More recent crops and forage questions and answers

Crops and forage

Weed identification

I have a three-foot-tall weed in my pasture that has small yellow flowers. Is this a type of goldenseal?

For a certain identification of the problem and more specific treatment information, I suggest taking some photos or collecting a sample and submitting to the Plant Diagnostic Clinic. The clinic can identify weeds as well as insect and plant disease problems. Please see the online image submission instructions at and then click on the image link for weed images submission at the right side of the screen to submit photos and required background information. You can find more information about the clinic, fees and how to submit physical samples on the Web.

Simeon Wright
Plant Diagnostic Clinic Coordinator

Mowing fescue seed heads

Normally I bail my fescue by June 1. This year the fescue already has seed heads. Should I mow off the seed heads now?

If I do, will I be able to bail hay at the end of June?

If I do not cut the fields now and bail in June, will the hay be toxic for our cows and horses? I have no mares.

There is no perfect answer, so I'll pitch the facts and let you decide. If you clip the seed heads and get rain afterwards, you have done the right thing. The reason, you will be baling up regrowth. And you should have plenty of hay, again if it rains. Tall fescue regrowth contains lower concentrations of the toxic alkaloids that cause fescue toxicosis.

The only downside I see is clipping and having no rain. In this case, of course, you would have no hay. But at least the pasture would be less toxic.

G4669, Tall Fescue Toxicosis

Craig Roberts
State forage specialist

Common lespedeza seeds

I read your article G4515, Annual Lespedeza. I am trying to reestablish historical lespedeza in Mississippi. We have native lespedeza which from pictures looks like pictures I have located of lespedeza Virginiana. You are calling Kummerowia striata common lespedeza. I would like to know where I can purchase seeds for common lespedeza. I can purchase Kobe, Korean, and hybrids, some of which are mentioned in your article. Where can I purchase common lespedeza? Our Mississippi common lespedeza has been here forever. It is very hardy and shade tolerant and spreads very easily in poor soils.

The annual lespedeza Kummerowia striata is both a Kobe type and referred to as "common" type. Common lespedeza is not merely VNS, or variety not stated; rather, it is a type of annual lespedeza -- Kobe. The reasons Kobe does well in southern locations are three-fold:

It is disease resistant where Korean is not.
It is a determinant plant, which allows it to flower in late summer and set seed in the fall before a killing frost.
Is thrives on poor soils, which usually means it tolerates a low soil pH.

About a seed source, again, when you purchase a common type of lespedeza, you are buying Kobe.

Craig Roberts
State forage specialist

Organic growers

Do you have a listing of organic farmers in Missouri that grow either corn or oats?

I am not aware of anyone in extension who maintains a list of certified organic growers across the state. However, not all but many producers are certified through Missouri OneCert. Missouri OneCert would keep a list of their certified producers. Missouri OneCert can be reached by e-mailing sue@onecert.net or calling 866-587-5716. Another resource to contact would be the Missouri Organic Association (MOA) by e-mailing lwilliams@mineralarea.edu or calling 573-760-1731. MOA consists of all types of growers, both certified and non-certified members. The vast majority of the members of MOA are vegetable and fruit producers, but animal and field crop producers are also members.

Debi Kelly
Missouri Alternatives Center

Irrigation in Southwest Missouri

Do Southwest Missouri farmers irrigate to prevent crop losses in a drought? If not why not?

Only about 50,000 acres of land are irrigated in the counties of Vernon, Barton, Jasper and Dade. Normally, crops do OK there without irrigation but will get a spike in yields with irrigation.

Double-crop soybeans (planted in late June) can be hurt by too-dry weather, but other crops seem to do fine, basically because the good soil is moderately deep.

One area of concern is in regions that don't have much soil depth (there is a lot of rocky soil in Southwest Missouri). Here irrigation may be needed. Another area that requires irrigation is specialty vegetable crops that are grown in Dade County. The shallow nature of their roots and their high value make irrigation important.

Joseph Henggeler
Irrigation engineer
MU Delta Center

More crops and forage questions and answers

Updated 8/2/06