Should You Spray Cereal Leaf Beetle? Written By Dominic Reisig

Should You Spray Cereal Leaf Beetle?
Written By Dominic Reisig, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist,
Entomology - NC State University
How many insects are there? Our established threshold is one larva or egg per four tillers, with
more larvae than eggs present to justify a spray. Note that scouting should be done away from
the field edge, since they tend to clump in fields and near edges. Dirty pant legs and windshield
scouting will not work for this insect. Your eye tends to be drawn to damage; when you pull
random tillers, rather than scanning the field, there are fewer insects than you think. Note that
I am only aware of a handful of fields in a single northern NC county that have exceeded
threshold. We are in a very light beetle year.
Cereal Leaf Beetle Larva
Cereal Leaf Beetle Eggs
Did you spray an insecticide already? If you sprayed an insecticide a month ago, consider it
gone. Residual from pyrethroids for cereal leaf beetle is phenomenal. However, at its best, it
will last a month.
Stage of the wheat. Wheat is most sensitive to cereal leaf beetle at flag leaf emergence,
followed by the boot stage. Wheat is much less sensitive to cereal leaf beetle after heading,
with only small yield reductions caused by cereal leaf beetle during grain fill (Webster et al.
1972, Buntin et al. 2004). So consider wheat planted in October to be safer from loss than
wheat planted in November.
How are you going to apply the spray? Keep in mind that yield loss solely due to drive-down
after jointing is 3.3% (assuming a 90 foot boom with 18-inch tires).
What is the yield potential of the wheat? Based on current prices, thresholds should only be
raised by 6% when the yield potential moves from 60 bushel to 40 bushel wheat. So the insect
should be treated, even on low yield potential wheat, but ONLY if it exceeds the threshold of
one larvae or egg per four tillers.
Using the Wheat Scab Risk Website
Written by Christina Cowger, Small Grains Pathologist
USDA-ARS, Department of Plant Pathology
North Carolina State University
Questions are coming in about the wheat scab risk forecasting website. Here are a few key
points to keep in mind:
1)
The way risk is predicted has changed slightly. Risk is now based mainly on high relative
humidity (RH) during the 15 days prior to the date you pick as the assessment date. (Of course,
RH is very related to rain.) The level of risk – low, medium, or high – for a given assessment
date comes from the cumulative total of scab-conducive hours over the past 15 days. The
assessment date is intended to be the date on which your field is at early flowering, so that if
necessary, you could apply a fungicide at that time, which is the best time for application, based
on actual current scab risk.
2)
Will the rain affect my scab risk in one week from now, when my crop will be flowering?
As you can see from point #1, the answer is “yes.” On any given assessment date, the risk is
determined by how many scab-conducive hours occurred in the last 15 days. As it happens, NC
isn’t supposed to get any more rain until the weekend, so scab risk will likely diminish in the
next few days as conducive hours “fall off the back” of the 15-day window (sort of like when
you claim against your auto insurance and then wait for your premiums to go down again).
3)
A key new feature of the website is that you can specify the scab resistance level of your
crop: very susceptible, susceptible, moderately susceptible, or moderately resistant. You can
find scab resistance levels of North Carolina wheat varieties at the NC Small Grains Production
website – it’s the link on the right called 2014 Wheat Variety Performance and
Recommendations. Our categories are S, MS, MR/MS, and MR – a little different from the scab
risk website, but same basic idea. You will notice that the current risk level is VERY different in
North Carolina depending on the resistance of the wheat variety.
4) The risk website shows that if you have a susceptible or very susceptible variety, scab risk
is currently high or moderate throughout North Carolina.
