2018 Pest Management Update Meeting Series Announced

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The schedule for the Wisconsin Pest Management Update meeting series has been set. Presentations will include agronomic pest management information for Wisconsin field and forage crops. Speakers include Mark Renz and Rodrigo Werle, weed scientists, Damon Smith, plant pathologist, and Bryan Jensen, entomologist.

The format will be the same as in 2017. Meetings will either be in the morning or afternoon On November 12-16, 2018. Simply choose a day/location to attend with each meeting running 3 hours. Note that several locations and contacts have changed since 2017 (marked with * in the meeting flier). Please read the informational flier carefully and make sure you contact the appropriate person at your desired location.

2018 Pest Management Update Highlights:

  • Integrated Pest Management Updates in corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and small grains: Update on new products and/or use of existing products as well as brief highlights of the 2018 pest situations in each crop.
  • Waterhemp management
  • Dicamba off-target research
  • Pollinator Training
  • Soybean cyst nematode training and management

Please make your reservation with the host contact at least one week prior to the scheduled meeting date.

Three hours of Certified Crop Advisor CEU credits in pest management are requested for each session.

To download a PDF of the flier, CLICK HERE.

Welcome to badgercropdoc.com: A New Web Resource for Wisconsin Field Crops Pathology Research and Outreach

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Damon Smith, Extension Field Crops Pathologist, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Welcome to badgercropdoc.com! Badger Crop Doc is a one-stop-shop for all things Wisconsin Field Crops Pathology related. We have merged the website and blog found at / with our University of Wisconsin academic website, so that all information can now be found in one place. If you subscribed to the blog posts at /, don’t worry, we have already moved your e-mail over to badgercropdoc.com. Be sure that browsers are now pointed to the new URL and check your e-mail folders to be sure blog postings aren’t going to junk or trash. No new postings will be added to /.

BadgerCropDoc was made possible with support from the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing board and is meant to be complementary to badegrbean.com and coolbean.info, while offering research-based information for the major field crops of Wisconsin. We hope you enjoy this new resource. As always, please let us know what you think. We would love to hear feedback.

2017 UW Extension Pest Management Update Meeting Series

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Be sure to get the latest field crop pest management updates, by attending the 2017 PMU Meetings!

Damon L. Smith, Extension Field Crops Pathologist, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Mark your calendars as the UW Extension’s Pest Management Update meetings are just around the corner (November 6-10). This year’s program will follow the same format as in 2016. Meetings will either be in the morning or afternoon and will run for 3 hours. Morning meetings will begin promptly at 9am and run to 12pm. Afternoon meetings will begin at 1pm and conclude at 4pm.

The full schedule with dates, meeting locations, and registration contact information are in the link below. Please register with the host agent at least 1 week prior to the meeting at the location you wish to attend.

Please attend the meeting location at which you registered. Each meeting in the series is a separate county-based event and host agents cannot interchange registrant fees or meal counts.

Three hours of Certified Crop Advisor CEU credits in pest management are requested for each session.

The speakers will be extension specialists Mark Renz, weed scientist, perennial cropping systems; Dan Heider, IPM outreach specialist, Bryan Jensen, entomologist, and Damon Smith, field crop pathologist.

2017 Pest Management Update Topics:

  • Integrated Pest Management Updates in corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and small grains: Update on new products and/or use of existing products as well as brief highlights of the 2017 pest situations in each crop.
  • Wisconsin herbicide resistance update by Mark Renz
  • In-depth weed diagnostic and management training by Mark Renz and Dan Heider

CHECK OUT THE FULL MEETING SCHEDULE BY CLICKING HERE!

2016 Wisconsin Field Crops Pathology Fungicide Tests Summary Now Available

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Damon L. Smith, Extension Field Crops Pathologist, University of Wisconsin-Madison

The 2016 Wisconsin Field Crops Pathology Fungicide Tests Summary is now available online as a downloadable PDF. This report is a concise summary of pesticide related research trials conducted in 2016 under the direction of the Wisconsin Field Crops Pathology program in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  We thank many summer hourlies and research interns for assisting in conducting these trials.  We would also like to thank Carol Groves, Jaime Willbur, Megan McCaghey, Bryan Jensen, John Gaska, Adam Roth and Shawn Conley for technical support.

Mention of specific products in this publication are for your convenience and do represent an endorsement or criticism.  This by no means is a complete test of all products available.  You are responsible for using pesticides according to the manufacturers current label.  Follow all label instructions when using any pesticide.  Remember the label is the law!

To download the current report, or past reports visit the SUMMARIES page by clicking here.

What about Fungicide on Alfalfa for Dairy Production in Wisconsin?

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Fungicide on Alfalfa

Damon L. Smith, Extension Field Crops Pathologist, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Thinking about fungicide for your alfalfa crop in Wisconsin? Typically in a 30-day cutting interval on alfalfa, like that used in dairy production in Wisconsin, foliar diseases cause minimal damage. Coupled with the heightened risk of fungicide resistance development toward these modern fungicides, application of fungicide on alfalfa for dairy production is not recommended unless heavy disease pressure is observed. CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO TO LEARN MORE! You can also CLICK HERE to download an informational fact sheet on the return on investment potential when using fungicide on alfalfa in Wisconsin.

