Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

Providing Pest Management Education For Home Gardeners In Utah, Nick Volesky, Marion Murray

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

In January 2024, Utah State University (USU) Extension's Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program launched a three-part class series targeting Utah's home gardeners. The goal was to enhance their abilities in identifying and managing insect and plant diseases. With over 200 participants, the series notably increased the knowledge of attendees. This initiative aligns with the USU Extension IPM program's mission to promote sustainable pest management practices across Utah, evidencing its commitment to environmental stewardship and community education.

Role Of Soil Management In Control Of Soil-Borne Diseases, Gretchen F. Sassenrath, Christopher R. Little, Xiaomao Lin

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Soil-borne diseases are a significant cause of crop yield reduction. Alternative soilmanagement methods can enhance the soil’s natural disease-controlling organisms. This study explores the effect of alternative production methods on a primary soybean disease, charcoal rot, caused by the fungus Macrophomina phaseolina. Treatments that could potentially enhance or reduce the disease pressure were implemented, and soil tests were conducted for nutrients, soil properties, and disease presence. Manure increased the nutrient levels in the soil, as expected, but did not influence disease control. Solarization increased the temperature within the plots and increased the number of colony-forming units (CFUs) of M. …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Disease-Reducing Effect Of Calcium Salts Against Postharvest Diseases Of Mango (Mangifera Indica L. Cv. Carabao) Fruits, Melissa P. Montecalvo, Mary Joy C. Mendoza, Teresita U. Dalisay

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

Mango fruits (Mangifera indica L. cv. Carabao) are susceptible to fungal infection, resulting in postharvest diseases. Chemical pesticides are used for disease management but may have a health impact and are costly. Therefore, alternatives to chemical control are necessary to minimize health risks and losses due to postharvest diseases. This research presented the disease-reducing effect of calcium salts, calcium chloride (CaCl₂) and calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), against mango stem end rot (SER) (sometimes caused by Lasiodiplodia theobromae) and anthracnose (caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides sensu lato). In in vitro assays, mycelial growth of both pathogens …

Fungicide Efficacy On Fusarium Head Blight Of Hard Red Winter Wheat In Parsons, Ks, Sylvia R.G. Moraes, Bruno C. Pedreira, Gretchen F. Sassenrath, Erick De Wolf, Rodrigo B. Onofre, Kelsey Andersen Onofre

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

In 2022, a field experiment was conducted to investigate the efficacy of fungicide programs on Fusarium head blight (FHB) and deoxynivalenol (DON) levels. Fungicide treatments were evaluated in plots of the hard red winter wheat cultivar ‘KanMark’ inoculated withFusarium graminearumin Parsons, KS. Treatments consisted of a single application of Prosaro, Caramba, Miravis Ace, Prosaro Pro, or Sphaerex at early anthesis (Feekes 10.5.1), or dual application of Miravis Ace at early anthesis followed by (fb) Prosaro Pro, Sphaerex, or Folicur at 4 days after early anthesis. All fungicide programs numerically reduced FHB visual symptoms and resulted in …

Control Of Soil-Borne Disease Of Soybean, Gretchen F. Sassenrath, Christopher R. Little, Xiaomao Lin, Sylvia R.G. Moraes

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Soil-borne diseases are a significant cause of reduction in crop yield. Alternative management of soils can enhance the natural disease-controlling organisms in the soil. This study explores the impact of alternative production methods on a primary soybean disease, charcoal rot, caused by the fungusMacrophomina phaseolina. Treatments that could potentially enhance or control the disease were implemented, and soil tests were conducted for nutrient and disease presence. Manure increased the nutrient levels in the soil, as expected, but did not impact the disease control. Solarization increased the temperature within the plots, and increased the number of colony forming units …

Does Winter Wheat Yield Response To Fungicide Application Depend On Nitrogen Management?, J. A. Romero Soler, L. O. Pradella, N. Giordano, G. Cruppe, R. P. Lollato

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Nitrogen and fungicide are among the more important management tools to increase wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) grain yield in Kansas. However, there is limited information on whether hard red winter wheat grain yield is impacted by the interaction of nitrogen rates and foliar fungicide application. Thus, our objective was to evaluate the effects of different N rates with or without a fungicide application at Feekes 10.5 on grain yield of two winter wheat genotypes with contrasting disease resistances to leaf and stripe rust. Eleven field experiments were established across Kansas using a factorial structure of two fungicide management options …

Demonstration Farm Provides Educational Opportunity For Ipm, Nick Volesky, Mair Murray

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

The mission of USU Extension’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program is to increase the use of sustainable pest management practices within urban and rural landscapes to provide economic, human, and environmental health in Utah. In the spring of 2022, the IPM program established a vegetable farm to test and demonstrate IPM practices. The farm served as an experiential learning classroom for almost 50 farmers and home gardeners.

