BCCAC May 22nd Workday

Another successful Rutgers Master Gardener workday at the Burlington County Community Agricultural Center.  Crops have been planted in the demo plots and given tender loving care as demonstrated by our new irrigation system.  Stay tuned as we monitor the plots and report on our progress.  Thank you to all the Master Gardeners who came out and made the day a success.

Do you know about the Rutgers - Plant and Pest Advisory newsletter?

This week I received an update from the Plant & Pest Advisory and was reminded of the usefulness of the information.  For those of you unfamiliar with it, the Plant & Pest Advisory shares concise, timely, seasonal management information that has been used to sustain New Jersey's commercial growers for over 40 years. The articles focus such varied topics as insects, disease, and weed management for fruit, vegetable crops, field and forage crops, ornamentals and turf.  While the advisories are meant for commercial operators, they also can provide useful information to community gardeners and home gardeners. The information comes directly from Rutgers research and extension facilities to subscribers.   Emerging issues in nutrient management, farm food safety, crop insurance and risk management education, and disease forecasting using NEWA (Network for Environment and Weather Applications) can also be found within the pages of the Plant & Pest Advisory newsletter.  For the most recent post or to subscribe, please visit the link:  http://plant-pest-advisory.rutgers.edu/ .

Additional Information

Network for Environment and Weather Applications - Cornell University

May 9th IPM Session at BCCAC

One of the most import tasks we completed during our last IPM session was the setting of the insect traps.  Insect traps can be divided into two categories: passive and active.  Passive traps do not use a lure to attract insects. Examples of passive traps are sticky traps, pit-fall traps and water traps.  Active traps use a lure of some kind, such as color, food, light and pheromones.  The traps we set this week were active traps that use pheromones. 

What is a pheromone? Pheromones are chemicals released into the environment in small amounts through special glands in the insects.  Pheromones are species specific and may stimulate one gender or all genders.  Male moths can detect pheromones using their antennae.

A pheromone trap at BCCAC

The pheromone traps we set are for:

• Cutworms
• Corn Earworms
• European Corn Borer
• Fall Armyworm

Each week we will examine the traps and record our observations.   Our observations will be shared in this blog and used by the farmer in making pest control decisions.

Setting a pheromone trap

Bill Bamka, Rutgers County Agricultural Agent demonstrates the use of a square for measuring thresholds

Another important segment of our session was devoted to the discussion of thresholds.  For IPM,  the threshold is the level that a pest population must reach before some action must be taken.

Types of Thresholds

• Economic Thresholds
• Damage Thresholds
• Economic Injury Thresholds
• Aesthetic Thresholds 

Thresholds can vary throughout the season.  Thresholds are constantly revised as the crop reaches different development stages, as new pests appear and as the commodity prices change.  As the season progresses we will be reporting on the thresholds of the crops were are monitoring.

Using a square to evaluate ground cover

Additional Information

Antennae used to detect pheromones, find mates: moths

Insect Traps and Barriers - Cornell University

Economic thresholds - Texas A&M

Pest of the Week - Cereal Leaf Beetle

The pest of the week is the Cereal Leaf Beetle(Oulema melanopus Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Before we talk about the Cereal Leaf Beetle, let us take a look at the beetle family.  Beetles are the most common type of insect.  Beetles are everywhere.  But beetles can be confused with other kinds of insects, especially some true bugs.  So how do you recognize a beetle?

First look for the wings and wing covers.  Most insects have wings, and those that do have two pairs.  Beetles differ from all other winged insects by having the first pair of wings hardened and thickened.  These hard forewings serve as a protective shield for the fragile flying wings, which are folded underneath. The Latin name for this order, Coleoptera, means “folded wing”.  Wing covers in beetles meet in a straight line down the middle of the back  

The Cereal Leaf Beetle adult is about 1/4 inch long with a bright orange thorax and blueish metallic head and wing covers.

Adult Cereal Leaf Beetle

 

The first sign of Cereal Leaf Beetle activity in the spring is adult feeding damage on the plant foliage. Adult injury to the plant is characterized by elongated, slender slits in the upper leaf surface.

Damaged wheat leaves and larvae (Purdue University)

While this is the first sign of infestation, it is Cereal Leaf Beetle larvae that are the target of control. Eggs and larvae are monitored by inspecting individual plants.  Thresholds are expressed as egg and larval numbers per plant or per stem.
The boot stage is a critical point in wheat plant development.  When the flag leaf emerges, feeding is generally restricted to the flag leaf. Damage to this leaf can significantly reduce grain yield and quality.  At the boot stage, the threshold is one larvae or more per flag leaf.

