November 2002 Articles

Statewide results of corn performance trials are now available on the Internet from the University of Missouri. Books with yields from 12 locations are available at the Callaway County Extension Center.

Corn hybrid comparisons were planted in 15 locations, however some plots were abandoned, due to unusual weather -- too wet and then too dry -- affecting the plots. The program feels lucky to have had as many plots to harvest as they did. Plots were abandoned at Laddonia, Columbia, and Osborn, Mo.

Up to 115 hybrids were compared at each location. In all, 267 hybrids were planted. This information should be helpful to farmers and their crop advisors in selecting hybrids to plant next year.

The average yield at Albany, in drought-stricken northwest Missouri, was only 62 bushels per acre, making it the low for the state. Yields from different hybrids there ranged from 99 bushels down to 15 bushels per acre. Not far away, in Craig, Mo., the plots averaged 177 bushels per acre on non-irrigated corn. In contrast, plots at Laddonia, which had to be abandoned, were on an irrigated field. Those plots had poor populations due to too much water standing on the field after planting.

The best yields were for the irrigated plots at Oran, 226 bushels, and Charleston, 217, in the Missouri Bootheel. In the remainder of the state, the highest average yield was 200 bushels per acre on irrigated plots at MU Bradford Research and Extension Center near Columbia.

Average yields in bushels at other Missouri sites were: Novelty, 123; LaGrange, 187; Henrietta, 174; Marshall, 153; Truxton, 64; Annada, 162; and Lamar, 130.

In addition to yield, the trials also provide other information about hybrid performance. This was an unusually bad year for corn borer. For example, 100 percent of the non-Bt corn plants at Annada, Mo., were infected with corn borer. At Albany, 95 percent of the non-Bt plants had corn borer damage. Numbers of field locally could be seen with broken tops before harvest as a result of late season European corn borer feeding. Some varieties of corn have natural bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) inserted genetically into the plants to protect against borers.

Yields and other tests can be viewed on the MU Agricultural Electronic Bulletin Board: http://agebb.missouri.edu/cropperf/corn/index.asp . Test site results are grouped by regions of the state. Users are urged to look first at the site nearest to their farm, then compare results at other nearby locations.

Grain sorghum variety performance results have also been posted on the web at: http://agebb.missouri.edu/cropperf/gs/index.asp . Soybean harvest has been slowed by wet fall weather; preliminary data from central and north Missouri locations should be posted by the end of the week; data from the SE & SW will need more time. The publishing of the soybean performance book will be delayed.

The sources of information for this article are Bill Wiebold, MU professor of Agronomy and supervisor of variety testing (573) 882-0621 and Jim Jarman, Agronomy Specialist (573) 642-0755.

Farmers from around Missouri and Callaway County are reporting green stems to green plants in soybean fields. This varies from an occasional plant with a green stem to whole fields seeming not to wanting to mature. The reasons may be simple or a complex of disease, insect, cultural and environmental (weather) conditions. Even with a simple or single cause, discovering the cause this late in the season may be hard.

At this point in the season there is nothing that can be done. Recording observations on symptoms that developed, variety planted, management practices and environmental conditions in field over the season, may help determine the cause of the problem or factors contributing to the problem. Monitoring fields next season, especially for bean leaf beetle which vectors bean pod mottle virus and for stinkbugs, will be important. Take samples of effected plants to aid in a possible diagnosis.

A more complete explanation of this can be found in the October 25^th "Integrated Pest and Crop Management" newsletter or at: http://ipm.missouri.edu/ipcm/archives/v12n24/ipmltr5.htm by Laura Sweets, MU Extension Plant Pathologist (573-884-7307) and Wayne Bailey, MU Extension Entomologist (573-882-2838).

Every year at this time counties across Missouri hold elections. Not the kind tied to national, state and full time County government positions. County Extension programs are directed by elected and appointed community members. Anyone wanting to serve the county but only has a few hours a month, can become a member of the Callaway County Extension Council. No matter how Missourians have had contact with University of Missouri Extension in the past, future success depends on having quality programs open to every Missourian and Extension Council members who will help plan and oversee extension programs.