Helping Utah Landowners Reduce Pesticide Use Through A Statewide Ipm Program, Nick Volesky, Mair Murray

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

The Utah Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program provides outreach and education to Utahns to reduce pesticide use and ultimately protect human and environmental health. In 2022, the IPM program responded to stakeholders’ needs by partnering with county Extension offices to deliver eight (8) in-person workshops across the state. The workshops connected Extension specialists and county faculty with managers of home landscapes and farms. The objective of the workshops was to provide participants with IPM skills to identify, monitor, and manage pest problems in preparation for the upcoming growing season.

Root Phenotyping Of Peptide-Treated Glycine Max, Salem Jackson, Fiona Goggin

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

Plant elicitor peptides (Peps) – endogenous chains of amino acids involved in natural plant defense – have been shown to decrease damage from herbivores and pathogens by inducing an immune response, increasing the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCS), transcripts, and metabolites. Exogenous treatment of soybean seeds with plant elicitor peptide GmPep3 has been shown to induce these broad-spectrum defenses and offers a new method for increasing crop yield. However, the effects of GmPep3 on indicators of soybean health – root characteristics, growth stages, etc. – have not been fully realized. Using the root-phenotyping platform RhizoVision Explorer, several root traits …

Comparison Of Sensitivity To Fusarium Head Blight In Soft Red And Hard Red Winter Wheat Varieties, G. Sassenrath, K. Andersen Onofre, J. Lingenfelser, X. Lin

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Fusarium head blight (scab) is a problem for wheat production in high rainfall areas. This is a report of research examining the response of wheat varieties on disease susceptibility and wheat yield and quality. Hard red wheat varieties had more disease than the soft red wheat varieties in 2021. Wheat yield was correlated with disease severity.

Winter Wheat Variety Response To Flag Leaf Foliar Fungicide Application In 2019–2020, G. Cruppe, B. R. Jaenisch, R. P. Lollato

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Foliar fungicide can be an important tool in improving wheat yields, but its effectiveness is season- and variety-dependent. To evaluate the yield, test weight, and protein responses of different commercial winter wheat varieties to one foliar fungicide application around heading, we conducted a trial combining four winter wheat varieties and two fungicide management treatments in Manhattan during 2019–2020. The control treatment consisted of no fungicide application, and the alternative treatment consisted of 5 oz/a Absolute Maxx + NIS applied at heading. Varieties evaluated were Bob Dole, Larry, WB4269, and Zenda. The study was conducted under no-tillage practices following a previous …

Winter Wheat Variety Response To Timing And Number Of Fungicide Applications During The 2019–2020 Growing Season In Kansas, G. Cruppe, B. R. Jaenisch, B. Valent, R. P. Lollato

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The objective of this project was to evaluate the yield response of different winter wheat varieties to different fungicide management treatments during the 2019–2020 growing season in Kansas. Fourteen varieties were evaluated under four fungicide treatments (no fungicide, application either at jointing, heading, or at both stages) in five locations across Kansas in a split-plot design. Disease incidence was assessed approximately 20-d after each fungicide application. Septoria blotch and tan spot were the most prevalent early-season diseases at the studied fields, while stripe rust, leaf rust, and tan spot prevailed late in the season. Late-season diseases had a greater effect …

Winter Wheat Response To Different Fungicide Management (Products And Timing Of Application) During The 2019-2020 Growing Season, G. Cruppe, B. R. Jaenisch, R. P. Lollato

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Foliar fungicides can improve wheat grain yield in Kansas, but there is limited information on the efficacy of different products as well as the timing of application. We conducted a field study in five Kansas locations to evaluate the yield, test weight, and protein responses of WB-Grainfield to different commercial fungicides applied at different times during the growing season. The trial was conducted in a randomized complete block design to evaluate (1) a non-treated control; Topguard applied at 5 ounces per acre at (2) jointing, (3) heading, and (4) jointing plus heading; (5) Delaro applied at 6 oz/a at jointing; …

Impact Of Fungicide On Wheat, G. F. Sassenrath, H. Zhao, X. Lin

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This is a report of research to test the impact of fungicide and management on wheat yield and quality. Fusarium head blight (FHB), or scab, is a persistent problem in wheat production, especially in high rainfall areas such as eastern Kansas. Two cultivars of winter wheat varying in FHB sensitivity (Everest, moderately resistant, and KanMark, susceptible) were tested for control of FHB using fungicide treatments made to the seed prior to planting or to the wheat plant at heading, in tilled or no-tilled management. The wet spring of 2020 resulted in high FHB pressure, but dry conditions at harvest re­duced …

