WTSB AG News

Updated: July 4, 2008

Tobacco Virus Situation

The Johnston County tobacco crop is infected with a higher level of virus than in 2007.  While virus assays being performed by the NC State University Plant Disease and Insect Clinic are not yet complete, it appears that we have both Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV) and Tobacco Streak Virus (TSV) in Johnston County.  Both of these viruses can produce some similar symptoms on plants in the field and are easily confused with each other.

TSWV can make young leaves turn yellow, then reddish, followed by brown.  Buds of TSWV infected plants will normally be distorted.   If plants are small when symptoms are expressed they will normally die.  Larger plants, that express symptoms after lay-by, can produce some harvestable yield.  If plants are larger when symptoms are first expressed, the plant does not normally die. 

Early symptoms of TSV can be easily confused with TSWV.  However, plants infected with TSV will normally have only a few leaves affected while the bud recovers and produces relatively normal leaves.  In general, less is known about Streak than is known about Tomato Spotted Wilt. 

TSWV currently ranges from <1% to >10% in surveyed Johnston County tobacco fields.  TSV ranges from 0 to 8% in surveyed fields and both viruses are present in many fields. 

Tobacco Sucker Control Tips

Without good management, tobacco plants will use most of their energy to produce flowers and seed.  However, the marketable product for tobacco growers is leaf.  Every tobacco grower knows that good sucker control is critical to producing profitable yields of quality flue-cured tobacco leaf.  The use of several chemicals and cultural practices is necessary to adequately manage sucker growth in tobacco.  At the same time, chemical residues of some systemic sucker control products are undesirable to purchasers of US leaf.  To minimize residues of systemic sucker control products in tobacco, growers should try to follow these tips.

1.  Delay application of maleic hydrazide (MH) until after the first harvest is complete.
2.  Apply no more than 1.5 gallons of MH per acre.
3.  Delay harvest after MH application until after measurable rainfall occurs.
4.  Make only one application of MH per acre each year.
5.  Apply contact fatty alcohols and dinitroanaline products in a timely, accurate manner.
6.  Apply sucker control chemicals in 50 gallons of water per acre and make sure that the application is made directly over the row.
7.  Begin contact applications when 50% of the plants are in the early button stage.


Tobacco Irrigation

Irrigation can improve tobacco yield and quality.  Growers should not assume that irrigation is not profitable due to high fuel prices.  In many cases, irrigation of flue cured tobacco is justified.  A cost benefit analysis of tobacco irrigation can be found at this link.


LARGE ROUND HAY BALER SAFETY
A round baler is bulky and reduces operator vision to the rear. When the bale chamber contains a bale, rear vision may be completely eliminated. Be watchful when backing the baler.

Be sure no one is near the rear gate when it is being raised and lowered. Keep everyone clear of the rear of the baler during unloading. Large round bales can roll after discharge when on hilly terrain.

Before servicing, cleaning, or adjusting a round baler, disengage the tractor PTO and shut off the engine. Never attempt to pull hay or twine from an operating baler. 

Block the gate before working under it. Use the safety lock system for the baler gate or the safety stops for the gate lift cylinders.

Always keep the PTO properly shielded.

Always shift the tractor transmission into park and lock the brakes, or block the baler wheels if the baler is not hitched to a tractor, before working on or under the baler.

During operation, remain seated on the tractor seat to reduce the chance of falling into the path of the baler. Never allow passengers to ride on the baler during operation or transport.

Be extremely cautious when operating a baler on uneven terrain. The baler could tip sideways if it strikes a hole, ditch or other irregularity, especially if carrying a near completed bale.

Do not make sharp turns; with the tractor wheels set wide to straddle windrows, rear tires could strike the baler tongue on sharp turns.

Never be in a hurry about anything to do with the baling operation.

Keep safety signs clean, readable and free from obstructing material.

Replace damaged or missing safety emblems with new ones. Instruct all operators on the meaning of the hazard signs.


ORNAMENTALS AND TURF
From: Steve Bambara, Extension Entomologist

Leaf Beetle on Baccharis

Baccharis halimifolia (a.k.a. groundsel tree or silverling), a woody aster and one that is fairly common from the coast through the piedmont, is occasionally attacked by a leaf beetle known as Trirhabda baccharidis. Tom Glascow reported this beetle in Craven County a few weeks ago. If this beetle is locally abundant on a tree in the landscape, it could consume a lot of foliage and a homeowner may want some management. This shrub might grow 6 to 8 feet tall, and is also good forage for honey bees and other native pollinators. For additional information, see the USDA plant fact sheet available on this web site.

