Crop diseases and pests : article
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Despite suspending all face-to-face programming due to COVID-19, University of Missouri Extension recognizes the continued need to provide university research and knowledge to help farmers and consumers alike.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Farmers often struggled during the drought of 2023 to identify what was happening in their soybean as plants showed similar symptoms with different causes.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri livestock and forage specialists are reporting ergot infestations that can cause major losses in livestock, said MU Extension state forage specialist Craig Roberts.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Killing common annual weeds in winter wheat may or may not be a good financial decision, especially when input costs are high, says University of Missouri Extension weed scientist Kevin Bradley.Winter wheat is one of the most competitive crops planted, Bradley says.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Farmers, livestock owners and gardeners across the state report that blister beetles are appearing in large numbers this summer, says Pat Miller, University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist. Blister beetles produce a toxin that can harm livestock.
WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Citrus greening is a devastating disease affecting trees across the globe. Research by University of Missouri Extension agricultural engineering specialist Shirin Ghatrehsamani may provide the key to overcoming citrus greening.
GALENA, Mo. – Thistles have taken advantage of grass stands weakened by drought, and many southwestern Missouri fields now have large amounts of musk and bull thistles, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Tim Schnakenberg.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – It may be too early to think about replanting corn yet, but it’s a good time to look at guides from University of Missouri Extension or seed dealers, said MU Extension agronomy specialist Bill Wiebold.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – April’s cold start in Missouri has limited fieldwork and delayed planting for farmers and gardeners.
The persistent cold “was nothing short of amazing,” said University of Missouri Extension climatologist Pat Guinan.
Wheat in southeast Missouri is near or at flowering, which suggest that wheat in many other regions of the state is roughly 1 to 2 weeks away. Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) (Figure 1) is a disease that can cause yield loss, reduced test weights, and reduced seed quality in wheat.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Farmers will get latest updates to control crop pests at Pest Management Field Day, July 10. The annual event, once called Weed Day, now covers weeds, insects, diseases and more.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A flurry of calls and emails from homeowners about the brown marmorated stink bug to University of Missouri Extension specialists sounds a warning of what is to come in in the next two years.
JACKSON, Mo. – The warmer weather has prompted alfalfa weevil larvae to start feeding early, which means growers should be scouting the crop.
Anthony Ohmes, University of Missouri Extension agronomy field specialist, says now through April is the time to walk alfalfa fields to look for larvae…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Japanese beetle populations are peaking throughout the state just as corn is silking, says University of Missouri Extension field crops entomologist Kevin Rice.Japanese beetles cause severe economic losses on farms and disappointment in home gardens.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri livestock producers may be looking south for hay due to concerns over predicted hay shortages.
Buyer beware of red imported fire ants hitching a ride on hay from south of Missouri’s border, says University of Missouri Extension field crops entomologist Kevin Rice.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Those attending the annual Mizzou Pest Management Field Day can bring plants for free testing and identification of disease and insects.
The field day is Thursday, July 6, at the University of Missouri’s Bradford Research Farm, 8 miles east of Columbia.
COLUMBIA, Mo.
PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension researchers have confirmed the first case of glufosinate-resistant Palmer amaranth in Missouri’s Bootheel region.Palmer amaranth has been MU Extension weed scientist Kevin Bradley’s No. 1 weed to watch in the rest of the state for years.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – An exotic pest that hitchhikes on train cars, trucks and boats could suck the life out Missouri crops.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Drones are higher in quality and lower in price than they were just a few years ago when farmers began using them, says University of Missouri Extension natural resources engineer Kent Shannon.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension and Missouri 4-H will host a crop scouting event for 4-H and FFA members and volunteers July 18 at MU Bradford Research Farm near Columbia.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – As University of Missouri Extension researchers celebrate the 50th anniversary of integrated pest management, they reflect on the past, present and future of IPM.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Soybean growers can learn how University of Missouri Extension research can help them with next year’s crops.Many of the 29 sessions offered at this year’s MU Crop Management Conference center around soybean research, including one from MU Extension soybean specialist Bill Wiebold.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension field crop entomologist Kevin Rice says Missouri soybean and corn growers should be on the lookout for growing populations of yield-robbing insects in 2021.Soybean gall midgeMU Extension found soybean gall midge in two northwestern Missouri counties…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri farmers have a new tool to alert them to insects, crop diseases and other important information from University of Missouri Extension specialists.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri’s Pest Monitoring Network offers free text alerts to notify farmers when insects are active in specific locations, says MU Extension entomologist Kevin Rice.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension is offering online town hall meetings led by agronomy, livestock and horticulture specialists.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Farmers are being sought to participate in the 2017-2018 University of Missouri Extension Strip Trial Program, which helps farmers and crop advisers compare on-farm management decisions and practices.
