Education Commons^™

G89-900 Phytophthora Root Rot Of Alfalfa, John E. Watkins, Fred A. Gray, Bruce Anderson

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Disease cycle, symptoms and management practices for phytophthora root rot are discussed in this NebGuide.

Phytophthora root rot (PRR) is a major cause of seedling death in newly established alfalfa, and causes a progressive decline of established stands in Nebraska. This disease is caused by the fungus Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. medicaginis and occurs in most of the alfalfa producing areas in North America.

The Phytophthora that infects alfalfa is different from the Phytophthora that causes root rot in soybeans. Growers sometimes think the two diseases are the same for the respective crops, but they are two different diseases with …

G89-931 Alfalfa Anthracnose, John E. Watkins, Bruce Anderson

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Symptoms, disease cycle and control of alfalfa anthracnose are discussed here.

Forage crops are grown on and harvested from more acres in Nebraska than any other crop. Of the almost 49 million acres of agricultural land in Nebraska, approximately 24 million acres are in hay. Alfalfa production has stabilized at about two million acres.

High feed and forage production costs and periodic droughts have generated increased concern by farmers and ranchers over forage losses from diseases, insects and environmental stresses. Estimates suggest about one-fourth of the U.S. alfalfa hay crop and one-tenth of the seed crop are lost annually to …

G88-890 Pythium Blight Of Turfgrass, John E. Watkins, Robert C. Shearman

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Causes, symptoms and treatment for pythium blight are covered here.

Pythium blight, sometimes called "grease spot" or "cottony blight," is no longer a disease of golf courses; it also is a serious problem in home lawns and other turfs. Caused by several species of Pythium fungi, the two most commonly associated with Pythium blight are Pythium aphanidermatum and P. graminicola. These fungi are in a group known as "the water molds," a group that includes Phytophthora and other pathogenic genera. They are referred to as "water molds" because they function best under wet, saturated soil conditions.

The Pythium species …

G87-858 Juniper Blight Diseases, Luanne V. Coziahr, David S. Wysong

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Recognition and control of several needle and twig blight pathogens which attack junipers.

Junipers are widely used throughout Nebraska in both ornamental landscape plantings and windbreaks. Eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana), Rocky Mountain juniper (J. scopulorum), and other common juniper species are subject to attack by several needle and twig blight pathogens. It is important to properly identify and separate the diseases involved, as each may require a different procedure for effective control.

Ec86-1862 Nebraska Commercial Turfgrass Disease Control Guide For Profession Turfgrass Managers, John E. Watkins, Robert C. Shearman

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This extension circular contains four-color photos to help professional turfgrass managers identify the different turfgrass diseases in Nebraska. Tables are included that describe the disease, the common name of fungicides, trade names, and descriptions of how to control these diseases.

G86-824 Snow Mold Diseases Of Turfgrasses (Revised February 1991), John E. Watkins

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

How to identify, prevent, and control the principal snow molds of turfgrass in Nebraska.

Principal snow molds of Nebraska turfgrass are Fusarium patch (pink snow mold) and Typhula blight (gray snow mold). Of these two, Fusarium patch is usually the most prevalent and, due to the general lack of continuous snow cover during winter, probably the most damaging. Although snow molds occur on most types of turf grown in Nebraska, fine-leaved turf types are more often seriously injured than coarser lawn grasses.

G85-751 Thatch Prevention And Control (Revised July 1992), Roch E. Gaussoin, Terrance P. Riordan

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebGuide describes how thatch accumulation damages turfgrass sites, and gives methods for removing accumulations and preventing their reoccurrence.

Thatch is a problem on many turfgrass sites. It consists of a tightly intermingled layer of dead and decaying turfgrass tissues derived from stems, roots and leaves.

G85-742 Dollar Spot Disease Of Turfgrass, John E. Watkins, Terrance P. Riordan

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebGuide describes the symptoms and disease cycle of dollar spot, and provides recommendations for controlling this turfgrass disease.

Dollar spot of turfgrass is one of the most persistent diseases on golf courses in North America. All commonly grown turfgrasses in Nebraska may be attacked, but differences in susceptibility exist within cultivars of the various turf species. Presence of dollar spot in a well-managed lawn affects its aesthetic appearance and value, but usually does not threaten its survival. Lawns recover from dollar spot injury when conditions are favorable for vigorous, healthy growth.

