Male Flowers Make Better Mothers?

There's a Mother's Day joke here somewhere, but we'll ignore it.

Evolutionary biologists from Duke University report that producing male flowers can make a plant a better mother, according to an item in the May issue of the American Naturalist. Researchers demonstrated that male flowers can sometimes increase seed numbers, and that supports a new interpretation that male flowers increase not only male but also female reproductive success.

Click here for the complete story.

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Delta Council - 72nd Annual Meeting in May

The Delta Council, a Mississippi economic development association, meets in Cleveland, Mississippi on Friday, May 18 at 10:30 a.m. on the Delta State University campus at the Bologna Performing Arts Center.

For more information, click here.

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$250k per acre for prime Napa vineyard land

Agricultural land prices in California have somewhat stabilized, according to a report in today's Food And Farm News, the daily e-newsletter published by the California Farm Bureau Federation:

They call it "the Goldilocks effect." Appraisers say growth in the value of California farmland appears to be "just right." At a meeting of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers California chapter, experts said farmland values are rising at a low, sustainable pace. An annual report lists the state's most expensive farmland as in Napa County, where prime vineyard land reaches values as high as $250,000 an acre.

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Where have all the bees gone?

Researchers are pushing overdrive as they pursue an explanation for mysterious bee colony losses. Sixty scientists quickly gathered in California this week to discuss the possible link of a fungus or parasite to Colony Collapse Disorder. The drastic bee losses are cause for alarm not only for honey producers, but also for the one-third of U.S. crops - particularly fruits and nuts - that rely on bees for pollination.

Click here to read the full story.

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USDA: in ethanol production, some cornstalks should be left in field

From a USDA-ARS press release:

If conservation of soil organic matter is taken into account, the United States at best has to cut in half the amount of cornstalks that can be harvested to produce ethanol, according to an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) study. Jane Johnson, a soil scientist with the ARS North Central Soil Conservation Research Laboratory in Morris, Minn., found that twice as many cornstalks have to be left in the field to maintain soil organic matter levels, compared to the amount of stalks needed only to prevent erosion.

Click here to read the full report.

Free Southern soybean and grain reports. CLICK HERE.

New Zealand Develops Bt-Producing Veggies

New Zealand researchers announced the incorporation of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) into a number of vegetable crops. The team has applied for approval to start small-scale trials.

STAT News Service carried a brief report on the development.

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Haying, Grazing Freeze-Damaged Wheat Requires Nitrate Testing

Before feeding out freeze-damaged wheat as a forage producers should first have the wheat tested for nitrate levels, said David Mengel, K-State Research and Extension soil fertility specialist. This applies to any freeze damaged crop.

Click here for more information.

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Drought deepens, now extreme across south Georgia

Extreme drought conditions have developed across southeast and south-central Georgia. Another week with little or no rain and temperatures in the 70s and 80s have led to worsening drought conditions statewide.

For more details, click here.

Free Southern soybean and grain reports. CLICK HERE.

Mississippi: wheat freeze assessment workshop Wednesday

Erick Larson, Mississippi Extension Grain Specialist, sent us the following notice this afternoon:

The Mississippi State University Extension Service will host another field workshop near Batesville Wednesday, April 25, to further assess freeze damage to wheat. Please feel free to attend and/or pass this invite to others who may be interested.

We plan to meet at 10 a.m. immediately west of the John Deere dealership west of Batesville on Highway 6. The wheat is on Mr. Guy Walker's farm on the north side of the Highway.

If you have any problems or questions call myself at 662-418-7802, Mack Young (662-444-7914), or Art Smith (901-239-3283).

Free Southern soybean and grain reports. CLICK HERE.

Arkansas: $50,000 to first farmer in state with 100-bu soybean yield

Arkansas Extension and the state's soybean association announced this afternoon a prize of $50,000 to the first farmer in Arkansas who could average 100-bu/acre on a block. The press release didn't state specifically, but it would appear to be on a 5-acre block.

The prize is being funded by the state's soybean promotion board.

For more info:

http://www.agfax.com/news/2007/04/ark50ksoy.htm

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Opposition further lining up against sugar program in next farm bill

Groups opposing the current sugar program are lining up against efforts to carry it over to the next farm bill.

Sweetener users, public interest, consumer and taxpayer groups today announced the Sugar Policy Alliance, a joint effort seeking reform of the sugar price support program in the 2007 farm bill. Also, a lobbying group - Citizens Against Government Waste - called for an end to the program, which the organization claims has hurt U.S. candy manufacturers.

Here are links to 2 press releases issued today:

Sweetener Users, Public Interest and Taxpayer Groups Support Sugar Reforms in New Farm Bill, Urge Congress to Make American Sugar Policy More Market- Oriented

CAGW Calls for Reform of Sugar Program

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Post Katrina/Rita: managing forests in hurricane impact zones

Forest Service researchers have developed an adaptive strategy to help natural resource managers in the southeastern United States both prepare for and respond to disturbance from major hurricanes. In an article published in the journal Forest Ecology and Management, researchers from the Forest Service Southern Research Station unit in Athens, Ga., report the results of a case study based on the effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Click here for a press release on the study.

