What’s new in Michigan Organic Ag? June 9 – June 20, 2008 By Vicki Morrone and Kate Leitch PRODUCTION NEWS AND INFORMATION (In Part 1 and Part 2) 1. New Ag Network electronic newsletter 2. MSU Vegetable CAT Alert (June 4) 3. MSU Vegetable CAT Alert (June 11) 4. MSU Vegetable CAT Alert (June 18) 5. MSU Field Crop CAT Alert (June 5) 6. MSU Field Crop CAT Alert (June 12) 7. MSU Field Crop CAT Alert (June 19) 8. MSU Fruit CAT Alert (June 3) 9. MSU Fruit CAT Alert (June 10) 10. MSU Fruit CAT Alert (June 17) 11. MIFMA and SBAM Partner to Provide Michigan Farmers and Farmers Markets with Greater Access to SBAM Benefits 12. Bee Colony Available 13. Farm Bill Becomes Law NOTICE OF POSITION OPENINGS (In Part 2) 14. Free housing- “Have space, need help” 15. Vegetable Specialist Sought by Purdue University EVENTS (In Part 2) 16. Annual Soil-Building Workshop- Innovations to Build Soils to Feed Sustainable Communities 17. Organic Producers Needed for Rothbury Music Festival – Sweetwater Local Foods Market 18. Public Hearing on Act-4-04 (A proposal affecting the Lansing City Market) 19. Rapid Market Assessment Workshop 20. Grazing Workshop 21. High-Tunnel Tour of England ******* PRODUCTION NEWS AND INFORMATION ******* 1. New Ag Network Newsletter Vol. 5, No.4, June 11, 2008 http://www.new-ag.msu.edu/ In this issue: An introduction to sustainable floriculture research and extension at Purdue University Cover crops as soil nutrition management tools Purdue Farm Sustainability Tour Organic production and processing – transitioning to organic July 24, 2008 Minnesota: Ten public agencies join forces in Organic Memorandum of Understanding Integrated weed management on-farm trials Reports from organic growers 2. Vegetable CAT Alert, MSU Vol. 23, No. 7, June 4, 2008 http://www.ipm.msu.edu/cat08veg/v06-04-08.htm#1 In this issue: Vegetable insect update Managing cereal rye cover crop to reduce crop injury and improve benefits Widespread frost/freeze event across Michigan on May 28 Regional reports Weather ******* 3. Vegetable CAT Alert, MSU Vol. 23, No. 8, June 11, 2008 http://www.ipm.msu.edu/cat08veg/v06-11-08.htm In this issue: Vegetable insect update Recent rains favor Phytophthora development on vegetable crops Potato late blight risk forecasting and potato disease extension bulletins Fungicide application opportunity for the control of Rhizoctonia and black dot in potatoes Regional reports Weather ********* 4. Vegetable CAT Alert, MSU Vol. 23, No. 9, June 18, 2008 http://www.ipm.msu.edu/cat08veg/v06-18-08.htm In this issue: Soil conditions contribute to poor plant growth Vegetable insect update Section 18 label issued for Carzol SP® use to control thrips in dry bulb onions. Regional reports Weather Soil conditions contribute to poor plant growth Darryl Warncke Crop and Soil Sciences Growing conditions have been variable and challenging across Michigan; cool and wet, hot and dry, hot and wet, now cool with scattered showers. Plants have to be tough and resilient to grow through all these conditions. The recent heavy rains have provided the most challenging soil conditions. Soils are compacted by intense rainfall and standing water. Excess water tends to seal the soil surface, even on some sandy soils. These conditions impede drying of the soil and movement of air into the soil. The root environment is oxygen deficient and roots cannot function properly to take up water and essential nutrients. Many beneficial microorganisms also have a difficult time functioning when oxygen starved. When these conditions persist for more than two to three days, roots will become non-functional and may begin to degrade. Cultivation is essential to open the soil and allow air to move in. Renewed aeration of the soil will stimulate root growth and microbial activity that will mineralize nitrogen and other nutrients. With aeration, new root growth will occur. During flooded or saturated soil conditions 50 lbs N/a or more may be lost by leaching or denitrification. Once soils dry sufficiently, sidedress 40 lbs N/a to enhance root and plant growth. Spraying nitrogen and other nutrients on the foliage of stressed plants may help them get through the stress period. However, under stress conditions plants are less