In response to questions about fungicides to manage scab, here’s what we know from the
national uniform fungicide trials, which total 309 studies over 19 years in 16 states:
1)
Timing: applications prior to flowering are much less effective. (Apparently some
sources are putting out inaccurate information on this point.) Early to mid-flowering is the best
timing, and up to 5-7 days after flowering may be effective too. Here are the national averages
for Prosaro and Caramba relative to unsprayed checks:
Heading: 31% reduction in blighting symptoms, 24% reduction in DON
Flowering: 51% reduction in symptoms, 40% reduction in DON
5-7 days after flowering: 44% reduction in symptoms, 41% reduction in DON
So – if it takes several days to treat all one’s fields, it’s better to start at flowering and
end a few days later, rather than start before flowering.
2)
Strobilurins: DON (vomitoxin) is likely to be increased by strobilurins relative to
unsprayed checks or triazoles when strobilurins are applied after flag leaf. Strobilurin
fungicides should be avoided for managing scab, and flag leaf appears to be the growth stage
after which a strobilurin application is likely to increase DON if there is a scab epidemic.
If you’d like the details, they can be found here:
http://scabusa.org/pdfs/nfhbf14_GS3_Madden.pdf
In North Carolina, scab risk levels for wheat flowering today are lower than they were on
Tuesday due to dry weather – no surprise. The risk website is producing very different
forecasts based on variety resistance levels – I would take this with a grain of salt. In other
words, the high risk statewide for VS varieties is probably a bit overstated, and the low risk
statewide for S, MS, and MR is a bit understated. Risk after the coming rainy weekend will
certainly increase. Keep in mind – risk is always forecast for wheat flowering on the assessment
date you choose.
Information about these fungicides can be found online at:
http://www.smallgrains.ncsu.edu/_Pubs/Xtrn/FungicideTable.pdf
Information about optimal sprayer setup for head scab management can be found for ground
and air applicators at:
http://www.smallgrains.ncsu.edu
Information about head scab identification and management can be found at:
http://www.smallgrains.ncsu.edu/head-scab.ht
2015 Coastal Plain Small Grain Field Day
The 2015 Coastal Plain Small Grain Field Day was held yesterday, April 23rd at Forbis Farms in
Lumber Bridge, N.C. About 75 people attended the event to see the latest in small grain
research. Field tours began around 4:45pm where growers could see different test plots
including Ryegrass control in Small Grains, Plant Growth Regulators, the Official Variety Testing
Program, and Nutrient Response in Winter Rapeseed. The event concluded with a BBQ dinner,
door prize giveaways, and as always homemade ice cream and freshly baked cookies. Thank
you to everyone who attended yesterday and also the ones that helped make this possible!
Below are a few pictures from the event, please visit our photo gallery on our website for
additional pictures.
Small Grain Research Field Days: Dates & Locations
May 14th - 10:00am
Lower Piedmont Field Day
Union County
Gilliard Brothers Farm
5616 Old Highway Rd.
Monroe, NC 28112
__________________________
May 21st - 3:00pm
Eastern NC Small Grain Field Day
Beaufort County
Griffin Farms
1694 Avenue Road
Washington, NC 27889
SYGENTA WHEAT FIELD DAY
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Carl Coleman Farm
1110 Harllee’s Bridge Road
Dillon, SC
You are cordially invited to our wheat field day at the Syngenta Seeds Test Plot on Tuesday,
May 5, 2015. The field day will begin with registration at 9:30 a.m. and the program beginning
at 10:00 a.m. The program will conclude at 12 noon followed by a Bar-B-Que lunch.
If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Phil Farmer by calling 910-231-3399 or by email to
pfarmer1@ec.rr.com or ryan.heiniger@syngenta.com before Friday May 1st. Please indicate
you will attend the Dillon, S.C. field day. We look forward to seeing you!
Topics to be Discussed:
Economics of Growing Wheat
Diseases & Insects
High Yield Management
Seed Treatment Options
Variety Update
2.0 Certified Crop Advisor Credits (CCAs) have been applied for
Credits for Pesticide Applicator’s License have been applied for in both NC & SC
DIRECTIONS
Farm location – Approximately one mile south of Little Rock, SC on Harllee’s Bridge Road.