Free Southern crop and pest reports. CLICK HERE.

North Carolina Study: How much nitrogen is too much for corn?

Corn growers may be able to cut back on nitrogen-based fertilizer added to soil based on North Carolina research findings. The NC study found that the Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test (ISNT) assesses nitrogen levels in soil with more accuracy than current soil-based tests, leading to economic and environmental benefits.

Click here to read the full release.

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How much nitrogen is too much for corn?

Corn growers may be able to cut back on nitrogen-based fertilizer added to soil based on North Carolina research findings. The NC study found that the Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test (ISNT) assesses nitrogen levels in soil with more accuracy than current soil-based tests, leading to economic and environmental benefits.

Click here to read the full release.

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Bunge to Acquire Majority Interest in Tianjin, China, Soybean Processing Plant

From a Bunge press release Friday afternoon:

Bunge Limited announced the establishment of a joint venture to operate a soybean processing plant in Tianjin, China, with Chia Tai (Tianjin), part of the Thailand-based Charoen Pokphand Group. Bunge will hold a majority interest in the venture and will manage operations at the plant, its third in China. Located near a modern port, the plant will supply the fast-growing livestock and feed industries and the large consumer market in the greater Beijing area.

Click here to read the full release.

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Virginia: green light this week for cotton planting

Johnny Parker, agronomist with Commonwealth Gin in Windsor, Virginia, filed the following report today on the gin's web site:

This week could be one of the best starts we have seen in quite some time as we move into an early cotton planting period which is also characterized as a late corn planting date. Daily high temperatures for 10 days are expected to remain in the 70's and 80's. Night time lows will remain above 50 limiting the risk of chilling injury to almost zero.

The main issue we face this week is that there is a good chance of getting rainfall. There is a pretty good chance of rain on Tuesday, then again we could see some rain during the first weekend of May which is about two weeks off. This is a good situation to plan for in that we should maintian a moist seed bed.

Generally these conditions indicate that shallow planting is probably the best approach and with the warm temperatures, we are in good shape to have an early blooming date with the April planted cotton. While we had a lot of trouble last year with early planting dates, this year looks to be quite different. If it was me, I would plant some cotton this week.

Commonwealth Gin provides advice on production and marketing of cotton. Information contained herein is from sources believed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed as to accuracy or completeness. No responsibility is assumed with respect to any statement, nor with respect to any expression of opinion herein contained. All views are the opinions of the author and no statement should be construed as an offer to buy or sell a commodity. This publication is for information purposes only.

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Texas: wheat and grapes take biggest hit from freeze

Wet though cool weather improved range and pasture conditions across the state, but some crops took a hit from last week's freeze, report Texas Cooperative Extension agents and specialists.

Wheat and grapes took the biggest hits. Damage varied from county to county in the West Central, Rolling Plains, North, West Central and Central regions, Extension experts report.

For the full report, click here.

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Delta cotton planting conditions improving a bit

Some cotton planting started at least a week ago in central Louisiana, and we're also hearing scattered reports about a bit starting in Arkansas.

Tennessee growers have probably not cranked up quite yet, according to Chris Main, the state's Extension cotton specialist. After the Easter weekend freeze and damage to wheat and corn, growers are probably reluctant to jump out there too quickly, he said today.

"Parts of the state aren't to the point that we would recommend planting," he added. "In Lake County today, the soil temperature was 56 on flat ground, and we sure don't need to be planting there yet. Farther south and closer to Jackson, I took a reading, and it was 68, which is almost ideal. I think there will be some cotton going into the ground this weekend and the first part of next week. That depends, of course, on what the weather does between now and then. Rain is in the forecast. But I don't think heavy planting activity will really start until the middle of next week."

Main said cotton acreage could go up at least some because some growers will plant cotton where wheat was killed by the Easter weekend freeze. "Guys are looking for a way to utilize some of the nitrogen applied to the wheat, and cotton is the first thought," he said. "I don't think this will be more than 60,000 acres, though."

Louisiana Extension Cotton Specialist Sandy Stewart issued a positive cotton planting forecast for his state. Stewart said all growing areas in the state were in the "good" range for planting, based on the most recent weather forecast. That means the DD60 accumulation for the 5 days following planting will range between 25 and 50.

"The forecast is for dry weather and a good accumulation of DD60s over the next 5 days," Stewart said in his planting forecast advisory this morning. "The most positive aspect is a warming trend throughout the forecast period. A north wind could persist until early Saturday morning, which should help dry some fields too wet for field work.

"Overall, the outlook for planting cotton is finally a good one. It should be kept in mind, however, that these are not the kind of extremely warm conditions that will result in a full stand 5 days after planting. Emergence and seedling growth is still likely to be slow, so the need for insect and seedling disease protection either in-furrow or on the seed will be needed."

