Don't Forget to Scout for Timothy Mites (Cereal Rust Mites)

Apr 18, 2022

By Andrew Frankenfield and John Tooker

To determine whether this pest species is active in your timothy fields, scout fields for signs of damage. Mite feeding causes leaf blades to roll up. Look for leaf blades that are rolled up tightly, rather than leaf blades that are flat and normally expanded. The mites are very small, so to see them you will need a good hand lens or other magnifying device. Pick rolled leaves from around the field and inspect them carefully; mites tend to occur in grooves between the leaf veins. Treatment is recommended if 25% of tillers show the leaf curling within several weeks of green-up. Chemical options are very limited, but Sevin XLR Plus is has a supplemental label in PA at 3 pints per acre allowing its use against mites on timothy. Carrier rates of 20-25 gallons per acre are needed to get the material into the leaf rolls.

rust-mites
Curling timothy tillers due to Cereal Rust Mite feeding. Photo: A. Frankenfield, Penn State Extension

The mites cause two negative impacts, yield loss and quality. Yield losses have been estimated at 30-70% and hay quality is reduced due to dead, brown leaves. Timely application and spray coverage is important for effective control. Typically, first year fields are not as likely to have high populations of mites as older fields. If your fields meet the threshold of 25% of leaves being curled, then treatment is recommended to prevent more leaves from rolling, which can protect mites from receiving the pesticide.

Source : psu.edu

Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.