PALMYRA, Mo. - Producers in northeastern Missouri can hear crop and forage updates from University of Missouri Extension specialists at a free event in August.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Producers in northwestern Missouri can hear crop updates from University of Missouri Extension specialists Aug. 8 at the Northwest Missouri Soybean Walk.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension horticulturists are asking the public to report unsolicited seed deliveries.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – To make better bacon, feed a better soybean. Bryon Wiegand, University of Missouri food scientist, studies the use of Missouri’s high-oleic soybean oil in livestock rations.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Farmers can learn the latest on using drones to spray weeds and spread seed at the annual Mizzou Pest Management Field Day on Thursday, July 6, at the University of Missouri’s Bradford Research Farm near Columbia.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Sam Polly, coordinator of University of Missouri Extension’s Pesticide Safety Education Program, wants to make Missouri a safer place that allows Missouri’s agricultural economy to continue to grow.
CLARK, Mo. – On Friday mornings at the Clark Produce Auction, University of Missouri Extension agronomist Dhruba Dhakal sets up a table, plant posters and an MU Extension sign.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Like humans, plants can get sick and need someone to diagnose their illnesses, says Peng Tian, the new lab director of the University of Missouri Plant Diagnostic Clinic.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri Plant Diagnostic Clinic has received a grant to help Amish and Mennonite farmers in several Missouri counties identify and manage plant pest problems through early next year.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri Plant Diagnostic Clinic will offer free screening for five wheat viruses this spring.A partnership of MU Extension’s Integrated Pest Management and Field Crop Pathology programs allows the clinic to waive the usual fee of $65 per sample.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri Plant Diagnostic Clinic will offer Missouri producers free testing for five wheat viruses during 2024, says Peng Tian, director of the clinic.
PALMYRA, Mo. – New University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Kaitlyn Bissonnette urges growers to notify her if they spot southern rust and other diseases this growing season. She gave growers a look at emerging diseases at the second annual NEMO Soils and Crop Conference in Palmyra Feb. 8.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Japanese beetles—those mean, green eating machines—are peaking throughout much of Missouri.University of Missouri Extension field crops entomologist Kevin Rice hopes his research on Japanese beetles will take a bite out of their buffet.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension introduced a new mobile app to identify herbicide injury at its annual Pest Management Field Day on July 10.
PALMYRA, Mo. – “The genie’s out of the bottle” on the spotted lanternfly, University of Missouri Extension entomologist Kevin Rice told farmers Feb. 8 at the second annual NEMO Soils and Crop Conference in Palmyra.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – New University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Kaitlyn Bissonnette brings research on soybean cyst nematode (SCN) management to Missouri.
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Kill seeds before they become hard-to-kill weeds. That plan will be studied by Kevin Bradley with help from Missouri farmers.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – While not yet detected in Missouri, spotted lanternfly remains a concern for vineyards, certain trees and specialty crops as it continues to spread west.
JACKSON, Mo. – January and February are good months to make wheat management decisions, according to a University of Missouri Extension agronomist in southeastern Missouri.Wheat maturity does not follow a calendar. Instead, wheat development depends on weather and planting date, says Anthony Ohmes.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Intense or recurrent rainfall creates the potential for damage from ponding, saturated soils and flooding for corn and soybean crops, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Bill Wiebold.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – As corn yields exceed commercial storage space, farmers will likely store some of this year’s crop in on-farm bins and in unconventional ways.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Officials urge residents to report unsolicited packages of seeds delivered from foreign countries. Unknown seeds could introduce noxious weeds, pests, diseases and viruses.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Proper inventory management of farm chemicals saves money and protects animals, people and the environment, says University of Missouri Extension specialist Sam Polly.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Right after soybean harvest is the time to test fields for soybean cyst nematode (SCN), the No. 1 pathogen of soybean in the United States.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri corn growers should scout for two emerging corn diseases: bacterial leaf streak (BLS) and tar spot, says University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Kaitlyn Bissonnette.