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More info on wheat and corn loss in Easter freeze

In this weekend's AgFax: Southern Grain we will have more on the extent of Southern corn and wheat loss due to the Easter weekend freeze, but here are some of the high points:

• South Carolina and Kentucky Extension specialists say that about half of their wheat crops were likely lost to the freeze.
• In Tennessee, the number might be even higher.
• A good deal of corn will have to be replanted in the upper Midsouth. No firm estimates yet, but we may have more numbers by the time we finish our calls Friday afternoon.
  

We've also posted a couple of items from the University of Kentucky:

• Kentuck:Corn Freeze-Damaged; Still Time for Good Crop 4/19
• Kentucky Farmers Have Options for Freeze-Damaged Wheat 4/19
  

Also, this from Texas: Texas: wheat, grapes take biggest hit from Easter freeze Audio/MP3 4/19

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Why some aphids can't stand the heat

For pea aphids, the ability to go forth and multiply can depend on a single gene, according to new research.

An overheated aphid with a mutation in that gene can't reproduce.

The gene isn't even in the insect -- it's in tiny symbiotic bacteria housed inside special cells inside the aphid.

"It's the first time a mutation in a symbiont has been shown to have a huge impact on host ecology," said Nancy A. Moran, Regents' Professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at The University of Arizona in Tucson. "One version of the gene is good if the aphids experience heat, and the other version is good if they are in cool conditions."

For more information, click here.

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Growing a Virus to Kill Fire Ants?

A virus technology with potential to control red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) is available for licensing from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS). Cooperators are being sought to develop methods for growing and packaging the virus commercially, and for applying it under field conditions.

This pest's massive colonies can cause severe economic problems from crop losses, damage to farm and electrical equipment, and accelerated soil erosion. They also pose a severe threat to humans and livestock vulnerable to the ants' stinging attacks.

For more information, click here.

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For catfish producers: the kind of advertising you can't buy

I barely can stay up late enough to watch David Letterman, so it's a considerable challenge to hang around for Craig Ferguson, whose Late, Late Show airs after Letterman every weeknight on CBS.

I always enjoy Ferguson's wit and self-deprecating style. Ferguson, a Scot, also looks at America with fresh eyes, the same way that Alistair Cooke did for so many years when he was the Washington correspondent for the BBC. His weekly program, Letter From America, was a reason to own a shortwave radio back before the BBC posted his reports on the internet.

A bonus for me this week was Ferguson's appearance on the Letterman show.

Not far into the conversation, Ferguson began telling Letterman how much he enjoys catfish. Yes, catfish.

Sure, he joked about how he was glad he didn't actually see what a catfish looked like before he ate it for the first time. And he also quipped that there were no catfish in Scotland because "it's too wet for them."

But the man was serious when he said he greatly enjoyed this most Southern of dishes. "It's a very delicious fish," he said.

For catfish farmers and the struggling U.S. catfish industry, it was the kind of unsolicited praise that doesn't come along often.

Ferguson, who is in the process of becoming a U.S. citizen, said he discovered catfish because he always makes it a point to drive 5 miles off the interstate when he needs to eat or hit the restroom. It's his way of getting an idea about what America is really like. I thought about Alistair Cooke when Ferguson explained this bit of extra travel. If you ever saw Cooke's PBS series, America, you'll remember that he also delighted in telling stories about small Southern towns that he had visited during his long career.

Ferguson recalled that he first tasted catfish in Ozark, Arkansas, which lies off Interstate 40, just east of Fort Smith and the Arkansas-Oklahoma line.

As I'm writing this post, it's just about dinner time and one of those nights when nobody has time to cook. You can't write about catfish without thinking about eating it.

Debra asked me what I might like for dinner. I had just started writing this entry, and I said, "Please go to Penn's (a local eatery) and pick up the large catfish dinner."

And I just heard her come through the kitchen with the catfish. It's time to eat.

So, thank you, Craig. The catfish producers of America appreciate your kind words and good heart.

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Sport the "Ag Tag" in Georgia

Farmers, who are also Georgia Bulldog fans may have to make a choice, at least on their car tags. Directly benefiting state 4-H and FFA students, the new "Ag Tag" will be available for prepurchase from local tag offices.

Click here for more information.

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Virginia: Friday called as day of remembrance after tragic shootings

We received the following message this afternoon from David Holshouser, Virginia Soybean Extension Specialist:

Virginia Tech family members across the country have united to declare this Friday, April 20, an "Orange and Maroon Effect" day to honor those killed in the tragic events on campus Monday, and to show support for Virginia Tech students, faculty, administrators, staff, alumni, and friends. "Orange and Maroon Effect" was born several years ago as an invitation to Tech fans to wear orange and maroon to Virginia Tech athletic events.

We invite everyone from all over the country to be a part of the Virginia Tech family this Friday, to wear orange and maroon to support the families of those who were lost, and to support the school and community we all love so much.

Georgia Drought is Spreading

It's dry in Georgia -- very dry. David Stooksbury, Georgia climatologist, reports that too little rain has left the northwestern and southeastern parts of the state in a severe drought, with other regions not far behind. The forecast doesn't hold much hope.

