Several spots in the taller soybean field have noticeably circular areas of small growth. After examining the areas several explanations were given. Perhaps there was too much nitrogen in one area as the plants seemed to lodge against one another. When straighten up the plants were the same height as the nearby standing plants. In other circular low areas the plants seemed stunted. Perhaps this was a low spot in the field that held water. Could the plowed headlane be a contributing factor? Was wildlife using these spots to bed down at night?
Random sweeps of the taller soybean field using nets resulted in Japanese beetles, green clover worms and soybean aphids. There was some slight leaf puckering on the perimeter due to thrips. The Jimson weed sprayed two weeks ago is dying off.
The shorter soybean field was sprayed last Monday with Roundup. The young soybean leaves are showing possible potassium deficiency, or this could be from the Roundup spray. We'll review again in another week.
The field corn is looking okay with all the recent rainfall. It currently is in the milk to blister stage. The non-BT corn still has a way to go before October harvest.
In the demonstration plots the giant pumpkins need almost daily monitoring. New buds and flowers are cut off, providing more energy to the established pumpkins. Keeping the plants free from insect damage is a never-ending chore. Several pumpkins look to be about 20 inches. The millet and broomcorn need to be fertilized. The Bell peppers and hot peppers have bacterial leaf spot from all the rainfall. They are still producing some good size fruit. The everbearing strawberries were clipped back from their runners. The pollinator plot has made a nice comeback this year and is attractive heading to the high point of summer.
Below is the weekly summary for the insects caught in the four insect traps. Many beetles were caught this week.
Trap 1 (Black Cut Worm) – 5 Chafer beetles, 4 click beetles, 1 each katydid, black cut worm, coleoptera ssp.
Trap 2 (European Corn Borer) - 1 each stink bug, click beetle, fly.
Trap 3 (Fall Army Worm) - 4 chafer beetles, 3 true armyworms, 1 each click beetle, lightening bug.
Trap 4 (Corn Ear Worm) – 5 noctuids, 2 chafer beetle, 1 each June bug and corn ear worm.
Compiled by John Siemanowski