From north of Dillon, take I-95 south to exit 193. Turn right on SC 9 to Little Rock (3 miles).
Turn left on Harllee’s Bridge Road and proceed south about 1 mile to farm on left. Watch for
AgriPro COKER sign at drive-way.
From south of Dillon, take I-95 north to exit 190, turn left on SC 34 west. Go approximately 1
mile to Harlee’s Bridge Road. Turn right and follow Harllee’s Bridge Road approximately 3 miles
to farm on right. Look for AgriPro COKER sign at drive-way.
SYNGENTA WHEAT FIELD DAY
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Syngenta Research Farm
8416 Highway 903N
Ayden, NC 28513
You are cordially invited to our wheat field day at the Syngenta Seeds Research Farm. The field
day will begin with registration at 9:30 a.m. and the program beginning at 10:00 a.m. The
program will conclude at 12 noon followed by a Bar-B-Que lunch. CCA – CEU credits will be
available.
If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Phil Farmer by calling 910-231-3399 or by email to
pfarmer1@ec.rr.com or ryan.heiniger@syngenta.com . Please do so before Friday May 1st.
Please indicate you will attend the Ayden, NC field day.
Topics to be Discussed:
Economics of Growing Wheat
Feed Grain Initiative
High Yield Management
Insects & Disease
Variety Update
2.0 Certified Crop Advisor Credits (CCAs) have been applied for
Credits for Pesticide Applicator’s License have been applied for
DIRECTIONS
Farm location – NC Highway 903 near Ormondsville, NC.
From Greenville take Highway 903 south into Green County. Farm is approximately 1 mile from
the county line on the left. Look for signs at entrance to metal building behind white house on
the left.
From Snow Hill take Highway 903 north thru Maury and Ormondsville. Farm will be
approximately 1 mile beyond Ormondsville on the right. Look for signs at entrance to metal
building behind white house on the right.
National Association of Wheat Growers: Weekly Update
Grain Standards Act Reauthorization Efforts Underway
On Monday, NAWG sent a letter to members of the House Agriculture Committee concerning
NAWG’s priorities for reauthorization of the Grain Standards Act. The Act, which governs grain
inspections for export and authorizes the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS), is up for
reauthorization this year and is under consideration by both chambers of Congress. Specifically,
NAWG is opposed to allowing inspections by private entities and supports continuing FGIS’
ability to delegate inspection authority to states.
On Wednesday, the House Agriculture Committee’s General Farm Commodities and Risk
Management Subcommittee held a hearing to review the Grain Standards Act ahead of its
reauthorization efforts. During the hearing, the Subcommittee heard testimony from David
Winkles, president of the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation; David Cox Sr., national
president of the American Federation of Government Employees; and Nick Friant, business unit
food safety leader at Cargill in Minnesota, representing the National Grain and Feed Association
and the North American Export Grain Association. Information about the hearing, including
testimony, can be found at this link. Draft bill text for the reauthorization process is expected to
be released soon. The Senate Agriculture Committee is also expected to begin its process soon
as well. NAWG will continue to actively monitor the process on behalf of wheat growers.
Senate Committee on Agriculture Discusses Trade with Cuba
The U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry met on Tuesday to discuss
the benefits and potential costs of opening agricultural trade with Cuba. Chairman Pat Roberts
(R-KS) began the discussion by stating that granting Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) is good for
agriculture and that international trade is vital to our nation. He concluded by stating,
“Agriculture has long been used as a tool, not a weapon, a tool for peace and stability.” USDA
Undersecretary for Farm and Foreign Agriculture Services Michael Scuse cited the fact that
Cuba currently imports around 80 percent of the food its people eat. The 11 million Cuban
citizens, he observed, represent a large potential market for American ag producers.