For the complete report, click here.

Louisiana bulletin on doublecropping cotton behind wheat

Louisiana Extension cotton specialist Sandy Stewart this week released a special bulletin on doublecropping cotton behind wheat in Louisiana. This is old hat to many growers in places like south Georiga and south Alabama, but it's a system that is just now getting attention in the lower Delta.

Here's a link to Stewart's bulletin on double cropping cotton behind wheat.

Cotton planting conditions improving slightly in southern Delta states

Cotton planting conditions in the lower Delta region are becoming a bit more tolerable, although certainly not perfect yet.

In his Louisiana cotton planting forecast Monday, Extension agronomist Sandy Stewart said the forecast for northeast and northwest Louisiana were still rated marginal, but the forecast for central Louisiana is good.

Click here to read his full report, which we have included in our early-week Delta cotton planting forecast.

We hope to include forecasts from Tennessee starting later this week.

Texas rice: about 45% now planted

About 45% of the Texas rice crop has now been planted and 35% has emerged, based on today's updated Texas Rice Crop Survey page on the Beaumont REC web site. Less than 1% has gone to flood, and all of that was in Matagorda County where growers tend to always plant the earliest.

Texas High Plains wheat crop dodges the Easter bullet

Early Indications Show Wheat Escaped Freeze Injury

AMARILLO (Texas A&M Release, April 13, 2007) - The High Plains wheat crop appears to have escaped injury from temperatures that dipped into the low 20s F for an extended period, said a Texas Cooperative Extension specialist.

After scouting several regions and visiting with concerned producers, Dr. Brent Bean, Extension agronomist, said he thinks the wheat denseness and the soil temperature may have insulated the crop from the cold.

Using the weather station data from the Texas High Plains Evapotranspiration Network, Bean determined that the southwest corner of the Panhandle, in the Bovina-Muleshoe-Dimmitt area, was the most likely area for damage.

"That's where it was the coldest for the longest, and more than likely, if there was any injury, it should have been seen there," he said on Thursday after scouting that region. "It is a little early, but preliminary observations indicate the wheat came out of the cold conditions in surprisingly good shape."

The reason, Bean said, is the wheat has a good canopy and soil temperatures were warming prior to the cold front moving into the area. That tended to insulate the wheat against the air temperatures.

Some temperatures dropped to 24 F in that region, he said, staying below 26 F for more than 30 hours.

"Those are temperatures where we certainly can get freeze damage," Bean said. "We've seen a little bit of leaf burn, but surprisingly not even much of that."

And leaf burn does not indicate a loss of production. Producers should recheck their fields next week, after possible freeze injury symptoms have had more time to show up, Bean said.

Freeze damage has to be analyzed by splitting the tiller and looking at the immature head, he said. If it is green, it is OK. He said because temperatures have been fairly cool since the freeze, it is possible that once it heats up, some injury might start to show up.

"But right now, it looks very promising," Bean said.

Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608,skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Brent Bean, 806-677-5600,bbean@ag.tamu.edu

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North Alabama cotton planting delayed by cold

A little cotton has been planted in north Alabama, but the area is "way behind" where it normally is with the crop for mid April, said Charlie Burmester, Extension Cotton Agronomist in Belle Mina.

"We're getting close to what typically is our peak planting time here," Burmester told us today. "Cold weather has partly held things up, and they're predicting more cold weather again this weekend. Our acreage in north Alabama also could be down by nearly 50%, so there's not quite as much rush as there normally might be."

Growers also are assessing potential damage to corn and wheat after the Easter weekend freeze, he added. "A lot of decisions will be made next week about whether to keep corn stands or replant," Burmester said. "They're going to give priority, I think, to replanting corn, if it's necessary. They'll also determine whether to take wheat fields to harvest or, instead, put the land in something else right away. Some of that may go into beans. But there's also talk of planting cotton to take advantage of nitrogen that was applied to wheat."

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U.S. Treasury clarification will benefit rice farmers, millers

The following press release was forwarded to us this morning:

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Sen. David Vitter announced that the U.S. Department of Treasury has clarified a Cuban-related tax regulation benefiting rice farmers and millers.

Vitter and Louisiana rice farmers and millers have been working to get clarification from Treasury on a rule requiring advance payments in permitted trade of food and medicine with Cuba. The rice farmers and millers were not sure if a letter of credit could serve as a payment in advance.

“Cuba used to be one of our greatest export markets, but since the embargo we lost that market. We didn’t get it back until Congress approved food and medicine sales and now Senator Vitter’s clarification makes for a less bureaucratic transaction,” said Bobby Hanks of the Louisiana Rice Mill, LLC.

Treasury issued a letter on April 6 saying a letter of credit is considered payment in advance in the eyes of the U.S. Treasury. The clarification to allow a letter of credit to serve as a payment in advance helps Louisiana rice farmers and millers sell their rice to Cuba under the limited food trade that is allowed.

Arkansas: Initial freeze/frost damage assessments

NOTE: This post updated twice with new links since initial posting on Thursday morning.

