Free plant disease diagnosis at Crop & Pest Field Day
Those attending the July 10 University of Missouri Crop and Pest Management Field Day in Columbia can bring plants for early-season disease diagnosis. Peng Tian, director of the MU Plant Diagnostic Clinic, says it is a great opportunity for corn, soybean and wheat growers to receive free diagnostic testing for plant health issues resulting from insect, pathogens, weeds, environmental stress or other damage.
Mow or spot spray poison hemlock now
Poison hemlock, a plant that can kill livestock, is flowering and setting seed now in much of Missouri. While early control is recommended, it still can be managed with spot treatments or mowing, says Kevin Bradley, University of Missouri Extension weed scientist. It grows in ditches, roadways, fencerows, occasionally in pastures or hayfields that aren’t mowed regularly, and sometimes in no-till cropping systems.
MU Extension shares research on spray drones at field day
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Attendees at the July 10 University of Missouri Crop and Pest Management Field Day in Columbia will hear updates on how spray drones are modernizing agriculture and what to expect when using these devices for weed control.
MU Management Intensive Grazing School set for June 16-18 in Arcola
Efficient forage management and utilization are crucial to the profitability of a livestock operation. MU Extension, the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), Missouri Forage and Grasslands Council, and the Dade County Missouri Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) will host a Management Intensive Grazing School June 16-18 at the Arcola Community Building at First Street and Highway 39 in Arcola.
Learn about new and old pests at July 10 field day
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension specialists will share the latest pest management research July 10 at the Crop and Pest Management Field Day, says MU Extension state weed scientist Kevin Bradley. The annual event will be at Bradford Research Farm in Columbia. Presenters include MU Extension state crops entomologist Ivair Valmorbida, who will show how to scout and sample for pests and discuss thresholds.
Early control needed for poison hemlock
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Poison hemlock, a plant that can kill livestock, is one of the first weeds to appear in Missouri pastures, says Kevin Bradley, University of Missouri Extension weed scientist. It also can cause birth defects in the offspring of pregnant livestock, especially when eaten in its earlier growth stage by animals in their first trimester of pregnancy, says MU Extension veterinary toxicologist Tim Evans.
Online ag research: When more is less
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Information in the digital age is like porridge in the tale “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” How do you know what is too much, too little, just right – or maybe not right at all? The digital age has put vast amounts of information at your fingertips, which is good, says University of Missouri Extension weed scientist Kevin Bradley. What is not good is the confusion from trying to parse out what information is reliable…
MU Extension offers vegetable production series
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension will offer a seven-part webinar series in January and February on how to manage vegetable crops for maximum yield. The series runs 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 6-Feb. 25, 2025.
Grant aims to share pest management information with more diverse audience
The University of Missouri’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to strengthen its reach to diverse clientele with sustainable pest management practices. The grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture aims to enhance the ability to get important pest management information out to clients who need it.
MU Extension offers listing of farm apps
TROY, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension’s website lists numerous apps to help in decision-making on the farm, says MU Extension agricultural engineering specialist Charles Ellis. “These apps can help you make objective decisions to better manage your crops and livestock,” Ellis says. “By entering information from your farm, you can get answers specific to your operation.”
Two weeds to watch in pastures, hayfields in 2024
Knotroot foxtail and fountain grass are spreading in Missouri pastures, reducing forage quality and proving difficult to control.
MU Weed Science confirms HPPD-resistant waterhemp
COLUMBIA, Mo. – There is still time to manage resistance to HPPD-inhibiting herbicides in corn this year, but the window is shortening, according to University of Missouri Extension weed scientist Kevin Bradley.
Weeds adapt to fight back against herbicides
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Weeds today aren’t like “what Mom used to make,” says University of Missouri Extension weed scientist Kevin Bradley.
New regulations make weed management more complex in 2023
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Producers should prepare for more complexity in herbicide requirements and registrations in 2023 and beyond, says University of Missouri Extension weed scientist Kevin Bradley.The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed changes to atrazine labels that would have great impact, says Bradley. Atrazine is an effective and inexpensive herbicide used to kill broadleaf and grassy weeds in the majority of Missouri corn and…
Glufosinate-resistant Palmer amaranth found in Missouri Bootheel
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.Palmer amaranth spreads and adapts quickly to herbicides. When it goes to seed, the weed is a superstar, producing as many as 1 million seeds per…
Benefit of killing annual weeds in winter wheat depends on weed, yield loss
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.Bradley offers these guidelines based on research from MU and other reputable sources.Common chickweed
Plan to kill toxic perilla mint this spring or summer
Perilla mint is a toxic plant that can harm livestock. To control it, apply broadleaf herbicides between April and June before seed set
Cereal rye as a cover crop can reduce waterhemp
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Cereal rye as a cover crop may reduce waterhemp populations without yield loss in soybean, according to a three-year study at the University of Missouri.
Weed electrocution research sparks interest as herbicide resistance impedes current methods
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Move over, herbicides. There’s a new sheriff in town. And he’s toting some powerful guns loaded with electricity to kill weeds. This shocking new method of weed control was demonstrated at the 2021 Pest Management Field Day at the University of Missouri Bradford Research Center in Columbia.
Mizzou Weed Science shares Seed Terminator research
Mizzou Weed Science's research shows the Seed Terminator attachment pulverizes 93.2% of waterhemp seeds entering the combine, aiding in weed control.
MU research looks at technology to kill weeds
COLUMBIA, Mo. – If it’s a weed, spray it. That’s the mindset that most in the agriculture industry held for years.That thinking no longer works as more weeds become resistant to herbicides, says Kevin Bradley, University of Missouri Extension weed scientist.Bradley uses waterhemp as an example. Waterhemp is one of 14 herbicide-resistant weed species in Missouri. It is a prolific producer of seeds, and Bradley considers it Missouri’s…
Survey of Missouri Pesticide Applicator Practices, Knowledge, and Perceptions
The introduction of soybean and cotton traits with resistance to synthetic auxin herbicides has led to an increase in concern over the off-target movement of dicamba and 2,4-D. A direct-mail survey was sent to Missouri pesticide applicators in January of 2016 to understand current herbicide application practices and applicator knowledge and awareness of the new synthetic auxin technologies.
Off-target movement of dicamba in Missouri: Where do we go from here?
The situation. In 2017, there have been numerous instances of off-target movement of dicamba throughout the state of Missouri and beyond. While the majority of the injury on a per land unit area has definitely occurred in the boot heel of Missouri, there are many problems with off-target movement of dicamba in the rest of the state.
Weed management issues related to the flooding and wet conditions in Missouri
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 management practices. In this article, we present a few brief thoughts that provide some answers to the most common questions we’ve been getting.
New tests by MU scientists will kill weed seeds before they become weeds
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Kill seeds before they become hard-to-kill weeds. That plan will be studied by Kevin Bradley with help from Missouri farmers.The University of Missouri Extension weed specialist plans research on crushing seeds before they hit the ground. That stops weeds competing with crops next season. Over time, that depletes soil seed banks.