County extension councils are mandated by state law and are the governing body for local educational opportunities provided by University of Missouri Extension. Council members work with extension faculty in making decisions concerning extension programs, personnel, council elections and the local extension budget.

The reasons Missourians have for serving on publicly elected University of Missouri Extension county councils are as varied as the people themselves. They may have used the resources of University of Missouri Extension in the past. They understand the contribution extension makes with the help of involved citizens from extension workshops on agriculture, gardening, economic household and small business management, nutrition, community development or youth programs like 4-H.

Call the Callaway County Extension Center for more information on Extension programs and opportunities through council membership at (573) 642-0755 or look on the web at: http://extension.missouri.edu/callaway.

The Missouri Department of Conservation’s 2002 – 2003 Seedling Order Forms have arrived at the Callaway County Extension Center. Anyone wanting to order trees or shrubs can drop by our office, order online or download an order form from: http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/forest/nursery/seedling/

The seedlings are bareroot, one, two or three years old, depending on species, available in single species bundles of 25 seedlings and for use in Missouri. If you need a smaller planting of a variety, five special bundles are available. The Wildlife Cover Bundle will improve habitat and food sources for a number of Missouri wildlife species. The Extra-Large Nut Tree Bundle is made up of pecan and walnut that are larger than our normal stock size. The Walnut Variety Bundle offers landowners three different varieties of black walnut for those interested in growing walnut for both nut and timber production. The Quail Cover Bundle provides plants for quail food and cover. The contents of these special bundles are preselected by the nursery, and no substitutes can be made. Seedling sizes vary greatly depending on species.

Seedling bundles range from $3 to $18. Prices for each species and special bundles are listed in this order form. Sales tax of 4.725 percent will be added to all bills unless you furnish, at the time of your order, a tax exemption certificate. A handling charge of $5 is added to each order. No payment is sent with an order. You will be billed later. This prevents paying for items that may have sold out before your order is received.

Training on the properly use of Restricted Use Pesticides (RUP) will be held in Audrain County on December 10, 2002 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This is one of the last trainings of 2002. After December 31, 2002, applicators needing to recertify will no longer be able to use the Recertification Manual. The only approved method for recertification will be a video tape, computer CD training or a scheduled session.

Farmer applicators must have a license to buy and legally use pesticides with a RUP label. The Environmental Protection Agency has determined certain pesticides must be applied by applicators who have had additional training on proper pesticide handling, personal protective equipment, pesticide regulations, storage considerations, worker protection, endangered species and record keeping.

This training is free with a package of informational handouts . Although, the training manual is $12.00 for anyone who wants their own copy.

This training will be given by Jim Jarman, Agronomy Specialist. For more information, contact the Audrain County Extension Center at (573) 581-3231 or the Callaway County Extension Center at (573) 642-0755.

Most people welcome the arrival of birds singing in their yards, but they feel less enthusiastic when thousands of noisy blackbirds invade their property. With the approach of winter, several bird species including red-winged blackbirds, grackles, starlings and cowbirds often cluster together to roost during their southward migration. These are the kinds of birds people generally think of as blackbirds. In central Missouri, it is not really a problem if they roost in trees along the Missouri River. When blackbirds move somewhere like farms, cities or suburbs, they are a big nuisance. Roosts are chosen in areas with dense shrubs and deciduous trees. We are talking about a huge number of birds - sometimes in the millions.

Even if homeowners can stand the racket, most people soon become disgusted with the accumulated droppings, or odors from a long time roost. Bird roosts that develop year after year in the same location can be the source of human disease.

Bird droppings can create conditions favorable for the growth of Histoplasma capsulatum, a fungus whose spores when inhaled can cause histoplasmosis, a serious disease in humans and animals. The fungus occurs in soil with at least three years' accumulation of bird or bat droppings.