G84-701 Septoria Leaf Blotch Of Wheat, John E. Watkins

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebGuide describes the symptoms and disease cycle of this wheat disease, and provides recommendations for its control.

Two species of Septoria fungi infect winter wheat in Nebraska. Septoria tritici and S. avenae f. sp. triticea cause Septoria leaf blotch. This disease is also known as "Septoria tritici blotch," "Septoria leaf spot," "Septoria blotch," "Speckled leaf blotch" or as the "Septoria complex" since both Septoria species may be present in the same fields and on the same plants.

G81-558 Tall Fescue Lawn Calendar (Revised April 2004), Terrance P. Riordan, Roch E. Gaussoin, John E. Watkins, Frederick P. Baxendale

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebGuide on tall fescue lawns discusses the calendar dates of when to mow, fertilize, water, apply herbicides and pesticides, check for insects and diseases, remove thatch, and when to aerify and overseed.

Ec81-1869 Guide To The Identification Of Physiological Disorders Of Landscape Plants, John E. Watkins, Donald H. Steinegger

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Physiological disorders are plant diseases caused by non-living agents. Other terms for this group of disorders are abiotic diseases or noninfectious diseases.

Physiological disorders are often confused with pathogen-caused diseases but they do not spread from plant to plant as do diseases caused by living organisms. Landscape plants are often exposed to toxic materials, mechanical damage, nutritional stress, homeowner neglect and other stress factors in the urban environment.

This 4-color extension publication highlights the following physiological disorders of landscape plants: sun scald, drought, lightning injury, winter injury, root girdling, iron chlorosis, salt injury, herbicide injury and air pollution.

Ec81-1870 Guide To The Identification Of Diseases Of Shrubs, John E. Watkins

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This 4-color extension circular identifies the following diseases of shrubs in the home garden and landscape disease series: rose mosaics (rose mosaic virus and rose yellow mosaic virus), rose rust, fire blight, powdery mildew, crown gall, scab, iron chlorosis, honesuckle leaf blight, and phomopsis twig blight.

G81-548 Organic Gardening In The Backyard (Revised June 1990), Dale T. Lindgren, Don Steinegger, Frederick P. Baxendale, John E. Watkins

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Successful organic gardening requires consideration of many factors, including resistant cultivars, crop rotation, sanitation, incorporation of organic matter, garden location, and insect and disease control.

Organic gardening is growing in popularity. Although this technique traditionally has been limited to backyard gardens, commercial organic farms now exist in Nebraska. The phrase "organically grown" generally refers to produce grown and processed without the use of synthetic organic chemicals in pesticides, fertilizers, preservatives, or flavorings. The main arguments for organic gardening are that food is less likely to contain potentially harmful chemicals and that fewer chemicals are released into the environment. Arguments against …

G80-517 Kentucky Bluegrass Lawn Calendar (Revised October 1994), Roch E. Gaussoin, Terrance P. Riordan, Garald L. Horse, John E. Watkins, Frederick P. Baxendale

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This publication calendar contains information on mowing, fertilizing, waternig, herbicides, insect control, disease control, thatch removal, aerification, and overseeding of a Kentucky Bluegrass Lawn.

G80-488 Spring And Summer Black Stem Diseases Of Alfalfa (Revised June 1992), John E. Watkins, Fred A. Gray

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Spring and summer black stem of alfalfa, their causes, symptoms, and control are discussed.

Of the two black stem diseases found in the central and northern Great Plains, spring black stem predominates summer black stem. Both are damaging when weather conditions favor their development. Although their symptoms differ, each causes spotting and darkening of stems and spotting of leaves.

Ec79-1206 Roses, Donald H. Steinegger, Frederick P. Baxendale, John E. Watkins, Amy Greving

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Roses are one of the most versatile and exciting plant groups to use in landscape compositions. There are rose cultivars (varieties) adapted for almost any garden site or landscape purpose, including formal beds and perennial borders, arbors, trellises, hedges, ground covers, steep banks, edging, accent, specimen plants, and as patio or tub plants.

The most common rose types are hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras, and climbers. More people are becoming familiar with the so-called "old fashioned" or shrub roses. Many of these are well-adapted to Nebraska and to water-conserving landscapes.

