Faulkner County Agriculture Update
January 22, 2021
General Conditions
Weather

Most of the rain this week fell south of us, but we did get a little bit on Wednesday. Temperatures stayed mild this week but it looks like we could cool back down some next week. Sunday brings a good chance of storms, maybe some severe. As we move into spring we will have increased chances for severe weather so I added a link to our tornado safety fact sheet.
Arkansas River
Drought Monitor

Pesticide Applicator Training
I have talked to several producers that still need to get their pesticide license updated and is looking for an in person training instead of the online training. Right now we can only hold meetings of 10 people or less, but I feel like we really need to have these trainings available for producers. With the circumstances the best course of action is to hold several small classes for producers that need the training.

All of these trainings will be held at the Faulkner County Cooperative Extension Service Office located at 844 Faulkner Street in Conway. There are some double glass doors on the northeast corner of the building that leads to our auditorium.

Participants must wear a mask into the room, but once seated you may take off the mask. If you decide to get up and leave you will have to put your mask back on. This is a requirement to be able to hold this meeting.

Training Dates:
Thursday, February 18 at 5:30 pm
Saturday, February 20 at 9:00 am
Saturday, February 20 at 1:00 pm
Thursday, February 25 at 2:00 pm

This training is limited to 9 people. If you want to attend these trainings you MUST pre-register. I will only take the first 9 people.

To register you can call the office at 501-329-8344 or email my administrative assistant Mindy Beard at rbeard@uaex.edu.

The training will cost $20. If you bring a check please make it out to Faulkner County Extension Office.

The online course is still an option also. If you want to use the online options, the link is below. 
Row Crop
Row Crop Production Meetings

We continue with the online production meetings next week.
  • January 26 - Peanuts
  • January 28 - Marketing, New Technologies, & Irrigation
  • February 2 - Soybeans

To register and see the agenda for each meeting click the link below.
Enlist Training

Producers that will be using Enlist must go through the certification process every year. This course is available through the Extension Courses website. The link is below.
Paraquat

The following is a message from Courtney Weatherbee from the National Pesticide Safety Education Center.

Effective December 31, 2020, new regulations mandate that any paraquat products under 120 gallons distributed or sold by paraquat registrants require a closed system and do not allow jar testing. However, dealers and distributors are permitted to continue to sell paraquat products that do not meet the closed-system requirement until their stocks run out, and pesticide applicators may continue to use existing stocks according to the directions on the label of the product in their possession.
 
The English version of the paraquat training has been updated to reflect these changes and our team is working to get the Spanish training updated as soon as possible as well.
NOTE: This does NOT mean you need to retake the training. Your current certification is still valid until 3 years after the date of your training which is printed on your certificate.

For anyone that hasn't taken the training, the link is below.
Corn and Grain Sorghum Report

The Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Performance Tests 2020 is now available for download. This is the final report with yields and information about corn and grain sorghum hybrids evaluated by the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Variety Testing Program, which provides unbiased information about the adaptability and performance of crop varieties in Arkansas' diverse environments.
Managing Your Weeds in Wheat

It is time to start looking at wheat for weed control options. The following is an article from Dr. Tommy Butts and Dr. Jason Kelley on options for managing weeds in wheat.

Some favorable grain prices have led to a slight increase in wheat acres across Arkansas for 2021. The National Agriculture Statistics Service Acreage Report earlier this week indicated that Arkansas producers planted 180,000 acres of wheat during the fall of 2020. Questions regarding weed control recommendations have been rolling in. Italian ryegrass is by far the most troublesome and requires the most effort to successfully manage; however, annual bluegrass (Poa annua) and winter annual broadleaves also present some challenges.

Italian ryegrass is a highly competitive weed species with prolific growth characteristics and adaptability that makes it a challenging weed to manage. Additionally, it has evolved herbicide resistance to ALS-inhibitors (PowerFlex HL, Osprey), ACCase-inhibitors (FOPS, Axial XL), and glyphosate in Arkansas. Italian ryegrass has also been unofficially confirmed resistant to the ACCase-inhibitor, clethodim (Select Max) in areas of south Arkansas. Therefore, it is necessary to know your ryegrass population and appropriately select effective herbicide options to manage it POST in wheat. ALS-inhibitor resistance in ryegrass is extremely common across Arkansas (>65% of populations tested have been confirmed resistant) so typically herbicides such as PowerFlex HL and Osprey are not considered good control options. Pinoxaden (Axial) resistance, although confirmed in the state, has been much less prevalent (~20% of populations tested were confirmed resistant). Therefore, the best option for spring control of Italian ryegrass is to apply Axial Bold at 15 fl oz/ac when it is actively growing (at least 7 days of temperatures above 55°F). Be aware, if broadleaves are also present, Axial Bold has no activity on broadleaves and should not be tank-mixed with 2,4-D as efficacy will be reduced. If a broadleaf herbicide tank-mix partner is needed with Axial Bold, Harmony Extra and Quelex are good options.