The Feekes scale of wheat development

Lady beetles prey on Cereal Leaf Beetle larvae. Several imported parasitic insects attack Cereal Leaf beetles.  The parasites imported from overseas and established in some areas of the U.S. include Anaphes flavipes, a wasp that parasitizes Cereal Leaf Beetle eggs

Additional Information

Bug Club Identification Key - University of Florida

InsectID: Beetles - UW-Madison

Cereal Leaf Beetle Biology and Management - Virginia Tech

Growth Stages of Wheat - Texas A&M Extension

Growth and development guide for spring wheat - University of Minnesota

IPM Information for April 30, 2013

On April 30th we held our second IPM session of the season.  The traps were examined, but nothing of significance was found.  A few cereal leaf beetles were found, but not in quantities to warrant any concern.

Information was presented on the decision making process and sampling techniques used in IPM.  The basic components of an IPM program such as :

• Pest identification
• Pest monitoring
• Determination of economic injury level
• Pest control strategies

were also reviewed.

Looking for alfalfa weevils and other pest

The threshold or the point at which pest populations or environmental conditions indicate that pest control action must be taken were demonstrated using the alfalfa crop.  Detailed information on the pest should be gathered before any action is taken.  The following list summarizes the key information that should be gathered for each pest:

1. Pest Status
2. Life stage identification
3. Life cycle in relation to growing season
4. Optimal techniques for monitoring populations
5. Opportunities to exploit pest weaknesses
6. Availability of phenology models to enhance timing of control
7. Biological control potential
8. Pros and cons of available tactics

A handout was distributed and information was presented on the six main classes and uses of wheat.  The main classes of wheat we discussed were:

• Durum Wheat, the hardest of all U.S. wheats, is seeded in the spring and contains a high amount of protein (12­16%), which is good for pasta products macaroni, spaghetti, and other noodles.  Total acreage is about 3.2 million acres. 


• Hard Red Spring Wheat contains the highest protein content (13­16.5%) making it an excellent bread wheat with superior milling and baking characteristics.  Total acreage is about 13.8 million acres.


• Hard Red Winter Wheat is the class of wheat used mostly for bread and all-purpose flour.  Hard red winter wheat accounts for more than 40% of the U.S. wheat crop and half of U.S. wheat exports. The flour is used to produce bread, rolls, some sweet goods, and all-purpose flour. Total acreage is about 23 million acres.


• Hard White Wheat is the newest class of wheat to be grown in the United States. Hard white wheat is closely related to red wheats except for the color genes and has a milder, sweeter flavor, equal fiber, and similar milling and baking qualities. Hard white wheat is used in yeast breads, hard rolls, bulgur, tortillas, and oriental noodles. This wheat is used in domestic markets and is exported in limited amounts.  Total acreage is about 0.3 million acres. 


• Soft Red Winter Wheat is seeded in the fall, has a low to medium protein content with soft endosperm, and is used to make cakes, pastries, flat breads, and crackers.Total acreage is about 13.0 million acres.


• Soft White Wheat is used much the same way as soft red wheat (for bakery products other than bread). Total acreage is about 8.3 million acres.

At BCCAC soft red winter red is grown.

Additional Information

Cutworm - Rutgers Agricultural Experiment Station

Ceral Leaf Beetle - Penn State University

Alfalfa Weevil - Penn State University

USA Phenology Network

Phenology - Aldo Leopold Foundation

University of Tennessee - Corn Insect Control Recommendation

University of Missouri-Columbia - Corn Insect Pest: A diagnostic guide

Ohio State University - Classes and Uses of Wheat

Recent Workday at BCCAC

Photos from the most recent workday at the BCCAC (Burlington County Community Agricultural Center).  We began work and prepped the raised beds and rain garden several weeks ago by applying weed barriers and mulch.  To see the results of our work please visit the BCCAC this weekend.

Don't forget that on May 11th the BCCAC will be hosting a Garden Expo from 10am-3pm.  The Garden Expo will feature plant vendors, gardening presentations and a Mother's Day craft for kids. Admission and parking are free.  Please click the FLYER link for additional information.

Applying finishing touches

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Mission accomplished