaps
because they do not live in large colonies.”
“Conserving Native Bees on Farmland” (E-2985) can be purchased
through the MSU Bulletin Office for $2 per copy by calling 517-353-6740 or
visiting http://www.emdc.msue.msu.edu/. Discounts are available
if the bulletin is purchased for use with MSU Extension programming.
Project GREEEN (Generating Research and Extension to meet
Economic and Environmental Needs) funded the entomology research and also
supported another new bulletin describing the relationships between native
plants and beneficial insects. “Attracting Beneficial Insects with
Native Flowering Plants” (E-2973) was written by Isaacs and Tuell, along
with MSU entomology researchers Douglas Landis and Anna Fiedler.
Visit www.ipm.msu.edu/plants/home.htm for more
information on MSU native plant and beneficial insect research.
Founded in 1997, Project GREEEN is a cooperative effort
between plant-based commodities and businesses together with the Michigan
Agricultural Experiment Station, MSU Extension and the Michigan Department of
Agriculture to advance Michigan’s economy through its plant-based
agriculture. Its mission is to develop research and educational programs in
response to industry needs, ensure and improve food safety, and protect and
preserve the quality of the environment. To learn more about Michigan’s
plant agriculture initiative at MSU, visit www.greeen.msu.edu.
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9. 2007 Select Michigan
Farmers' Market Promotion Opportunities
From: Michigan Farmers' Market
Managers [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Montri, Dru
Sent: Friday, June 22, 2007 11:43
AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject:
The Select
Michigan Program, in cooperation with the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service,
Michigan Food and Farming Systems, Michigan Farmers Market Association, and the
Food Bank Council of Michigan, are pleased to sponsor special farmers' markets
this season for Michigan grown and processed food and agriculture products.
You are invited to participate in one or all
events!
Special
Market Dates and Locations:
Buy Local Farmers’ Market, Michigan State Capitol lawn, Lansing
Thursday,
July 12 from 10:30 am - 3 pm
Select Michigan Farmers’ Market, Henroy Ford Hospital, Grand Blvd
Campus, Detroit
Wednesday,
August 22 from 10 am – 2 pm
Michigan State Fair Blue Ribbon Farmers’ Market, Michigan State
Fairgrounds, Detroit
Wednesday,
August 22 thru Monday, September 3 10 am – 4 pm
Select Michigan Day Farmers’ Market, Michigan State Capitol lawn,
Lansing
Thursday,
September 13 from 10:30 am – 3 pm
Please see the attached information to learn how you can get
involved and participation requirements. You can also contact Jeanne
Lipe, Michigan Department of Agriculture at [log in to unmask]
with any questions.
10. Pasture walk topic: Grass-fed Beef On August 7 in Mason,
MI
Dan
Hudson, MSUE Ingham County is hosting a pasture walk at Maynard Beery’s farm.
Maynard will show his farm and explain his pasture system. Please join us for
an educational and pleasant evening at Maynard Berry’s farm.
Location:
849 N. Aurelius Road, Mason, MI 48854
Date:
August 7
Time:
6:00 p.m.
Invitees:
Mid-Michigan Grazing Group and other interested community members
Host:
Maynard Beery
Organizer:
Dan Hudson, Ingham County MSU Extension
Contact:
517-676-7207
‘Grass-fed’
beef has become increasingly popular in recent years, especially among those
who are health conscious or have philosophical reasons for not wanting to
consume conventionally produced beef. On August 7 at 6:00 p.m. we will be
meeting at the farm of Maynard Beery, a local producer of grass-fed beef.
Maynard currently has 15 cows, 8 calves, 8 steers, and a few bulls on 30 acres
of perennial pasture and
25
acres of annual forages. His livestock receive no grain supplementation.
Please
join us as we learn about this unique system of beef production!
Daniel
Hudson
Agriculture
and Natural Resources Educator Ingham County MSU Extension
121
E. Maple Street
P.O.
Box 319
Mason,
MI 48854
Office
Phone: 517-676-7207 ext 7291
END! Hope your week goes well and we get
some rain!
Vicki Morrone
Organic Vegetable and Crop Outreach Specialist
Michigan State University
C.S. Mott Sustainable Food Systems
303 Natural Resources Bldg.
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-353-3542
517-282-3557 (cell)
517-353-3834 (fax)
http://www.MichiganOrganic.msu.edu/
http://www.mottgroup.msu.edu/
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