Late Thursday night, Jason Kelly, Arkansas Extension Grain Specialist, send us a follow-up report with more info on determining the health of wheat heads.

Click here to download is April 12 report.

Early Thursday morning, Jason Kelley, Arkansas Extension Grain Specialist, sent out an initial assessment on damage to the wheat crop from frigid Easter weekend conditions.

Click here to download Kelley's report.

NOTE: Since the second revision, Kelley also has sent an update on corn damage and how to assess injury.

Click here for the latest corn update.

Virginia cotton: don't look for an early planting start

Johnny Parker, agronomist for Commonwealth Gin in Windsor, Virginia, noted on his web site this week that the state probably won't make an early start this planting season. The weather, Parker wrote, does not look favorable to planting getting underway before April 20, which is typically considered the first day of the state's planting window.

For his full report on Virginia planting conditions, click here.

Well plugging information on DVD

From a Kansas State University release today:

MANHATTAN, Kan. -- A no-cost DVD on plugging water wells is available now from Kansas State University Research and Extension. Developed by members of the Kansas Environmental Leadership Program, the DVD helps explain why and how abandoned wells should be plugged, said KELP coordinator Judy Willingham.

Copies of the DVD are available from county and district K-State Research and Extension offices or from Kelly Dixon at 316-660-1840 (e- mail kdixon@sedgwick.gov).

A related publication, called Plugging Abandoned Wells (MF935), is also available through any county or district Extension office or on the Web at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/h20ql2/mf935.pdf.

The KELP team also produced another source of information that´s now on the Web at http://www.kswaterwell.org. It covers well-testing information, such as whom to contact and how to sample, as well as general information about contaminants.

Members of the KELP class who had a role in the project included: Tonya Browleewe, Sedgwick County; Kelly Dixon, Sedgwick; Peggy Holloway, Reno; Andy Megrail, Sedgwick; and Sam Sanders, Reno, plus Oklahoman Shanon Phillips.

The Kansas Water Plan Fund provided part of the project funding. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency helps fund the KEP program.

North Carolina wheat: Initial freeze injury assessment

Randy Weisz, North Carolina Extension Wheat Specialist, sent us the following assessment of damage to wheat in his state after the Easter weekend freeze:

Drs. Cowger, Murphy, and I have been looking at wheat these past few days. We've gotten to the Piedmont and Coastal Plains where reports suggest the worst damage occurred. (Click here for assessment photos taken this week.)

I want to emphasize that it is TOO SOON TO TELL exactly what has happened to the small grains crop. The following observations are initial best-guesses. We will have a better idea in 10 days to 2 weeks.

• It appears that heads that had emerged by the time the freeze hit last weekend are lost and will most likely not produce any grain.
• Heads that were partially emerged from the boot may still produce grain at the lower positions that were partially protected by the boot.
• Heads that were still completely in the boot may have made it through the freeze. This will become more apparent by the end of this week. These heads need to be opened up, and the anthers examined. Detailed pictures on how to do that are in the guide I sent out earlier this week. Late heading varieties, or perhaps even medium heading varieties that were planted late are likely in this category.
• Wheat that was still in the boot stage may still suffer head damage as the heads try to emerge from the boot.

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Prompt Progress Made Against a New Threat to Watermelon

From a USDA press release:

Last July, plant pathologist Chandrasekar Kousik of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) U.S. Vegetable Laboratory in Charleston, S.C., was conducting field studies on a watermelon disease when he made a startling discovery: significant infestations of broad mites on watermelon plants.

Kousik knew that he had made a troublesome finding, as broad mites had never been reported on watermelon plants in the United States.

Broad mites, Polyphagotarsonemus latus, feed on at least 60 plant families. Cucumbers are highly susceptible to the mite, which on the watermelon plants was seen damaging tender leaves and growing tips. Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is an important economic commodity grown in 44 states—most prominently in Florida, Georgia, Texas, California, Indiana, South Carolina and North Carolina.

The discovery inspired Kousik, fellow Vegetable Laboratory scientists Amnon Levi and Alvin Simmons, and Clemson University researchers to seek ways to use plants' natural resistance to fight off the mite.

They turned to a collection of wild watermelon—plants from different regions of the world—maintained by the ARS Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit in Griffin, Ga.

Click here to read more.

Mississippi will hold field workshops in NE and Delta to assess freeze damage to wheat

REVISED: From Erick Larson, Mississippi Extension Grain Specialist:

The Mississippi State University Extension Service will host field workshops in northeast Mississippi and the north Delta on Thursday and Friday, April 12 and 13, to assess freeze damage to wheat. Please feel free to attend and/or pass this invite to others who may be interested.

Thursday, first stop: Meet at 9:30 a.m. just north of the Highway 45 bypass and Highway 8 intersection west of Aberdeen on Mr. Murphree Evan's farm. There will be a place to park on the shoulder of the 4-lane.

