FROM AROUND THE STATE

ISSUE 5  JUNE 3, 1999

    Flea beetle emergence is still underway and fields need to be monitored frequently
in the seedling stage. But, how do you tell if your gaucho-treated seed is protecting the
canola from flea beetle? First, the pitting on gaucho-treated seed is usually smaller and the
cotyledons have fewer pits than the non-treated plants. Second, the flea beetles should appear
sluggish on a warm, sunny day rather than actively hopping. Gaucho acts as a stomach poison so
flea beetles must feed on the canola first to ingest the toxin. Some spraying has been reported in
the North Central Region - McHenry and Bottineau Counties.

DIAMONDBACK MOTH HAS ARRIVED!

    Diamondback moth migrate into the Dakotas from the southern states, and usually arrive late
May or early June. The moths are easy to monitor with pheromone traps that can detect when they
are arrive and when their numbers are increasing . The first Diamondback moths were captured in
traps located at: Ward County at North Central Research Extension Center, Minot; Divide County
near Crosby (K. Brown trapper); and Mountrail County near Makoti (Monsanto’s Center of
Excellence). Trap numbers were low (<20 moths per trap week). If high numbers of adult
moths (>100 moths per trap week) are captured in the traps, fields should be monitored for
diamondback larvae by beating or dislodging the larvae from plants. However, economic levels
of damage depend on the crop stage, bud and pod development = most susceptible, and the larvae
densities and size.

ORANGE WHEAT BLOSSOM MIDGE UPDATE

    Most of the North Central Region has passed the high risk planting window (200-600 DD,
Base 40^"F)) when the wheat development is synchronized with the wheat midge emergence. The
following Degree Day (DD) accumulations to June 1^st are listed for Northwest ND: Rolla = 533,
Columbus = 529, Mohall = 632, Bottineau = 604, Towner = 647, Turtle Lake = 657 ,
Minot = 695, and Williston = 714 (Source: ND Ag Weather Network).

WIREWORMS ON SUNFLOWER

    Wireworms have been reported cutting sunflower seedlings off before germination near
Bottineau in Bottineau County (source: Mike Hutter, Northern Ag Management). Wireworms
are difficult to detect and usually noticed by spotty / thin stands. Feeding occurs below the
ground where the wireworm feeds on the germinating seeds or seedlings. Since soils have been
cool and wet, sprouting is slow and this exposes the plant to wireworm attack as well as bacterial
and fungal rot infections. Soil applied insecticide treatments are generally ineffective as a
preventive or rescue treatment. Seed treatments provide an inexpensive means of reducing
wireworm damage to growing crops.

Janet J. Knodel
Area Extension Specialist Crop Protection
North Central Research and Extension Center
Minot, ND

NDSU FIELD DAYS SCHEDULE

    Below is a listing of NDSU field day tours and other special events. Exact starting times will be
given at a later date via this newsletter or other media channels.

• June 16 at the Central Grassland Research Extension Center, Streeter
  (701) 424-3606.
• June 30 at the Agronomy Seed Farm, Casselton (701) 347-4743.
• July 6 at the Hettinger Research Extension Center, Hettinger (701) 567-4323.
• July 7 at the Dickinson Research Extension Center, Dickinson (701) 227-2348.
• July 8 at the ARS-USDA Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory,
  Mandan, ND (701) 663-6445.
• July 8 at the Williston Research Extension Center, Williston (701) 774-4315.
• July 13 at the Carrington Research Extension Center, Carrington (701) 652-2951.
• July 14 at the North Central Research Extension Center, Minot - includes
  new building dedication (701) 857-7677.
• July 15 at the Langdon Research Extension Center, Langdon (701) 256-2582.
• July 21 at the Eastern Montana Agricultural Research Center, Sidney,
  Montana (406) 482-2208.
• August 17 a late vegetable and field crops day at the Garrison Diversion
  Conservancy District site, Oakes (701) 742-2744.