Controlling Soil-Borne Disease In Soybean With A Mustard Cover Crop, G. F. Sassenrath, C. Little, K. Roozeboom, X. Lin, D. Jardine

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Charcoal rot is a soil-borne disease that is prevalent in southeast Kansas. The disease infects multiple crops, including soybean, and causes yield reductions. A high-gluco­sinolate mustard with biofumigant properties reduced the population levels in soil and in soybean plants of the fungus (Macrophomina phaseolina) that causes charcoal rot. In this study, management practices that incorporate use of mustard as a cover crop in soybean production systems were tested. Results indicate that tillage increases the char­coal rot fungus. The mustard cover crop was tested in field studies for its impact on soil health, fungal disease and propagules, and soybean …

Influence Of Soybean Planting Date On Sudden Death Syndrome And Soybean Yield, E. A. Adee, C. R. Little, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Sudden death syndrome (SDS) is a disease caused by the soilborne fungusFusarium virguliforme. This fungus prefers wet conditions and thus is usually most severe in irri­gated fields. Sudden death syndrome tends to be most severe on well-managed soybeans with a high yield potential. It also tends to be more prevalent on fields that are infested with soybean cyst nematode (SCN) or planted early when soils are wet and cool. Historical yield losses from this disease are generally in the range of 1–25%.

Soybean planting dates have been moving increasingly earlier in much of the soybean growing region, including …

Modeling Wheat Susceptibility To Disease, H. Zhao, G. F. Sassenrath, X. Lin, R. Lollato, E. D. De Wolf

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) or head scab is a disease caused by the soil-borneFusariumfungus. The disease occurs frequently in southeast Kansas and can result in reduc­tions in wheat yield and quality because of the mycotoxins developed by the fungus. Timely application of fungicides during the heading period of wheat is one option to reduce the fungus and control the infection rate. This study reports our research on use of fungicides to control head scab and improve wheat yield. We developed a model to predict wheat heading date. Accurate knowledge of wheat stage is the first step in developing …

Effect Of Fungicides On Southern Rust Of Corn, E. A. Adee, S. Duncan

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The decision to apply fungicides to corn is not an easy decision in Kansas, especially when grain prices are low. Numerous factors determine what diseases are present, and whether the plants will be defoliated enough to reduce yield. Correctly identifying the disease, knowing what environmental conditions favor the development of an epidemic, and knowing the hybrid’s resistance to the diseases can be known before making the decision. However, knowing if the conditions will be favorable for the spread of the disease up the plant is very unpredictable. A situation like a ‘perfect storm’ for foliar diseases defoliating corn occurred in …

Weed Control And Injury With Non-Labeled Herbicides In Grain Sorghum, R. S. Currie, P. W. Geier, W. Keeling, B. Bean

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Palmer amaranth control at Garden City, KS, was good with Acuron or Lumax EZ. At Lubbock, TX, Palmer amaranth control was excellent with all herbicides except Surestart II and Valor at 1 oz/a. Surestart II and Valor provided only fair control of kochia and Russian thistle late in the season at Garden City. No visible sorghum injury from any herbicide was observed at Garden City, and sorghum yields were not affected. Very dry conditions during the experiment at Garden City likely minimized sorghum injury and limited sorghum yields. At Lubbock, minor sorghum injury was observed early with Acuron and Valor. …

Reducing The Wheat Yield Gap Through Variety-Specific Management, A. De Oliveira Silva, A. K. Fritz, R. P. Lollato

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

In Kansas, wheat yields have been nearly stagnant at approximately 40 bu/a for the past 30 years, which corresponds to a yield gap (the difference between average producer yield and yield potential) of approximately 35 bu/a relative to the state average yield potential of ~75 bu/a. Our objective was to continue investigation on the influence of varieties with different genetic and agronomic characteristics and management practices on grain yield to demonstrate that appropriate variety-specific management can help producers to achieve long-term profitability in a sustainable manner. The Kansas State University wheat variety performance tests (VPT) evaluate 35–50 varieties in more …

Value Of Fungicide Application In Wheat Production In Southwest Kansas, 2017 Report, A. J. Foster, R. Lollato, M. Vandeveer, E. D. De Wolf, R. Currie