Thursday, second stop: At Mr. Jamie Rogers Farm near Plantersville. We will meet at Richmond Baptist Church at 1:30 p.m. Traveling on Hwy. 45 alternate south of Tupelo you will take the Verona exit (exit by the water tower) heading east on Co. Rd. 814. Proceed on 814 past Hwy. 6 approximately six miles to Richmond Baptist Church on your right. The wheat will be in that general vicinity.

Friday, first stop: Meet at 10 a.m. approximately 3 miles north of Tutwiler off Hwy. 3 at Thornton Road on Carroll Morris's farm (Fewell Planting company).

Friday, second stop: At 2 p.m. north of Tunica near the intersection of Hwy. 61 and Arkabutla Dam road on Shea Leatherman's farm.

Friday, third stop: At 3:15 p.m. near Olive Branch, north of the intersection of Craft Road and College Road This is the location of a MSU Wheat Variety trial and contains considerable freeze injury varying depending upon variety

If you have any problems or questions call me (Erick Larson) at 662-418-7802 or Charlie Stokes at 662-386-7307.

BetterPivots.Com - info on variable-rate irrigation

Our friend Carl Hobbs and his partner, Jay Holder, have become authorities on the subject of variable rate irrigation.

They now have a web site, betterpivots.com, which provides information on how these GPS-based systems work, the benefits, costs and additional information.

If you thirst for knowledge on the subject of variable-rate irrigation, their site is a good place to start.

Hobbs and Holder are based in Ashburn, Georgia.

Freeze slices Arkansas tomato crop in half

Arkansas tomato farmers could potentially lose half of their current crop to the Easter weekend freeze and frost, the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service reports.

Click here for the latest assessment on injury to the Arkansas tomato crop.

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Western Kentucky wheat damage observations, assessment tips

Phil Needham, a consultant in western Kentucky who works extensively with wheat, has filed a couple of reports on NewAgTalk.Com regarding damage from frost and freezing conditions over the weekend.

His latest post includes photos and suggestions on how to look for damage.

Click here to go to his most recent posting.

Needham's web site.

Arkansas: initial assessments of freeze-related wheat damage

We've posted an initial evaluation from Arkansas on wheat injured by freezing conditions over the Easter weekend.

Click here to read the article.

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Invasive grass may impede Southern forest regeneration

From a USDA Forestry Service Release...

The nonnative invasive grass Microstegium vimineum may hinder the regeneration of woody species in southern forests. Chris and Sonja Oswalt (Forest Service Southern Research Station) and Wayne Clatterbuck (University of Tennessee) set up experiments on a mixed-hardwood forest in southwest Tennessee to study the growth of the invasive grass under different levels of forest disturbance. Study results were published online in the journal Forest Ecology and Management on March 27, 2007.

M. vimineum, commonly called Nepalese browntop or Japangrass, was first identified in 1919 near Knoxville, Tennessee, where it was inadvertently introduced in packing material for porcelain china. Since then, the grass has spread across the southern States, flourishing on floodplains and streamsides and displacing native vegetation.

"Microstegium can invade and persist in the low-light conditions of interior forests, making excellent use of short bursts of sunlight," says Chris Oswalt. "It can also flourish in the full light conditions that follow many canopy disturbances."

While working on a larger oak regeneration study at The Ames Plantation in southwest Tennessee, the researchers noticed a dramatic increase in Microstegium after silviculture treatments that opened the forest canopy. To test whether the grass would negatively impact the regeneration of native woody species, they conducted a separate set of studies nested within the silvicultural study with treatments that ranged from no disturbance to complete canopy removal.

After a season of monthly vegetation measures on a total of 720 plots, the researchers found that although Microstegium biomass did not differ significantly among silviculture treatments, there was a significant difference between treated and undisturbed plots, with Microstegium biomass 2 to 10 times greater in disturbed plots. They also found that the species richness of native woody species on the disturbed plots declined as the percent of Microstegium cover increased.

"We found that when exposed to sunlight, Microstegium can grow rapidly, often forming thick organic mats on the forest floor that directly impede the regeneration of native woody species by blocking sunlight, and indirectly by blocking seeds from reaching the soil in order to germinate," says Chris Oswalt. "This grass, which can be easily overlooked in the understory, should be given more attention by both researchers and land managers."

Frost/freeze effects on soybean rust?

What kind of effect will the Easter weekend freeze have on soybean rust development this season? The following reports were filed Sunday and Monday on USDA's soybean rust web site:

• Florida: "We had a record breaking frost Easter morning, with temperatures in the Panhandle below freezing for several hours. We will not know what this means to the rapidly growing kudzu for several days, but expect that the rust epidemic will be set back several weeks. To see the Quincy, FL overnight weather open the Word file below. Our normal last frost is March 15."
  
  
• South Carolina: "Kudzu was roughly 75% sprouted and growing rapidly when a hard freeze (25F) across the state on the night of April 7 killed more than 50% of the leaves in our sentinel plots in Barnwell and Springfield Counties. This freeze also severely damaged most of the corn, cantaloupe and watermelon crops."
  
  
• Louisiana: "It is unknown at this point whether the low temperatures in the northern half the state had any affect on soybean sentinel plots. the southern half shows no damage to soybeans or kudzu."

