This is the first status report from the Kentucky Blue Mold Warning System for the 1997 crop season. Currently, active blue mold has not been reported from any commercial tobacco area in the USA. Based on reports from botanists and plant pathologists in Texas, blue mold remains active on wild tobacco (Nicotiana repanda) in south Texas. The fall and winter period in Texas has been very favorable for development of the wild tobacco and blue mold has remained active on this wild tobacco. As is usually the case each spring, this endemic source of blue mold remains a low-level risks to Kentucky's production, awaiting only the correct weather events to introduce low amounts of spores into Kentucky's transplant production. Blue mold is also active in Mexico, Central American, and Cuba, so remain alert for changes in weather events that could move spores from these production areas into the US production.
A number of changes have developed with the Blue Mold Warning System during the past year. The following is a summary report of the changes.
Since 1980, the North American Blue Mold Warning System has functioned to help collect and disseminate information on the status of blue mold. During this period, however, researchers in the departments of Plant Pathology and Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at North Carolina State University (NCSU) have been developing and testing forecast models for blue mold with the aim of improving the system by use of new technologies. In March 1996, the North Carolina State University Blue Mold Forecast System went into actual operation and performed well in predicting the airborne movement of blue mold inoculum from one region to another during the 1997 epidemic. With the success of this new program, the coordinators of the North American Blue Mold Warning system elected to merge the systems into one to improve the information made available to the industry and to avoid confusion that might develop.
Headquarters for the merged system is at NCSU, under the direction of Dr. Charles E. Main with the Plant Pathology Department. Forecasts are generated by faculty and staff at NCSU and they will be cooperating with state coordinators in each tobacco producing area to obtain status reports on blue mold development. This new forecast system is directly accessible through electronic mail on the World Wide Web, using the following address - http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/bluemold/ . I urge all that desire the full report of forecast information to go directly to this source.
However, please be aware that the forecasts developed by the new system currently address only situations involving airborne transport of spores; there are other means involved for movement of blue mold inoculum. Therefore, the Kentucky Blue Mold Warning System will continue to operate to advise Kentucky's tobacco industry. We will be monitoring this forecast system and incorporate pertinent information available from the NCSU system into status reports for Kentucky, which has been the case for several years. I have worked closely with scientists at NCSU in the development of this system and will continue to have a close working relationship with their system. We will continue to issue summaries of the blue mold status under the title, "Current Blue Mold Status" in the Kentucky Pest Newsletter as we have in past years. In addition, this information and advisories are made available directly to each County Extension Office in Kentucky via e-mail, making it available within minutes to County Extension Agents. Summaries will also be made available by phone through the Tobacco Information Hotline, 800-204-7323, but other tobacco information will also be available through this phone line. Special press releases will be made available as the situation warrants.
Before transplanting take some steps to reduce the risk of damage from blue mold later in the season. The following are some points to consider:
According to our IPM reports, black cutworm may be the most frequently controlled pest of field corn. Cutworm moths are active, Patty Lucas has been capturing moths since March 21. There are two ways cutworms can reduce your profits, excessive cutting of young plants and unnecessary insecticide applications. There are several factors to keep in mind when selecting a strategy to manage cutworms in corn.
Late planting, early season weed growth and the amount of surface residue govern in large part the potential for cutworm infestations. This information and past experience with cutworms on a field-by-field basis can help to limit the widespread use of preventive treatments. Depending on the size of the infestation, preventive treatments may or may not provide sufficient control.
Scout fields and use rescue treatments as the primary cutworm strategy. When scouting fields, take stand count information, observe then evenness of cutworm infestations, and record the size of live cutworms. High or low stand counts may indicate the need to adjust the economic threshold of 3% cutting. More cutworm damage can be sustained without economic loss when plant counts are close to 24,000/ac than when counts are less 18,000/ac as long as there are no long skips in rows.
Despite their role in nature, birds often cause considerable damage to structures by their nesting and roosting activities. During the next several weeks, clients will become increasingly frustrated as birds construct nests on their premises.
Significance as pests - Pigeons, starlings and sparrows cause millions of dollars in damage by defacing buildings, sidewalks and cars with their droppings. Gutters, downspouts and air vents may become stopped up by nesting materials. Bird feathers, filth, and carcasses can lead to secondary pest problems by attracting carpet beetles, mealworms and other scavenger insects.
Birds nesting around buildings may also pose a health hazard to people and farm animals. Ectoparasites such as mites, lice and bedbugs can invade living areas and bite humans after the nestlings leave or a bird dies. Birds can also transmit serious diseases, including salmonellosis (food poisoning), cryptococcosis, and histoplasmosis -- two systemic fungal infections acquired by inhaling airborne spores which grow in bird droppings.