    
Slug Oak Sawfly

The caterpillar of the slug oak sawfly, Caliroa quercuscoccinae, is from a wasp, not a moth. It is somewhat transparent and you can see through to the digestive system. Besides the slug-like appearance, the skeletonizing feeding is characteristic of this insect. It is only reported on white oaks. It may be locally common on trees, and may not occur in high numbers with any regularity. Oaks can take a lot of abuse and control is probably not needed. On the other hand, any foliar caterpillar spray, such as Sevin, would eliminate or reduce infestion. For more information, see the following web site.


Woolly Pine Scale Occasionally Measures Up

The woolly pine scale, Pseudophilippia quaintancii, occasionally infests landscape plantings on loblolly, slash, longleaf and shortleaf pines. They don't move to other hosts. Outbreaks are rarely large enough to do major harm, but a severe infestation could cause branch dieback and is not helpful to a stressed tree. Woolly pine scale is easy to identify by the woolly wax and is often accompanied by honey dew, ants and sooty mold fungus. A horticultural oil application at the crawler stage (NOW) would be helpful.


False Chinch Bugs

It is true, false chinch bugs are already here. This week I received a report about a mass of Nysius species plant bugs moving into a yard and crawling up a house. Last year our complaints were in August. This is a grassland insect, but might do damage to vegetable crops. Sevin is one choice of insecticide for homeowners and should give adequate control of plant bugs. In lieu of spraying Sevin or a turf pyrethroid insecticide around the entire home and yard, insecticidal soap or even “sudsy” water would be helpful on the driveway, house and sidewalk. Though these insects may also feed on flowers, it would be wise not to spray the flowers themselves or clover filled turf, so as not to kill beneficial pollinators. They won't harm you or your house, but could be annoying. You could treat them as you would boxelder bugs (see Ornamental and Turf Insect Information Note No. 40 available on this website).





Updated: June 16, 2008
Soybean Planting Alert
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION NEWS ARTICLE

Submitted by Eric Spaulding, Agricultural Extension Agent

Dr. Jim Dunphy, NCSU Extension Soybean Specialist, has distributed some critical information on Soybean Heat Stress.  Cooperative Extension is receiving calls and inquiries on whether to plant soybeans with temperatures in the 90’s.  It is not an easy call to make.  The first thing to consider is if the soil has enough moisture to be able to get a crop up.  Soil temperature and the expected daytime highs several days out is the second consideration.  Producers are advised to delay planting if soil temperatures are in the 90s at 2 inches depth, or if expected daytime high temperatures are above 95 degrees when the plants emerge. If soil temperatures are in the 80s or below, and the daytime highs when the soybeans emerge are expected to be below 95, planting is advisable.

Heat is also a concern on emerged soybeans. Soybeans, like many other plant species, cannot translocate enough water to keep up with the evapotranspiration demand that temperatures over about 95 degrees creates. So with temperatures over 95, soybeans will wilt in the heat of the day regardless of how much water is available to them. They close their stomates to dramatically reduce water loss from the leaf, but this also closes the stomates to carbon dioxide getting into the leaf, so little or no photosynthesis takes place while the stomates are closed.

    If water is available to the soybean roots, the plants will tend to recover significantly when temperatures drop down into the 80s, and may well look pretty normal before nightfall. If water is not available to the roots, however, it will take them longer to recover. It is possible to kill soybean plants with a combination of little moisture in the root zone with high daytime temperatures, but soybeans can tolerate more of this situation than many other plant species can.

    At this point there is probably little long term effect from the heat and low moisture other than having lost a few potential growing days.  When soybean are blooming, or past blooming, they will tend to abort flowers, pods, or seeds being developed at the time.  This may not be too serious if they have time to put on more flowers, pods, or seeds. 

Producers should closely monitor weather forecasts and soil moisture at planting depth to determine if planting is risky.

Updated: June 16, 2008
Rural Advancement Foundation International Offers Grants to Tobacco Farmers

Grant guidelines and application materials for RAFI’s 2008 Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund Demonstration Grant Program are now available on the RAFI-USA website, http://www.rafiusa.org/programs/tobacco/tobacco.html.

RAFI-USA’s Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund will make cost-share demonstration grants to farmers, farm organizations, and community groups in Alexander, Beaufort, Burke, Caldwell, Caswell, Craven, Cumberland, Davidson, Forsyth, Greene, Guilford, Harnett, Iredell, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, McDowell, Nash, Person, Pitt, Randolph, Wayne, Wilkes, and Wilson counties.

Cost-share support of up to $10,000 will be awarded to individual producers and support of up to $20,000 will be awarded to collaborative farmer efforts.   Qualifying producers must have derived a significant portion of there income from tobacco during 1997 or 1998.

Demonstration grants will be awarded through a competitive selection process.  Grants will be awarded to innovative projects that show farmers a new direction or opportunity.

Deadline for applications is October 1, 2008.  Funds will be available to farmers in December 2008.