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Comments about Kentucky temperatures in wheat canopy

Phil Needham, a crop consultant in west Kentucky, made some interesting observations about temperatures in wheat in his area this morning. He posted them on NewAgTalk.Com, an ag forum.

Here's the link.

Comments about flooding Louisiana rice for frost protection

The following is a memo from Johnny Saichuk, Louisiana Extension Rice Specialist, regarding possible injury to rice from cold weather and considerations about protecting rice with a flood. Questions have been raised due to weekend weather forecasts calling for below-freezing temperatures across parts of the South.

Rice at greatest risk is rice that has been planted a few days and is just coming up or just germinating. If rice at this stage is shut down for any length of time, recovery will be difficult, plus it will open the door to seedling disease and insects like the seed midge.

Rice that is at the one leaf or greater stage of growth will likely suffer as much injury from desiccation due to the north wind as it will to cold temperatures.

The only solution I can suggest to reduce the likelihood of injury in either situation is to put a water blanket on the field. In some cases this will not be possible because the ideal situation is to establish a very shallow flood, hold it until Monday then let it go. The time lag to do both is a problem. Furthermore, not everyone agrees that this is the best practice. It is definitely a judgment call. Next week or the week after we will know what we should have done.

The principle is to provide a thermal flywheel. We want the water to warm up and stabilize the temperature during the night. Clear water, while cold initially, will actually warm up very quickly because of the greenhouse effect. It will also allow light to penetrate to the seedlings helping them carry on photosynthesis to a limited degree. Muddy water, while warmer on introduction, prevents photosynthesis (which is why it is better for weed control) and does not benefit as much from the greenhouse effect.

If rice has been drilled into dry soil – too dry to promote germination – I recommend doing nothing. Let the seed sit there until it is warmer then flush if we do not get the predicted rainfall. It should be the rice at least risk.

It will be a tough balancing act to add water to newly planted, partially germinated or just emerging rice to provide some thermal barrier without also causing seedling injury from deprivation of oxygen and light.

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Freeze advisories, info from Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Pioneer, Terral

Here are 10 documents that relate to the frigid weather in the forecast this weekend and/or provide info for evaluating damage.

KANSAS: Freeze Injury To Wheat. Fact sheet, evaluation photos from Kansas State University.

Arkansas Corn And Grain Sorghum News, 4-6. J. Kelley. Freeze-damage potential to corn and grain sorghum; factors affecting potential damage; assessing damage.

Georgia: Field Diagnosis Of Freeze Injury To Wheat, 4-6. D. Lee. PowerPoint converted to PDF.

North Carolina: Estimating Potential Yield of Wheat Crop. From NCSU Extension Wheat Production Guidelines, from R. Weisz.


Tennessee IPM Newsletter, 4-5, Assessing freeze damage in corn and wheat.

Kentucky Wheat Science News, 4-5. Assessing wheat for freeze damage; deciding whether to cut wheat for hay; nutrient removal from hay cutting; wheat forage production; weed control issues; new fungicide labels.

Mississippi Freeze Advisory, 4-5. E. Larson. Diagnosing freeze injury.|

Mississippi Crop Situation, 4-5. Chinch bugs in corn; stinkbugs in small corn; checking wheat for armyworms; freeze alert; soybean update; cotton planting checklist.

Crop Insights: Early Season Frost Damage To Corn. Info from Pioneer.

Corn Seedlings and Cold Weather. P. Michener, Terral Seed.

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Cold weather: the next big issue for the South

Frigid temperatures will move into much of the South starting Friday night, bringing risk for emerged corn and heading wheat. We expect this drastic weather shift to be the main topic when we make calls today and Friday for AgFax: Southern Grain.

One example: the forecast for Dyersburg, Tenn., calls for lows of 22, 21 and 27 for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, respectively. Lows in the 20s are predicted at least into the northern sections of Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and western portions of North Carolina and Virginia.

This follows a long string of days with highs above normal by as much as 10 to 15 degrees. The weather has pushed early planted wheat and also boosted corn growth.

Questions on ag forums since Wednesday have focused a good deal on what will happen to emerged corn. Midwestern growers with more experience dealing with late freezes, have given have painted a mixed picture. Whether a corn plant dies depends, in part, on where the growing point is. If it's below the soil surface, it will take more cold weather - lower temps and longer duration - to cause harm. If the soil is wet, that may help insulate critical parts of the plant, too, since it takes longer to chill water than dry soil.

To see our high/low temperature maps, click here.

If you want to subscribe to our grain report to follow the story, click here.

When T.S. Elliot wrote that "March is the cruelest month," this was the kind of March he had in mind.

Virginia operation raises marine fish in fresh water

A Virginia company is using patented technology to produce a fast-growing, high-yielding marine fish some 300 miles from the nearest ocean. The company, Virginia Cobia Farms, made its debut at the International Boston Seafood Show this week.