G79-445 Soybean Variety Selection, Leroy V. Svec

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebGuide has information on soybean characteristics that should be considered before selecting a variety to plant.

Soybean characteristics that need to be considered in making the selection of a variety to plant include maturity, yield potential, plant type, height, seed size, emergence score, lodging, shattering, and disease and insect resistance. Many years are required to develop a new variety from the time an initial cross of soybeans is made until the time seed is available on a widespread basis. The advance of a potential variety through the early generations may be accomplished with only a few seeds of the …

G79-429 Tan Spot Disease Of Wheat (Revised June 1993), John E. Watkins, Robert N. Klein, Eric D. Kerr

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebGuide describes the development of tan spot disease in wheat and gives recommendations for controlling it by means of crop rotation, fungicides and good crop residue management.

Tan spot, caused by the fungus Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, is a major leafspot disease of winter wheat in the Great Plains of North America. It has become an increasing problem in wheat cropping systems using conservation tillage. Although tan spot can be a serious threat by itself, it more often occurs as a part of a foliar disease complex involving tan spot, leaf rust and Septoria leaf blotch. Usually tan spot symptoms …

Ec79-1863 Dry Edible Bean Diseases, James R. Steadman, Eric D. Kerr, John E. Watkins

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This extension circular discusses the diseases and symptoms of dry edible beans. Diseases discussed here include: common bacterial blight, halo blight, brown spot, wilt, fusarium root rot, rhizoctonia root rot, white mold, bronzing, and rust.

G76-292 Home Fruit Spray Schedules (Revised May 1986), Frederick P. Baxendale, Don Steinegger, David Wysong

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Insects and diseases of home fruit plantings must be controlled to produce quality fruit. Home orchards must be sprayed several times during the growing season. Spraying only a few times will not produce acceptable results for most fruits.

This NebGuide discusses the types of sprays, sprayers, insecticides, insecticides and fungicides used to control insects.

G76-322 How To Handle Insect And Plant Specimens For Identification (Revised March 1985), Luanne Coziahr, Stephen D. Danielson, John Furrer, Don Steinegger

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

The Nebraska Cooperative Extension Service offers the public a pest/plant identification service. Under this service, insects, weeds, plant diseases, and horticultural plants are identified and, if appropriate, methods for their prevention or control are recommended. Diagnoses of plant problems and control recommendations will be more precise if specimens are handled according to the suggestions offered in this NebGuide.

G76-301 How To Tell Corn, Sorghum Maturity, J.D. Eastin, J.T. Hultquist, C.Y. Sullivan

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Researchers have discovered a way to tell when corn and grain sorghum have stopped filling — when they are physiologically mature. A layer of cells near the point where the kernel is attached to the plant turns dark brown as the kernel nears maturity and, finally, black when the kernel is mature.

This NebGuide discusses how to read maturity in the layers of corn and sorghum.

G74-108 Wilts Of Cucurbits (Revised October 1994), James R. Steadman, David L. Keith, Laurie Hodges

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Discussion covers the symptoms, disease cycles, and control measures for bacterial and Fusarium wilts of cucurbits, including cucumbers, cantaloupe, watermelons, squash, and pumpkins. Wilt caused by squash vine borer also is covered.

G73-12 Iris Borer Control, David L. Keith, Frederick P. Baxendale

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Scouting, prevention and control of the iris borer.

This insect is the most serious insect pest of iris in Nebraska and is found virtually everywhere in the state. Damage is characterized by dark, streaked, or watery areas and ragged edges on the developing leaves of iris in May and June and extensive destruction of the insides of the rhizomes in July and early August. Examination late in summer will reveal a large white to pinkish caterpillar from 1 1/2 to 2 inches long in the rhizome, usually accompanied by a foul-smelling soft rot.

Ec23-120 Wheat In Nebraska, W.W. Burr, P.H. Stewart

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Wheat is one of the most important crops of the world. In total world tonnage it ranks third, being surpassed only by corn and potatoes. In th United States the tonnage is second only to corn, but wheat is far more important than corn as a human food.

Wheat is more important as a human food than any other rain crop. It is in itself almost a balanced food, and from earliest times has played an important part in the development of civilization. With the development of modern machinery wheat can now be produced without almost no hand work. On …