March madness: Wheat weed control options

March madness this spring has cherry trees in full bloom, and apple blossoms ready to pop open. Recent above average temperatures have hastened the arrival of spring and now wheat growers are hoping for April showers for their wheat fields. With April 1st coming just next week, growers are also facing a cutoff date of applications of some herbicides especially in Milton-Freewater and the adjacent Walla Walla Valley areas.

A quick check with MiltonFreewater fruit and grape growers today, indicates that leaves are starting to emerge on horticultural crops in the Walla Walla Valley, which raises the need for additional care to be taken as herbicide applications on wheat as other crops are ahead of “normal” development. Grapes continue to be the most sensitive crop found in the area. Herbicide drift can injure foliage, shoots, flowers and fruits. If injury is severe enough, or occurs repeatedly, it can cause reduced yield, poor fruit quality, and occasionally, vine death.

For downy brome control, Powerflex and Olympus Flex are good choices. Powerflex offers a 9 month plantback restriction which offers some flexibility in future planting decisions. Dan Ball, OSU Weed Scientist recommends a full 3.5 oz rate for a spring application of Powerflex. It has good crop safety, and while he has noted some yellowing with Powerflex under cool application conditions but he hasn’t seen this to affect yield.

For more information visit OSU Extension Cereal Central webpage.

Soil Borne Wheat Disease Expands

The wheat disease, soilborne wheat mosaic virus, has made itself known this spring in parts of the Walla Walla Valley in southern Washington and northeastern Oregon. This is the second time it has appeared, but this time it is more noticeable and wider spread than 2 years ago according to local crop consultant Jerry Zahl of Walla Walla. Two years ago affected areas were small and limited to low lying areas. This time around more fields are affected and larger areas are showing symptoms. Spofford area near Milton-Freewater, Oregon and in the Mill Creek and Russell Creek areas east of Walla Walla, Washington are again seeing the disease.Visit www.cerealcentral.com for more information.

Weather's Impact on Business

Weather's Impact on Business...
I was interviewed today on the potential impacts of weather on PNW wheat crops, check it out!

AgriNews - News - Markets

AgriNews - News - Markets

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Knowing what bugs you

Know what really bugs you is a necessary skill for survival in the farming game! Not knowing what the true "bug" is can lead to faulty decisions and costly expenditures. To add to the complexity of correctly identifying what is bugging you - there is often a disconnect from the pretty moth that flies by and the armyworm eating your wheat heads and flag leaves. Next spring OSU specialists are offering a Insect Identification Train-the-Trainer Short Course. For more information see the Insect ID webpage.

Wheathead Armyworm -the Real Thing!

After looking since June, we have found our first "true" Wheathead Armyworm moth of the year in our insect traps in wheat fields near Helix, Oregon. The last couple of weeks we have found a couple of "false" Wheathead Armyworm moths, BUT at last we have the true one.
This identification of the moth has been confirmed by Silvia Rondon, OSU Extension Specialist, Hermiston, Oregon and Peter Landolt, USDA ARS Research Leader, Wapato, Washington.
After a summer of trapping and collecting insects from our traps it is exciting to find it. It feels like hitting a home run, or at least a triple.

Fall flight of armyworm moths continue

One was still our number this week for "false" wheathead armyworm moths. We will continue to collect for about 3 more weeks to see if the level remains the same, increases or drops.
Fall seeding continues in our area, as growers prepare the fields, hoping to catch the early seeding window. Cool temperatures forecasted for the long Labor Day weekend should help. It looks like many local farmers will follow our family tradition of laboring over Labor Day weekend.