2015 UW Extension Pest Management Update Meeting Series

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General Agronomy

Be sure to get the latest field crop pest management updates, by attending the 2015 PMU Meetings!

Damon Smith, Extension Plant Pathology Specialist

Mark your calendars as the UW Extension’s Pest Management Update meetings are just around the corner (November 9-19). This year’s program will follow the new format established in the 2014 series, with more interaction between presenters and the audience, and participation by Bryan Jensen and Dan Heider with the University of Wisconsin Integrated Pest and Crop Management Program.

We will focus the entire morning (10-noon) on integrated pest management updates by crop (corn, soybean, alfalfa, and small grains). This session will be streamlined to focus on new pesticide registrations, pest updates, and highlight important issues from 2015. After lunch, topics will be more focused on specific updates and diagnostic training. These topics will include:

  • Herbicide resistance update and identification
  • Managing corn rootworms
  • Soybean stem disease identification

These diagnostic and focused trainings were a big hit in 2014 so don’t miss out in 2015!

The full schedule with dates, meeting locations, topics and registration contact information are in the link below. Please register with the host agent at least 1 week prior to the meeting at the location you wish to attend.

Note that due to low turnout in past years, the Arlington location has been dropped from the rotation in 2015. There will only be 7 locations to attend the update meetings, rather than 8 locations as in previous years. Be sure to look at the 2015 schedule included with this article when selecting your preferred date and location.

Please attend the meeting location at which you registered. Each meeting in the series is a separate county-based event and host agents cannot interchange registrant fees or meal counts.

Four hours of CCA CEU pest management credits are requested and available at each location.

The speakers will be extension specialists Mark Renz, weed scientist, perennial cropping systems; Dan Heider, IPM outreach specialist, Bryan Jensen, entomologist, and Damon Smith, field crop plant pathologist.

2015 Pest Management Update Topics:

  • Integrated Pest Management Updates in corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and small grains: Update on new products and/or use of existing products as well as brief highlights of the 2015 pest situations in each crop.
  • Herbicide resistance update and identification: Dan Heider and Mark Renz discuss the herbicide resistant weed situation in Wisconsin and how to identify problematic situations.
  • Managing corn rootworms: Bryan Jensen will take you through identifying corn rootworm problems and how to manage them in field corn.
  • Soybean stem disease identification: Damon Smith will discuss the 2015 soybean stem disease situation in Wisconsin. He will offer tips on how to identify and manage the various stem diseases that cause problems in Wisconsin.

Check out the full meeting schedule at this link.

Clover Root Curculio on Alfalfa in Wisconsin

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Dan Undersander, Damon Smith, Bryan Jensen

UW Extension

Clover root curculio larval feeding scars on an alfalfa taproot

Clover root curculio larval feeding scars on an alfalfa taproot

Clover root curculio damage is being observed in several parts of Wisconsin this year. It is an occasional insect pest on alfalfa, clovers and other legumes. Damage can be serious but usually is infrequent and localized. To learn more about this pest and how to manage it, click here to go to the Wisconsin Crop Manager Article.

 

New Fact Sheet on Using Fungicide on Alfalfa For Dairy Production in Wisconsin

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Damon Smith, Assistant Professor and Extension Field Crops Plant Pathologist, UW-Madison; Scott Chapman, Researcher, Departments of Plant Pathology and Entomology, UW-Madison; Bryan Jensen, Outreach Program Manager, Integrated Pest Management Program, UW-Madison; Greg Blonde, Agricultural Agent, UW-Extension, UW-Madison; Bill Halfman, Agricultural Agent, UW-Extension, UW-Madison; and Dan Undersander, Professor, Department of Agronomy, UW-Madison

Recently new fungicides have been labeled for use on alfalfa for dairy production systems. Interest in using these products has increased among farmers in the state of Wisconsin. Data from the 1980s suggested that fungicides applied to alfalfa controlled foliar diseases and increased yield. However, alfalfa varieties, management practices, and disease control products have changed dramatically since this research was conducted. Therefore, new research was conducted to evaluate modern fungicide products on alfalfa grown under 21st century management practices. This new fact sheet is now available, which summarizes this research to evaluate the efficacy and economics of applying fungicide to alfalfa in Wisconsin. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A PDF VERSION OF THIS FACT SHEET.

New and Revised Disease Fact Sheets

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A new UW Extension disease fact sheet on Aphanomyces root rot has recently been developed and ready for download.  The fact sheet describes symptoms of Aphanomyces root rot, gives details about the pathogen that causes the disease, and gives some management ideas. You can download the fact sheet by visiting the ‘Fact Sheet’ section of the UW-Madison Field Crops Pathology website or CLICK HERE.