Also among the witnesses was Doug Keesling, a fifth-generation farmer and commissioner of
Kansas Wheat. Referencing his recent fact-finding trip to Cuba, he stated, “Cubans eat a lot of it
[wheat], and they’re the largest wheat importer in the Caribbean, to the tune of nearly 30
million bushels per year. That would be over 10 percent of all the wheat grown in Kansas going
to this one island just a couple days’ sail from U.S. ports.” Other testimonies continued to focus
on the great opportunities ag trade with Cuba would create for American farmers.
Senate and House Committees Consider Trade Promotion Authority
On Tuesday, April 21, 2015, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing concerning Trade
Promotion Authority, where the committee heard testimony from Thomas Donohue, president
and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and from Richard Trumka, president of the AFLCIO. The hearing preceded the Finance Committee’s Wednesday consideration of S. 995,
bipartisan legislation to renew Trade Promotion Authority. A summary of the legislation as
introduced can be found at this link. During the markup, the Committee considered a number
of amendments and adopted three. Adopted amendments include: one from Senator Cardin
(D-MD) that would add a negotiating objective with the intent of enhancing U.S.-Israel trade; a
second amendment from Senator Cardin to make the human rights/good governance
negotiating objective a principal goal; and an amendment from Senator Menendez (D-NJ) that
would prohibit TPA from applying to trade agreements with countries that don’t sufficiently
combat human trafficking.
On Thursday, the House Ways and Means Committee also began consideration of the TPA
legislation. As of this writing, the markup hadn’t yet concluded, but updates can be found at the
Committee’s website.
NAWG Participates in Field to Market Meeting
NAWG Treasurer David Schemm participated in the Field to Market meeting last week at CocaCola headquarters in Atlanta, Ga. Field to Market is working within the agriculture supply chain
on sustainability metrics and fieldprint projects with individual food company members. As
consumers become more interested in purchasing sustainably grown food, food companies and
retailers are looking to work within the supply chain to highlight sustainable production in the
United States. NAWG has been a member of Field to Market for several years, seeking to
ensure a greater understanding of wheat production and advocating for wheat growers. During
the meeting, the workgroups and separate membership sectors had a chance to meet face to
face and discuss work for the coming year. The General Assembly met to review the
organization’s business plan, membership and dues structure. Schemm represents NAWG on
the Technology workgroup and Keira Franz represents NAWG on the Information,
Communication and Education workgroup.
Palmer Presents Closing Remarks at McFadden Lecture
On Monday, NAWG CEO Jim Palmer gave closing remarks at the Edgar S. McFadden Lecture on
Wheat Improvement held in Washington, D.C., at the USDA Whitten Building. The program
included Kevin D. Kephart, vice president for Research and Economic Development at South
Dakota State University. His talk was entitled “Foundations for the Green Revolution: The
Insights of Edgar S. McFadden and Norman E. Borlaug.” Edgar McFadden envisioned and
accomplished the first major breakthrough in conferring genetic resistance to stem rust in
wheat. His work set the stage for the successes of Dr. Norman Borlaug and is still making a
critical difference today in food production. NAWG looks forward to the continued partnership
with SDSU and the Edgar S. McFadden Endowment for Wheat Improvement.
Wheat Foods Council Releases their latest “Kernels” Magazine
Spring has sprung so get busy reading the latest issue of Kernels, our e-magazine keeping you
on the pulse with wheat foods news, features and recipes. In this issue, we delve into new
research findings about whole grains, as well as fresh, new recipes and what’s trending on the
grains front. Highlights include:
•A recent study from Harvard University, which shows that eating whole grains may extend
your life.
•Support from the Grain Chain for the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) report
recommendation to continue to make half of all grain intake to come from whole grains.
•New flavor trends for grain foods (think toast and toast flavors) and pies – not just for dessert
anymore!
•Three of our newest recipes that are quick, healthy, and delicious.
•A brief history lesson on what was on the “Meso” (as in Mesolithic) diet.
So kick back and enjoy the read, then get cooking and savor the recipes because at the Wheat
Foods Council, taste and nutrition go together. The Kernels Magazine can be found on this
website: http://www.wheatfoods.org/subscribe