"We believe that freshwater-raised cobia is the next chicken of the sea - one that will fill growing consumer demand for marine fish high in Omega 3 fatty acids without burdening the ocean's already depleted fish stocks," says Bill Martin, chairman of the company which, incidentally, is based in Saltville, Va.

There's one other plus: Virginia cobia are raised in tanks and its feed components are carefully monitored, so there's no risk of mercury content - a growing concern in some marine species.

For more info, click here to read a company press release.

Carbine insecticide approved for California

From an FMC press release this morning:

Philadelphia, April 4, 2007 — FMC Corporation announces that the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) have approved the use of Carbine™ insecticide in the state of California. Carbine contains a new, unique active ingredient that provides superior control of plant bugs (Lygus hesperus) and aphids, resulting in increased cotton yields.

“Carbine will be a critically important tool in helping Insecticide Resistance Management and Integrated Pest Management programs, because it provides a novel mode of action with minimal impact to beneficial insects,” reports Yemel Ortega, Carbine product manager for FMC Agricultural Products Group in the United States.

The new product has no known cross resistance with other insecticides. It has demonstrated excellent efficacy on key sucking pests. “The new mode of action of Carbine causes rapid feeding cessation in plant bugs and aphids resulting in starvation while protecting the crop from damage,” Ortega says. Carbine begins to work in as little as 30 minutes and offers excellent residual control of these key cotton pests.

Rice planting ahead of schedule

Today's USDA crop progress report said that 15% of the rice crop had been planted, 7 points ahead of last year and 8 points ahead of the 5-year average. Arkansas growers were well ahead of their normal pace with 17% planted. Growers in Louisiana and Texas were further ahead at 36% and 31% planted, respectively, slightly ahead of normal in Louisiana, but slightly behind in Texas. Planting was also underway in Mississippi and Missouri, with 4% planted in each State.

Texas A&M study shows how many farms would lose payments under proposed bill

A group of farms included in a recent Texas A&M study would fail to qualify for government subsidies if a proposed $200,000 adjusted gross income limit is approved by Congress.

The Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M University, which uses 64 representative farms as part of its policy analysis, simulated the current farm bill with and without the proposed adjusted gross income cap.

U.S. House agriculture committee members are using the study's findings to help craft a new federal farm program.

The current farm bill excludes producers from farm program payments if their average adjusted gross income for three preceding years exceeds $2.5 million. Less than 75 percent of their adjusted gross income must also come from farming, ranching or forestry operations.

For more on the study, click here.

U.S.-Korea FTA Rice Exclusion Shocks Industry

The USA Rice Federation said its leadership was "shocked" by Monday’s news that rice had been excluded from the United States – South Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) concluded earlier today in Seoul. “USA Rice is clearly disappointed with the news we received today,” said USA Rice Federation Chairman Al Montna, a California rice producer.

For more info, download Monday's USA Rice Federation Daily.

Mississippi cotton specialist accepts Arkansas post

Tom Barber, Mississippi Extension Cotton Specialist, told us today that he has accepted the same position in Arkansas.

Barber, a native of McCaskill, Ark., said he has enjoyed his time in the Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service. "But the opening in Arkansas presented me and my family with a chance to go home, so to speak, and that kind of opportunity won't come along often," Barber said. His wife, Scharidi, is from Springdale, Ark.

The Arkansas position became open when Bill Robertson, the previous Arkansas cotton specialist, joined the National Cotton Council staff a few months ago.

Barber was named Mississippi cotton specialist in the summer of 2004. Barber earned his doctorate from Mississippi State University in 2004. He received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Arkansas in agronomy and weed science, respectively.

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Midsouth still waiting for the rainy season to start

Rain fell throughout the Midsouth and into the Southeast over the weekend, but preliminary reports in the Midsouth indicate that amounts were less than most people wanted.

The Jackson, Miss., Clarion Ledger reported today that the state, as a whole, is behind 5 inches for year-to-date rainfall and that parts of the Delta are 10 inches below average. This March, the report said, may go down as the second driest since 1950. We've heard reports of about 8 tenths at one gauge near Starkville. Our gauge here, just to east of Jackson, accumulated 1.5 inches over the weekend.

We heard several reports from Louisiana, and amounts varied widely, from 3 tenths to 1.5 inches in some areas. Consultant Roger Carter reported Sunday that his area in east-central Louisiana got 6 tenths widely, with up to 1.5 inches in spots. It won't be enough, Carter said, for farmers to start or continue planting on heavy soils. It's dry enough now, he said, that wheat leaves are twisting on lighter and silty soils, and cracks up to 2 inches wide are apparent in clay fields.

The moisture situation seems to improve farther north. Some areas in eastern Arkansas picked up 2 to 4 inches of rain out of the system.

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Texas Wheat Crop Strengthened by Recent Rainfall

Rain last week and into the weekend has benefited at least one state - Texas. Rainfall will give wheat a boost, which the state's grain farmers need after last year's disastrous drought when Texas had the fewest number of harvested wheat acres since 1925.

Click here for a full report from Texas A&M on the rain, wheat crop conditions and updates on disease pressure.