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

During the past several years, applying fungicide to wheat has become a more common practice. The availability of cost-effective generic fungicides, as well as the positive yield responses often reported, seem to be the potential drivers for the adoption of such prac­tices by producers. A wheat fungicide trial was conducted in Garden City, KS, to answer the following questions: 1) Are fungicide applications profitable? and 2) Can remote sensing technology be used to quantify the efficacy of different fungicide products? The study consisted of two wheat varieties sown on September 30, 2016 (Oakley CL, highly resistant to stripe rust; and …

Impact On Soybean Yield From Sudden Death Syndrome And Soybean Planting Date, E. A. Adee, C. Little, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) is a disease caused by the soilborne fungusFusarium virguliforme. This fungus prefers wet conditions and thus is usually most severe in irrigated fields. SDS tends to be most severe on well-managed soybeans with a high yield potential. It also tends to be more prevalent on fields that are infested with soybean cyst nematode (SCN) or planted early when soils are wet and cool. Historical yield losses from this disease are generally in the range of 1–25%.

Soybean planting dates have been moving increasingly earlier in much of the soybean growing region, including Kansas. Yield …

Soybean Sudden Death Syndrome Influenced By Macronutrient Fertility On Irrigated Soybeans In A Corn/Soybean Rotation, Eric Adee, Dorivar Ruiz Diaz, C. R. Little

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The effects of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilization on a corn/ soybean cropping sequence were evaluated from 1983 to 2016, with corn planted in odd years. There was a negative relationship between the P rate applied during the corn years and the severity of sudden death syndrome (SDS) in 2014 and 2016 soybean.

Timing Of Strobilurin Fungicide For Control Of Top Dieback In Corn, Eric Adee, Stu Duncan

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Significant yield losses can result from top dieback (TDB) in dent corn, which is caused by infection by the fungus,Colletotrichum graminicola, causing anthracnose. Research is limited on the effectiveness of fungicide application because of the unpredictable nature of the disease. Three field studies were established to assess the timing of fungicide application on foliar diseases that developed TDB, one in Illinois (2010) and the other two in Kansas (2015 and 2016). Fungicide applications at tasseling and later were effective in reducing the incidence of TDB by greater than 20% and increasing yield greater than 14 bu/a, or greater …

Evaluation Of Tall Fescue Cultivars, J. L. Moyer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Spring 2016 yield of tall fescue was higher for ‘NFTF 1051’ than for 12 of the 19 other cultivar entries. Summer production of ‘PBU-B2’ was greater than summer production of the three lower-yielding entries. Fall production of ‘BarOptima PLUS E34’ was higher than that of 12 other cultivar entries, but total 2016 production was greater for PBU-B2, ‘PBU-B7’, and NFTF 1051 than for eight other cultivars.

Wheat Production, Gretchen Sassenrath, D. E. Shoup, R. Lollato

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Wheat production in southeast Kansas is often limited due to high rainfall during the harvest. In some years, this high rainfall can exacerbate disease pressure, especially fungal infections. This study presents results from a test of fungicide applications to control Fusarium head blight (FHB) or scab in poor quality wheat.

Wheat Variety Response To Intensive Vs. Standard Management Strategies To Narrow The Yield Gap In Kansas, A. De Oliveira Silva, A. K. Fritz, R. Lollato

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Farmer-reported wheat grain yield in Kansas is approximately 35 bushels per acre lower than the estimated yield potential of ~75 bushels per acre. Our objective was to determine the influence of variety selection and management on grain yield to elucidate methods to decrease the wheat yield gap in Kansas. Field experiments were conducted at three locations (Ellsworth, Conway Springs and McPherson) in Kansas during the 2015-2016 growing season to evaluate variety-specific response to nitrogen (N) and foliar fungicide. At each site, 35 to 44 winter wheat varieties were evaluated under standard management practice (SM) based on current farmer’s practice of …

Cover Crop System To Control Charcoal Rot In Soybeans, Gretchen Sassenrath, C. R. Little, C. J. Hsiao, D. E. Shoup, X. Lin

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This research compares methods of controlling charcoal rot in soybean cultivars from three maturity groups commonly grown in southeast Kansas. The results indicate that a mustard plant that produces high levels of glucosinolates can be used as a cover crop to reduce the charcoal rot disease in soybeans.

Sudden Death Syndrome And Soybean Planting Date, Eric Adee, C. R. Little, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The effect of planting date on severity of sudden death syndrome (SDS) and yield was evaluated for the second year in two studies at the Kansas River Valley experiment fields in 2016. One study was established to promote SDS and the other to minimize SDS. In both studies the severity of SDS was greatest with the earlier planting dates. The yield was greatest with the earlier planting date, except for the most susceptible variety. The severity of SDS was not as great as had been observed in previous years. There is a very positive benefit to planting in early May …