able to absorb nutrients through the leaves, so the benefit may not be as great as anticipated. Urea ammonium nitrate (28 percent nitrogen) is a good source of nitrogen for foliar application as long as the rate does not exceed three gallons per acre. Small amounts of nutrients may be able to be added in with other spray materials, but be sure to check compatibility. When excess rainfall occurs, the primary nutrient of concern is usually nitrogen. In sandy soils, significant amounts of potassium may also be leached out of the root zone so that topdress application may be beneficial for high potassium requiring crops, celery and tomatoes. Boron is also subject to leaching out of the root zone in sandy soils and muck soils. For celery, celeriac, broccoli and root crops consider spraying 0.25 lb actual boron per acre on the foliage. Vegetable insect update Beth Bishop Entomology The severe weather during the first week of June brought more insect pests into Michigan. We continue to catch corn earworm moths in pheromone traps on campus. Last week (June 10-17), we caught 48 earworm moths in one trap and 54 in the second trap. This is very early for such high numbers of corn earworm to be present. Most sweet corn is not at risk for infestation, but any corn in silk is at risk. Furthermore, corn earworm moths lay eggs on tomatoes in fruit and the larvae (also known as tomato fruitworm) will eat into the fruit. Growers with sweet corn or tomatoes at vulnerable growth stages should apply an insecticide to prevent infestation. See bulletin E312: 2008 Insect, Disease, and Nematode Control for Commercial Vegetables for insecticides registered to control corn earworm/tomato fruitworm on these crops. For sweet corn, it is critical to make sure the silks are thoroughly covered with insecticide. Eggs are laid on the silks and newly-hatched larvae travel down the silk to enter the ear. Aster leafhoppers The storm fronts also brought in new populations of aster leafhoppers. All leafhoppers collected prior to June 4 and tested by Diagnostic Services were not infected with aster yellows. However, we received and tested three samples of leafhoppers that were collected June 9 -11 that had a fairly high infectivity rate. About eight percent of leafhoppers collected from celery fields in Hudsonville and Decatur were carrying aster yellows. Over 15 percent of leafhoppers collected from carrot fields in Oceana County were infected with aster yellows. Consequently, treatment thresholds are much lower than they were a few weeks ago. Celery fields should be treated if the number of aster leafhoppers caught in sweep net samples exceeds three to five leafhoppers per 100 sweeps. Carrot fields should be treated if the number of aster leafhoppers exceeds three to seven per 100 sweeps. Lettuce fields should be treated if the number of leafhoppers exceeds two to four leafhoppers per 100 sweeps. We have not yet received samples from other parts of the state, but to be cautious growers throughout Michigan should use these thresholds for now. European corn borer The first flight of European corn borer is well underway and growers are reporting a high percentage of sweet corn plants infested with small larvae. In general, once the tassel starts to emerge, sweet corn should be treated through harvest to prevent the larvae from infesting ears. In whorl-stage corn, larvae are often found feeding deep in the whorl. Growers or scouts can pull up the whorl leaves and see evidence of feeding. As the tassel emerges from the whorl, corn borer larvae leave the whorl and travel to the ears. To prevent this, growers should check whorl-stage corn and treat at tassel emergence if corn borers are found. Also, if 15 percent or more of whorl-stage corn is infested with corn borers, a treatment of granular insecticide may be warranted. A number of insecticides, such as Avaunt, Capture, Dipel, Lorsban and Pounce are registered for whorl-stage corn. Granules should be directed into corn whorls. First alfalfa cutting A significant event for pest control in many vegetable crops is the first alfalfa cutting. Alfalfa is a preferred host for many insect pests, including tarnished plant bug and potato leafhopper. When alfalfa is