Blackbirds often flock together during the late summer and may choose suitable trees in a particular neighborhood. Although these birds often move from these roosts when the leaves drop in the fall, the homeowner or neighborhood wish to move the roosts before economic damage or health problems occur.

Federal and state law prohibits the killing of blackbirds and other migratory birds, but the regulations permit people to protect their property by scaring or herding them away. The most effective method of moving bird roosts is through the use of sound. Sharp, loud noises are more effective than sustained sounds. Banging tin pans or metal garbage can lids, beating a metal tub or slapping two flat boards together are just a few of the methods for generating a suitable sound.

Other methods include shotgun shells or shell-bangers fired from a special handgun. These options are not usually recommended to control bird roosts in urban situations. A taped blackbird or starling "distress call" can also induce the flock to move. The cassette tapes must be played at high volume for several consecutive evenings.

The best time to scare off birds is while they are flying. A common error in bird-roost control is to wait until the birds have settled in before attempting to move them. When birds first arrive at a roost, they may perch in nearby trees and fly around without settling. This activity is referred to as staging, and it may go on for 15 to 30 minutes before the birds settle into their roosting site.

The noisemaking operation should begin in late afternoon or early evening, just as the first birds begin to arrive. Playing distress calls loudly and intermittently at first, then continuously as more birds enter, will discourage them, as will exploding devices fired over the tops of roost trees.

Once night has fallen, the birds will often settle down in the roost in spite of efforts to keep them out. When this happens, be persistent and follow up on successive evenings. In large or well-established roosts, scaring may have to be continued for up to a week before the birds abandon the area.

Although many blackbirds and related species migrate farther south, a large number may remain forming a winter roost. Generally, winter roosts are located in more rural areas where they do not create the problems associated with summer and fall urban roosts. However, some towns have had serious problems with roosting blackbirds. When they are a problem, they can be extremely difficult to move. Eliminating winter roosts requires more persistence, work, assistance and equipment.

For more complete information about developing a bird control program, contact your local extension office. In Missouri, the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Service provides technical assistance and advice on blackbird control. Contact the agency at (573) 449-3033. The source of information for this article are Bob Pierce, wildlife specialist with University of Missouri Extension (573) 882-4337; Charles Nilon, University of Missouri associate professor of urban wildlife (573) 882-3738; and Jim Jarman, Agronomy Specialist (573) 642 0755.

The Missouri Sheep Producers (MSP) will host Missouri Sheep Days and their annual meeting on December 13-14, 2002. The two-day event will be held at the Ramada Inn, Columbia, MO. The program will feature prominent members of the sheep industry from throughout the Midwest, as well as several of Missouri’s experts. Some of the topics to be addressed are predator control, scrapie, computerized record keeping, club lamb fungus, legislative issues, basic flock health and management, and alternative feeds. There are special Junior Sheep Producers tour, programs and activities.

For more information, contact Cindy DeOrnellis: 573-897-2479 or cad_luzon@hotmail.com and Dan Rhoades: 573-682-5844 or rhoadesd@missouri.edu. Information is also available at http://ag.smsu.edu/msp.htm.

For all the vegetable growers who have felt left out by the reports of row crop variety trials, the results of the vegetable variety trials at Graves Research Plots near Corning, Hundley-Whaley Farm at Albany, and St Joseph for 2002 are posted on the Internet at: . http://agebb.missouri.edu/hort/test/index.htm.

The trials include the performance of muskmelon, pepper, sweet corn, tomato and watermelon varieties. Keith Hawxby, Horticulture Specialist from the Buchanan County Extension Center in St. Joseph, 816-279-1691, conducted these trials.

Return to Callaway County Extension Home Page
	Jim Jarman, jarmanj@missouri.edu Agronomy Specialist, (573) 642-0755 Site maintained by: Tiffany Niederschulte, niederschultet@missouri.edu