Research Update (February 5, 2018)

Research Update (February 5, 2018)

 Diligence Technologies Inc., West Tennessee

EVENTS FROM THE PAST MONTH:

We have been keeping the roads hot over the last month.  We have been from San Antonio (Beltwide Cotton Conf.) to Memphis (Cotton & Rice Conf.) to Tucson (NAICC) to Atlanta (SWSS) to Dyersburg (Grain Conf.).  While the travel is not always fun, it is always enjoyable to see old friends and start planning for a new season.


UPCOMING EVENTS:

The winter meeting season continues into February and March:
 
Tennessee Ag Production Assoc. (FEB 7, Jackson)
Cotton Focus (FEB 8, Jackson)
Gin Show (MAR 2-3, Memphis)
Southeastern Branch ESA (MAR 4-7, Orlando)
 
Let us know where you plan to be.

 

CROPPING SEASONS:

The winter wheat crop remains in good shape in spite of the cold weather we experienced in late December and early January.  We have observed a little burn on the leaf tips and some slight yellowing.  However, we have not seen anything to this point that would be expected to do much long-term damage to the crop.

We still have extra wheat available if you are looking to do some postemergence wheat testing in the spring.  Give us a call and we'll start making plans.

As we begin to thaw out in February, it is also time to start thinking about burndown trials.  We should have plenty of horseweed, henbit, poa, chickweed and other common burndown weeds to choose from.

  

GREENHOUSE ACTIVITIES:

Greenhouse work is in full swing.  If you stop by you may get to see a variety of crops including corn, soybean, cotton, wheat, sunflower, strawberry, and citrus.  We also have a pretty nice collection of weeds if you need to work on your weed ID skills.

One of the great things about doing greenhouse research is the variety projects you encounter.  In addition to the traditional herbicide and insecticide screens, we are involved in seed germination evaluations, fertility trials, and maybe even a few too exotic to discuss.  Keep them coming.  It makes things interesting.

If you are considering any greenhouse projects for this winter, please let us know as soon as possible.  We still may be able to get you some greenhouse data this winter, but the window is beginning to narrow as we move closer to spring.

WEATHER INFO:

Last year, we pretty much skipped winter.  Not so this year.  The winter of 2017-18 has seen some of the longest continuous cold periods that I can recall in quite some time.  As noted above, it is doubtful that wheat has suffered much real damage at this point.  The real danger to wheat occurs after the wheat begins actively growing again in the spring.

One thing you can be sure of is that the colder winter will fuel the debate about the correlation between winter temperatures and insect populations the following year.  There are strong advocates for both arguments as it relates to whether winters in west Tennessee are ever really severe enough to substantially impact insect numbers.  I will leave that one to our more knowledgeable entomologist friends.
 

 

PEST INFO:

Winter annual weeds continue to thrive and we should be in good shape for burndown season.  Just let us know what you are looking for and we will save you a spot.

 

Proverbs 10:4

He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand, but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.