“We’re hitting treatment level for bollworms in beans from the Louisiana line to Pine Bluff, but they are scattered. The highest count I’ve heard is 15 in 25 sweeps, and threshold is 9. They are most commonly being found in the bottom parts of the fields where water stood and beans didn’t grow off as well. If you’re scouting for them, start there.
“A huge number of bollworms are still in the corn. We were doing counts in corn yesterday (7/21) and found 3 to 8 worms per ear. So, this will be a big flight when they cycle out of corn and hit the cotton and soybeans. That could happen in a week or less.
“The numbers likely will increase in the week of July 27 since our trap catches have bottomed out this week. The next couple of weeks will be big for bollworms.”
Bobby Golden, Mississippi Extension Rice and Soil Fertility Agronomist
“This week, we’ve taken a lot of calls, visited a bunch of fields and studied photos that folks sent us. Many people are finding things that concern them, or they don’t think the rice looks quite right. A number asked about applying more nitrogen.
“Jason Bond (Extension Weed Scientist) says this is the time of the year when we’re in a lull just before rice heads and people start thinking some fields look bad. Maybe things slowed down enough that they can pay more attention.
“In certain cases, fields actually look pretty good but growers want to apply more nitrogen and push the crop to that next level. What we’ll find is that the rice already has a good color, and we try to talk them back from that idea. Let’s not over-fertilize rice and create more problems than you can easily fix.
“In row rice, we do have instances where water mostly ran down the rows and didn’t hold long enough, so the ground went from wet to dry to wet multiple times, causing some nitrogen loss. We’re seeing this on the upper end of fields, and in specific fields we’ve recommended 50 units of nitrogen to restore a good green color on that that part of the field.
“In north Mississippi this week, we saw preflood herbicides going out, so we have found what must be the last rice field planted in Mississippi in 2020.
“USDA says we’re 65% headed. Jason and I did a loop around much of the central and north Delta, and I didn’t see a field that was full-blown headed. That 65% estimate doesn’t line up with what I’ve seen, nor does it fit with this crop’s timing. If we’d had a normal planting season then, yes, maybe we’d be at 65% heading. But the biggest part of our crop wasn’t planted until mid-May, which effectively is a month later than average.
“A few people sent me photos of fully headed fields, maybe five or six, and half of those were south of U.S. 82..
“I’m estimating that 40% is headed maybe, with heavy emphasis on the word maybe.
“We saw our first blast lesion in a field yesterday (7/22), but it wasn’t enough to warrant concern. Sheath blight has been relatively mild. So far, we haven’t received any calls about severe disease development this year.”
Gary Bradshaw, Independent Agronomist, Bradshaw Agricultural Consulting, Richmond, Texas
“A few of my client have started harvesting rice. Some cut a sample and it was still a bit on the green side, so they’re waiting a little longer.
“We’re trying to make decisions on when to drain certain fields, but with the weather we’re having, it’s hard to know. It’s supposed to rain all week (as of 7/21), but last week it was hot and dry.
“Stink bugs have been lighter than normal this year. I’ve probably sprayed an insecticide on only two-thirds of my acres at all, so a third weren’t treated for stink bugs.
“Growers planted a big part of our crop within a narrow period, so a good deal of rice will come out at the same time, too. If the weather straightens up, a lot of people would really get going at the end of this week and next week.
“One client in the western part of Wharton County has been cutting for 5 or 6 days. Everyone else has needed a few more days and then they’ll be ready.”
Wendell Minson, Bootheel Crop Consultants, Dexter, Missouri
“Our rice is just starting to head, and we began seeing the first heads Saturday (7/18). That’s pretty normal for our rice. But a lot of our rice also just got flooded.
“Overall, I think the crop looks good. We’re just seeing some grass issues. We sure have strongly colored rice, maybe the strongest color I’ve ever seen. When it’s a dark green like this, that’s usually a good sign.
This weekly report is distributed during the cotton production season. It is available to United States residents engaged in cotton farming, field scouting and other qualifying ag professions. Mailing address: 142 Westlake Drive, Brandon, MS 39047. Office: 601-992-9488.