These diseases appeared for the first time in Missouri in 2019. They have caused severe economic…
LAMAR, Mo. – Now is the time to scout for fall armyworms in pastures and hayfields, says University of Missouri Extension entomologist Kevin Rice.Agronomists in southeastern Missouri and northern Arkansas report sightings of fall armyworm in grass and legume crops, says Jill Scheidt, MU Extension…
LAMAR, Mo.– There are foliar diseases that can cause yield loss in winter wheat, said Jay Chism, an agronomy specialist with University of Missouri Extension in Barton County.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension agronomists reported during their weekly teleconference that sudden death syndrome (SDS) is showing up in soybean fields across the state.MU Extension plant pathologist Kaitlyn Bissonnette says she is not surprised that the yield-robbing disease has…
PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. – Justin S. Calhoun starts Sept. 1 as a University of Missouri Extension state specialist in soils and cropping systems. He will be based at the Fisher Delta Research Center (FDRC) in southeastern Missouri near Portageville.
Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) can substantially reduce yield, but it is not always obvious when the nematodes (Figure 1) are present. Leonardo Da Vinci's quote: "We know more about the movement of celestial bodies than about the soil underfoot" seems somewhat appropriate when discussing SCN levels in…
Note: Revised to correct spelling of “sclerotinia.”COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist Wayne Flanary says about 160 acres of soybean in northwestern Missouri show symptoms of sclerotinia stem rot.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Soybean gall midge is appearing about 10 days earlier than usual in Nebraska crops, says University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension crop protection and cropping systems specialist Justin McMechan. That could spell trouble for Missouri soybean growers as well.
Spotted Wing Drosophila has been found in fruit crops all over Missouri, starting in 2013. This reference page includes articles, photos, and links to web sites with more information. Photos are at bottom of this page.
Newspaper columns from Tim Baker, NW Region Horticulture Specialist
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Frequent spring rains in Missouri set the stage for seedling and root rotting diseases that can lower yields.Pythium species usually infect the roots of corn, soybean and wheat, especially in the northern half of the state, says University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Raise the temperature and run fans in grain bins now to avoid condensation and mold.Keep your stored grain in condition by increasing the temperature inside the bin to the outside monthly average temperature in May, says University of Missouri Extension entomologist Wayne Bailey.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Brown marmorated stink bugs are hunting homes for the winter.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri corn growers should scout for an emerging crop disease, tar spot, in 2021, says University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Kaitlyn Bissonnette.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension state plant pathologist Mandy Bish says tar spot of corn has spread into many new counties in 2023.Bish recently confirmed tar spot in five more counties. This brings to 31 the number of Missouri counties in which tar spot has been confirmed between…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Tar spot of corn has been confirmed in two northern Missouri counties: Holt County in northwestern Missouri and Marion County in northeastern Missouri, as well as in six counties in central Iowa and one in northeastern Kansas.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri’s Plant Diagnostic Clinic confirmed tar spot in three corn samples collected in the northeastern Missouri counties of Lewis and Holt on Aug. 30, according to Peng Tian, the clinic’s lab director.
NEVADA, Mo. – Now is the perfect time to test for the No. 1 soybean disease in the U.S. and Canada - soybean cyst nematode (SCN), says University of Missouri Extension field agronomist Pat Miller. It is also a good time to test your IQ on this yield-reducing disease.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The best time to test for soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is right after soybean harvest, says University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Kaitlyn Bissonnette.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Oct. 2 is National Nematode Day and marks a good time to test fields for soybean cyst nematode (SCN), the No. 1 pathogen of soybean in the United States.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Craig Roberts says now is the time to check for ergot in the seed heads of grasses.
#1 Tar spot of cornWho: Tar spot of corn, Phyllachora maydis
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Leading agriculture experts from the University of Missouri, Purdue University, USDA Agricultural Research Service and the University of Nebraska will give updates on weeds, crop diseases, insects and new technologies at the annual MU Crop Management Conference, Dec. 6-7 at the…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Scout now for spider mites, says University of Missouri Extension field crops entomologist Kevin Rice. Dry weather throughout the state creates ideal conditions for spider mite outbreaks.
LAMAR, Mo. – An unusual pest—winter grain mite—has appeared in southwestern Missouri wheat fields.
LAMAR, Mo. – When COVID-19 paused face-to-face programming, University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist Jill Scheidt knew producers would still need assistance with the growing season. Living by MU Extension’s mission of taking university research and knowledge to the people, Scheidt began…
Obviously, our season so far has been one for the books. Our state climatologist Pat Guinan tells us that last month was the wettest May on record ever! We’ve been fielding a number of questions over the past several weeks related to the wet weather and how this affects our herbicides and weed…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Some Missouri corn producers are seeing damage from cold, wet soil conditions and hail.Corn growers participating in the University of Missouri Extension Plant Sciences weekly online town hall meeting on May 8 reported seeing seedling leaves of corn twist and unfurl underground.