Bird Management Options - The most effective way to avoid problems with pest birds around buildings is to deny them nesting and roosting sites. The time to do this is now, before nests are well established. Vents and other small openings should be sealed with 1/4-inch hardware cloth or similar exclusion materials. Attic vents may need to be screened or netted on the exterior, to prevent sparrows from nesting between the louvers. Nesting or roosting on ledges, eaves, window sills and other surfaces can be deterred by installing tightly strung, parallel strands of wire just above the surface of the ledge. Roosting of pest birds can also be discouraged by changing the angle of the ledge to 45 degrees or more with sheet metal or wood boards. "Porcupine" wires (e.g., Nixalite(R), Cat Claw(R)) or coils (Bird Barrier(TM)), repellent gels, or bird netting also are effective, provided they are correctly installed. Do-it- yourselfers can purchase bird exclusion materials at hardware or farm supply stores.
Before installation, remove nests and droppings to avoid problems with scavenger insects and disease pathogens. Gloves and a respirator (dust masks are insufficient) should be worn to avoid inhaling fungal and bacterial spores. Lightly moistening droppings and nesting materials with water before removal reduces the tendency for spores to become airborne.
Fake owls, snakes, balloons and other visual repellents usually fail because birds soon become acclimated to these objects and ignore them. If these devices are tried, reposition them periodically or vary the pattern. Noise devices (e.g., firecrackers, handclapping, distress call cassette tapes), can be effective for dispersing small roosts of birds such as starlings, but require persistence. Noise frightening efforts should preferably begin before the flock has formed a strong attachment to the site. If frightening efforts are to be successful, they must continue for several consecutive nights.
Toxic baits or shooting of birds should be avoided and in many areas is illegal. Large or complicated bird jobs may require the expertise of a professional pest control operator or nuisance wildlife control firm.
On a final note, any leftover bird seed should be stored in tight-fitting containers. Unsealed bags of seed left in the garage or basement are prime targets for meal moths, mice and other pests.
Eastern tent caterpillars are active on a variety of deciduous hosts, including wild cherry, apple and crabapple. This defoliator overwinters in brown egg masses encircling the smaller twigs of the host tree. Eggs (150-300 per egg mass) hatch about the time that the leaves begin to unfold. The newly-emerged larvae gather at a branch fork and construct a tent-like web from which they venture out during the day to feed on new foliage. The eastern tent caterpillar favors wild cherry, apple and crabapple but will also attack peach, pear, plum, hawthorne and some shade trees. Trees sometimes contain several nests and can be completely defoliated in 2-3 weeks.
Control - Control is best accomplished when webs are first noticed and the larvae are small. If nests are within reach, they can be removed with a stick or broom. This should be done in the evening, when the larvae are inside the nest. Insecticidal sprays are also effective. Registered products include Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), carbaryl, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and synthetic pyrethroids ( e.g. Tempo, Talstar, Scimitar). Apply treatments to the nest and foliage of plants where the caterpillars are feeding.
Dousing nests with gasoline and setting them on fire is potentially dangerous and could harm the tree.
Boxwood psyllids are now emerging on American and Korean boxwood plantings. Psyllids are tiny (1-2mm), green sucking insects that resemble aphids or miniature cicadas. Boxwood psyllids overwinter as eggs inserted between the bud scales. Eggs hatch as soon as the buds begin to open and the nymphs begin to feed on the expanding foliage, removing plant sap. Feeding injury produces cupping and curling of the leaves, enclosing several nymphs in the leaf pockets. The nymphs also produce white, waxy secretions. Adults emerge in late May and June, mate, and lay their eggs under the bud scales. There is one generation per year.
Control - Boxwood psyllids generally do not kill plants, but can affect aesthetics and overall plant vigor. Early detection is essential if leaf damage is to be avoided. Insecticides, including Orthene, Cygon, Dursban, Sevin, or insecticidal soap are effective and should be applied as the leaves are expanding. Treatments applied after leaves have fully expanded (e.g., mid-late May) won't alleviate this year's damage, but may help to reduce psyllid numbers next season.
Pheromone traps have been very effective in terms of monitoring and assessing these pests in field crops, fruits and vegetables, as well as improving timing of pesticide applications for some high value crops. Pheromone traps are used in Kentucky to monitor European corn borer, southwestern corn borer, fall armyworm, black cutworm, and beet armyworm in field crops and codling moth, San Jose scale, leafrollers, peachtree borer, and grape berry moth in fruit, and cabbage looper, beet armyworm, European corn borer, corn earworm (aka tomato fruitworm), fall armyworm and diamondback moth in vegetable crops. To monitor for European corn borer, fall armyworm, black cutworm, and corn earworm, the Texas style cone trap is used. Various types of sticky traps are use to monitor the other pests. However, in order for these traps to be effective, there are a few guidelines that need to be followed very carefully. If these guidelines are not followed, then the traps may not be functioning
Failure to follow these guidelines can cause serious problems. If the traps are not functioning properly, few moths will be captured even though they may be present in large numbers.
| Princeton | |
| Black Cutworm | 6 |
| True Armyworm | 9 |