Revisions to fact sheets describing symptoms and management of Ergot of small grains and Fusarium head blight of wheat are also now available for download. To access these fact sheet, visit the ‘Fact Sheet’ section of the Field Crops Pathology website or CLICK HERE FOR THE ERGOT FACT SHEET or CLICK HERE FOR THE FUSARIUM HEAD BLIGHT FACT SHEET.

Evaluation of fungicides for control of foliar diseases of Alfalfa at cutting #1 in Wisconsin, 2014

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Alfalfa 1Damon L. Smith, Extension Field Crops Pathologist, University of Wisconsin

Scott Chapman, Research Associate, University of Wisconsin

Bryan Jensen, IPM Program, University of Wisconsin

An evaluation of foliar applied fungicides for control of diseases of alfalfa was implemented in Wisconsin in 2014.  This work is a continuation of fungicide evaluation that has been ongoing since 2011.  In previous trials, yield advantage by using fungicide was only observed about 20% of the time when fungicide was used. In addition, the yield advantage is often not high enough to cover the cost of the fungicide application.  In 2014 we wanted to continue to evaluate some newer products on the market and determine if there was a yield increase and added value when used.  Methods and results from the first cutting in 2014 are below.

The trial was established at the Arlington Agricultural Research Station located in Arlington, WI. The alfalfa cultivar ‘Spring Gold’ was seeded on 20 Aug 2012 in a field with a Ringwood silt loam soil (6 to 12% slopes). The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replicates.  Plots were 40 ft long and 10 ft wide.  Standard alfalfa production practices as described by the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension Service were followed. Treatments consisted of a non-treated control and five fungicide treatments. Fungicides were applied using a CO2-pressurized backpack sprayer equipped with 8001 TurboJet flat fan nozzles calibrated to deliver 20 GPA.  Fungicides were applied once plants had reached a height of 6 in. Date of fungicide application was 4 May 2014. Natural sources of pathogen inoculum were relied upon for disease. Disease and defoliation was evaluated immediately after harvest by visually estimating both parameters with the aid of standard area diagrams. A small-plot harvester was used to cut a 31-in wide by 37.4 ft long area of each plot to determine wet yield. A subsample of alfalfa was also collected from each replicate (~0.50 lb.), weighed, then dried and weighed again to determine dry matter yield. Value added per acre was also determined for each treatment using the following method. First yield differences compared to the control were calculated (yield advantage). Price advantage per acre was then determined by multiplying the yield advantage by $0.10/lbs dry matter (price based on June 13, 2014 hay report). Finally, $30 (average price for a fungicide application) was subtracted from all price advantages to determine the value added to each acre by using fungicide. All disease, defoliation, yield, and added value data were analyzed using a mixed model analysis of variance (P=0.05).

Weather was very wet and cool prior to the first harvest. Based on these weather patterns the primary disease present at the first harvest was spring black stem. No significant differences in average severity of spring black stem were identified among all treatments (Table below). No significant differences in defoliation were identified among treatments. Dry matter yield was significantly higher than the non-treated check for all plots that received fungicide. Added value was not significantly different from the non-treated control for all plots that received fungicide. While there was an average yield increase when fungicide was used for this cutting, significant added value over the non-treated control was not observed when fungicide was applied. Phytotoxicity was not observed with any treatment.

**Note: Aproach is not yet labeled for use on alfalfa.  A label is anticipated in Wisconsin on alfalfa in the near future.

Treatment and Rate/Acre

Spring Black Stem Severity (%)z

Defoliation (%)z

Dry Matter Yield (Tons/a)y,x

Added Value by using Fungicide (USD/a)v
Non-treated Check

10.6

10.0

1.74 b

$0.00
Quadris 6.0 fl.oz. + Warrior II 1.6 fl.oz. + Induce 0.25% v/v

5.6

7.5

1.92 a

$6.30
Aproach 12.0 fl.oz. + Induce 0.25% v/v

4.4

5.0

1.93 a

$7.93
Aproach 12.0 fl.oz.

6.3

6.3

1.95 a

$11.00
Quadris 6.0 fl.oz. + Induce 0.25% v/v

4.3

7.5

1.95 a

$10.89
Aproach 6.0 fl.oz.

5.6

6.3

1.97 a

$14.73
Aproach 6.0 fl.oz. + Induce 0.25% v/v

6.3

7.5

1.99 a

$19.00
EXP 2

5.6

6.3

1.99 a

$18.84
EXP 1

5.6

7.5

2.01 a

$23.44
Headline 6.0 fl.oz. + Induce 0.25% v/v

4.4

6.3

2.05 a

$31.50
LSD (α=0.05)

nsw

nsw

      0.15     nsw

zValues are based on the average disease severity or defoliation prior to harvest on 3 Jun.

yMeans followed by the same letter are not significantly different based on Fisher’s Least Significant Difference (LSD; α=0.05).

xYield based on harvest on 3 Jun.

wns = no least significant difference (α=0.05).

vValues determined after accounting for hay yield compared to the non-treated control and subtracting average price of fungicide application ($30/a); prices based on $0.10/ lbs. dry matter; June 13, 2014 Hay Report