In addition to Italian ryegrass, there are numerous winter annual broadleaf weeds that may pop up such as mayweed, buttercup, hairy vetch, henbit, and wild garlic/onion. PowerFlex HL, 2,4-D, Quelex, Harmony Extra, Express, and Peak are all good options for managing these broadleaf weeds. Please see the Wheat section (pg. 83) of the 2021 MP44 Recommended Chemicals for Weed and Brush Control for specific recommendations regarding the best herbicide option and rate for each of these weeds dependent on your field scenario. Horseweed has also shown to be problematic in our wheat acres. Quelex (0.75 oz/ac) or 2,4-D (1.5 pt/ac) will provide the greatest control.

Another problematic grass weed species we’ve received a couple of phone calls on is annual bluegrass (Poa annua). If wheat has a good stand and canopy, POST herbicide control options may not always be economical, but if the wheat has a poor stand, limited growth, or has been grazed by geese, a herbicide application may be required. There are limited options to successfully manage Poa in wheat this time of year if metribuzin or Zidua was not applied in the fall. The best option for control is Osprey at 4.75 oz/ac; however, expect control to be slow. Additionally, make sure to follow label recommendations for adjuvants to maximize the effectiveness; typically, 3 lb/ac of ammonium sulfate (AMS) plus 0.25% v/v NIS is recommended.

Applications of any spring herbicides in wheat should be applied around green-up, which is typically in February/early March. This allows herbicides, especially systemic ones, to be more effective on weeds that are actively growing and early enough to still apply to small weeds.

Good luck out there!
Beef & Forage
Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is a disease that can affect several species including cattle, sheep, pigs, dogs, horses, wildlife and man. This disease is caused by the bacteria Leptospira interrogans. Five strains mainly affect livestock: hardjo, pomona, icterohaemorrhagia , grippotyphosa and canicola. These five strains are targeted with a five-way leptospirosis vaccine.

Leptospira is well suited for wet environments. Cattle can be exposed from contaminated stock ponds, wildlife, rodents or other domestic animals. The pathogenic organism can penetrate mucous membranes (mouth, nose, conjunctiva and reproductive tract), open wounds and skin abrasions.

After an animal is infected, the bacteria spreads throughout the body then localizes in the kidneys, mammary glands and/or reproductive tract. Once the urinary and reproductive tracts become infected, the organism can be shed in urine, uterine discharge, semen and aborted fetuses/placentas. This shedding allows herd mates to become infected, resulting in decreased production and reproductive performance in the herd.

To read more about Leptospirosis click on the link below for our fact sheet.
2,4-D

This week as I continue discussing common forage herbicides I am going to focus on 2,4-D.

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is a common systemic herbicide used in the control of broadleaf weeds. It is the most widely used herbicide in the world, and the third most commonly used in North America. 2,4-D is a synthetic auxin, which is a class of plant growth regulators. It is absorbed through the leaves and is translocated to the meristems of the plant. Uncontrolled, unsustainable growth ensues causing stem curl-over, leaf withering, and eventual plant death. There are several forms of 2,4-D available including an amine salt which is the one we typically use in forage situations, 2,4-D choline which is a new formulation we use in row crops on tolerant soybeans and an ester formulation which is much more potent. When I give 2,4-D recommendations to forage producers and for anything discussed here it will be the 2,4-D amine version.

2,4-D is cheap and works on a broad range of broadleaf plants. If buttercup gets a sniff of 2,4-D it is dead. Recommended rates range from 1 to 4 pints per acre. Typically when applying in the spring for winter weeds we recommend 1 pint per acre when mixed with metsulfuron and glyphosate, but when metsulfuron can't be used increase that rate to 2 pints. Although 2,4-D is deadly on most clovers, white clover is tolerant and a 1 pint rate usually doesn't do any damage. Higher rates can cause some injury.

In Arkansas we have just a few herbicides that have more restrictive rules than the federal label. Even though 2,4-D isn't a federal restricted use herbicide it is a state restricted use herbicide which means you have to have a pesticide license to buy it in large quantities. 2,4-D is a great lawn herbicide and can be purchased without a license at most home improvement stores in small bottles.

2,4-D is another herbicide that has many trade names and is available in many different mixes with other herbicides and sold under different names. Always check the label to see if 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid is in the ingredients.
In this edition of Cattle Market Notes Weekly Dr. Kenny Burdine goes over the Cow Slaughter and Inventory Expectations.
Livestock Market Report

The weekly livestock market report is available on the Arkansas Department of Agriculture website.
Upcoming Events
Winter Production Meeting Webinars - Each webinar starts at 1:00 p.m. To register and see the agenda click here.
  • January 26 - Peanuts
  • January 28 - Marketing, New Technologies & Irrigation
  • February 2 - Soybeans

Pesticide Applicator Training - February 18 at 5:30, February 20 at 9:30 and again at 1:00 and February 25 at 2:00 at the Faulkner County Extension Office, 844 Faulkner Street Conway. Open to the first 9 participants that register per training. To register call 501-329-8344 or email Mindy Beard at rbeard@uaex.edu.
Social Media

For more updates on upcoming events and to keep up with what's going on in agriculture in Faulkner County follow me on Facebook and Twitter


Contact Kevin Lawson, County Extension Agent–Staff Chair, Faulkner County | www.uaex.edu/faulkner