27 May, 1999

MONITOR CANOLA FIELDS FOR FLEA BEETLE ACTIVITY
Most of the canola planted in the region has emerged or will soon be emerging. Flea beetles have emerged and are a dangerous insect pest for canola in the cotyledon stage. Gaucho insecticide used on canola seed will provide systemic protection for the plant from economic flea beetle injury for about 21 days after seeding. If canola emergence is delayed and environmental conditions (hot and dry) slow growth of the newly-emerged plant, the insecticide protection may not last until the plant is at a less susceptible stage (first true leaves fully expanded or later stage). Canola in the early-seedling stage should be monitored on a daily basis for flea beetle injury. If a field is approaching 25 percent injury and flea beetles continue to be present, a foliar insecticide treatment should be considered. Products currently labeled include Warrior (Section 18 label), endosulfan and parathion. Consult insecticide labels for specific information on use.

WARM-SEASON ANNUAL FORAGE CROP PERFORMANCE
Soil temperatures are warming to allow planting of warm-season annual forage crops. Numerous forage choices exist for hay. As a reference for selecting forage species for hay production this season, the following are average yields (tons per acre at 15 percent moisture) for warm-season forage hay crops from Carrington Research Extension Center trials during 1994-98: Siberian millet = 2.5, sudangrass = 2.5, pearl millet = 2.8, sorghum-sudan = 2.9, proso millet (red) = 3.0, and German millet = 3.6. The following is average crude protein (percent) from the 1994-96 Carrington Center forage trials: proso millet (red) = 8.9, pearl millet = 9.2, German millet = 9.3, sudangrass = 10.7, Siberian millet = 11.2, and sorghum-sudan = 12.0. Other factors to consider when selecting forage crop types include seed availability and costs, prussic acid potential, harvest method, regrowth potential, etc. Additional forage crop performance data and production recommendations may be obtained from NDSU Extension Service or Research Extension Center offices.

Greg Endres, Area Extension Specialist/Cropping Systems, Email: gendres@ndsuext.nodak.edu
1999 Ag Alert Archive * Carrington R&E Center Home Page * NDSU Agriculture