AIR AUGUST 12, 1998

Thank you Mark and good morning everyone. Just about the time it looks like things will dry out enough that we can get something done, along comes another little shower. Oh well, we’ll just hope that the winter isn’t too bad and we don’t need that hay!

With the recent announcement about the pending release of two white wheat varieties to seed growers for this fall, it now re-focuses our attention on white wheat. I won’t try to cover it this morning, but if you need more information I have a good brochure at the Extension Office, stop by and get one or call to get one. And be on the lookout for more information in coming months regarding white wheat. Remember it is only going to certified seed growers this fall, and it will probably still be in pretty short supply by next year but fall of 1999 will be the earliest that any of it will be available for general production. The big thing to be doing your homework on this one is marketing. Before you put a kernel of white wheat in the ground, you’d better know which elevators will be taking hard white wheat.

Got a couple of bugs we need to be keeping an eye out for. Fall armyworms are really developing in the southern half of the state. These can be a major problem for late developing milo, although I think most of ours should be far enough along to avoid serious problems. My biggest concern however is not with them attacking milo but going after seedling alfalfa or even early planted wheat in September. I was seeing a few armyworm in voluteer wheat the end of last week, so they are around. If you are planting alfalfa keep a very close eye on emerging stands. We’ve got a lot of volunteer wheat out there right now so the closer you are to that or milo the more concerned I’d be.

The second problem is corn earworm in milo heads. We’ve got a lot of milo just heading and setting seed. Corn earworms really like milo seed up through the hard dough stage. High populations are already present in southeastern Kansas so it wouldn’t hurt to start checking fields now for potential problems. If you think you have a problem with either of these insects, give me a call and I’ll come out and help you look for problems.

This is Chuck Otte, County Extension Agent, with Ag Outlook '98

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