cut, these insects are forced to find new homes and may invade vegetable fields. Potato leafhopper can damage potatoes and snap beans. Tarnished plant bug is a pest of many vegetable crops, including snap beans, peppers, lettuce, celery and asparagus. Alfalfa cutting is occurring throughout Michigan. Growers with vulnerable crops near alfalfa fields should be scouting regularly for these pests. Cucumber beetles With the advent of warmer weather, striped and spotted cucumber beetles are finally making an appearance. Striped cucumber beetles overwinter as adults in leaf litter and resume activity when the weather warms. During cool periods, they are relatively inactive. So far this year, we’ve seen alternating periods of cool and warm weather, which causes a sudden influx of these insects into fields when temperatures rise. Cucumber beetles are pests of curcurbit crops. High populations of adults can severely stunt or kill young plants in the seedling or cotyledon stages. In addition, cucumber beetles transmit bacterial wilt disease. Cucumbers, melons, hubbard squash, butternut squash and processing pumpkins are susceptible to bacterial wilt. Jack-o-lantern pumpkins, watermelons, and most other squash varieties are rarely susceptible. The most effective treatment for early-season cucumber beetles is an at-planting treatment of carbofuran or a neonicitinoid, such as imidacloprid or thiamethoxam. If such a treatment has not been made, or if the protection is no longer effective, a number of foliar insecticides are registered for control of cucumber beetles. For crops vulnerable to bacterial wilt, the treatment threshold is 0.1 to 1.0 beetle per plant. For crops that are not susceptible, the treatment threshold is five beetles per plant. Seedlings require treatment when large numbers of beetles are feeding. Growers should scout fields regularly, especially field edges. Early in the season cucumber beetles may be concentrated along field edges so spot treatments can be effective. Care should be taken to protect pollinators during flowering by careful selection of insecticides, applying insecticides at night when flowers are closed and covering or moving hives. ********* 5. Field Crop CAT Alert, MSU Vol. 23, No. 9, June 5, 2008 http://www.ipm.msu.edu/cat08field/fc06-05-08.htm#1 In this issue: Insect update Aphids appear- Right on schedule Ice versus insects Improve profits with timely postemergence herbicide applications in soybean Growing non-GMO soybeans? Come to an afternoon session of the 2008 MSU Weed Tour MSU Crop Diagnostic School is July 18 Wheat scab update Enviro-weather can help you time alfalfa cutting Regional reports Weather ******** 6. Field Crop CAT Alert, MSU Vol. 23, No. 10, June 12, 2008 http://www.ipm.msu.edu/cat08field/fc06-12-08.htm In this issue: Now is the time to check wheat fields for armyworm Soybean Aphid Overwintering Survey Common lambsquarters escapes in sugar beets: What are my options? Optimizing fungicide timing for the control of Rhizoctonia crown and root rot of sugar beet and issues about mixing Quadris with Roundup. Volunteer potato control in corn Managing corn and soybean fields submerged by recent heavy rains Damage from late May frost now appearing in small grains Regional reports Weather ********* 7. Field Crop CAT Alert, MSU Vol. 23, No. 11, June 19, 2008 http://www.ipm.msu.edu/cat08field/fc06-19-08.htm In this issue: Corn hybrids stressed after glyphosate applications Yellow corn and soil nitrogen Anthracnose leaf blight of corn Pesticide application technology for soybean rust and soybean aphids Custom machine work rates MSU Extension history exhibit: Barn models from 1939 Soybean rust update for 2008 New resources available for soybean rust Ag Expo set for July 15-17 Regional reports Weather Yellow corn and soil nitrogen Darryl Warncke Crop and Soil Sciences Following the past couple of weeks of variable rainfall, many corn fields are showing light yellow areas. Where rainfall was heavy the soil has been compacted and the surface crusted. Some of the yellow areas are associated with lower areas in fields where nitrogen was lost by leaching and denitrification. In addition, the soil compaction and crusting is contributing to oxygen deficiency that makes it difficult for the roots to function properly in taking up water and nutrients. Opening up the soil by cultivation or by knifing in nitrogen will help aerate the soil and stimulate microbial activity to mineralize nitrogen and other nutrients and improve root growth. Some of the nitrogen that was leached downward may still be in the soil profile where corn roots will eventually be able to access it. Results of the presidedress soil nitrate tests are presented in Table 1. Some of these samples were taken prior to the rainy spell, so the levels may have changed some. Twelve percent of the samples contain enough nitrogen so that additional N is required (> 25 ppm). In five percent of the samples the available nitrogen level is very low. Anthracnose leaf blight of corn Jackie Smith and Steven Gower MSU Diagnostic Services Several corn samples have been submitted to the lab over the past few days infected with anthracnose leaf blight. All samples have come from fields where corn was grown last season. Anthracnose of corn is caused by the fungus Colletotrichum graminicola. This fungus survives in corn residue, first infecting the lower corn leaves as the spores are splashed from the soil surface. Leaf spots are round to irregular, water-soaked lesions with dark tan centers and yellowish-orange to reddish-brown borders. Lesions usually appear near the leaf tip and mid rib. Lesions can coalesce causing the lower leaves to shrivel and die. Fruiting bodies (acervuli) with black, whisker-like setae can be seen with a hand lens on infected leaves. Anthracnose fungus survives in corn residue, especially on the soil surface. Therefore, this disease may be more serious under reduced tillage systems and in continuous corn. Anthracnose leaf blight is best controlled through the use of resistant hybrids along with crop rotation and tillage. Photos of the disease can be seen in the CAT alert: http://www.ipm.msu.edu/cat08field/fc06-19-08.htm#3 Custom machine work rates Ned Birkey Monroe Extension ANR educator Many farmers hire some farm work or perform custom work for others. What is a fair amount to charge one to do or to pay for such work? Michigan State University has Extension Bulletin, E-2131, revised October 2002, available free of charge, which outlines a free labor, tractor and machine rental rates as determined by a survey of farmers from around the state of Michigan. Dennis Stein, MSU Extension farm management educator does a survey of farmers in the Thumb area of Michigan every year. His survey of numbers is listed below. Some spring custom rate numbers for the following items might be helpful for farmers as they settle up accounts for tillage work. All rates are per acre unless otherwise noted. Rates in Monroe County may be higher or lower depending upon several factors. These can include; field size, ease of access, machine size and roads, trash, trees or brush hindering work, depth of field drainage tile or bedrock, payment arrangements or other factors. Farmers need to consider their current fuel prices and adjust their custom rate charge according to their actual costs. Moldboard plowing $15.50 Chisel plowing $13.34 Mulch tilling (disk-chisel) $13.36 V-ripping (14 inches deep) $15.85 Tandem disking $11.75 Field cultivator $10.35 No-till corn planting $16.00 Drill, no-till soybeans $13.80 Mowing and conditioning hay $12.75 Custom spreading lime without GPS $ 5.25 Pull type pesticide spraying $ 5.38 Pest scouting $ 4.50 The Monroe County Extension office has copies of E-2131 and Dennis Stein’s Saginaw Valley report available free of charge. For a copy, please call the office at 734-240-3170. ********* 8. Fruit CAT Alert, MSU Vol. 23, No. 9, June 3, 2008 http://www.ipm.msu.edu/cat08fruit/f06-03-08.htm#1 In this issue: Tree Fruit News Borer damage sighted in many cherry orchards TNRC trapline data: Cranberry fruitworm Small Fruit News Disease control in grapes critical during and after bloom Small fruit meeting Other News Regional reports Weather news ******** If you would like to access previous postings to the Mich-Organic listserv you can copy and paste the following URL into your browser address bar http://list.msu.edu/archives/mich-organic.html