Just a few notes this morning:
Rain expected today and Saturday across much of southern Georgia will bring cool, wet soils that are perfect for seedling diseases in cotton and peanut. So, in my opinion, best to wait. I think Dr. Monfort and Dr. Hand would agree that planting either peanut or cotton under such approaching conditions is risky for more than disease issues as well.
TWITTER: Dr. Kemerait has a twitter account (bob kemerait) and he post pictures there
TO DATE: Soybean rust has ONLY been found on KUDZU in Telfair County (Go figure, Colby..) for reasons beyond me. But we continue to hunt.
LAST: CORN NEMATODES- NOW is the perfect time (early in the season while corn is still small) to observe STUNTING and poor vigor in corn fields. Stunting in young corn could be caused by a number of factors, but Nematodes are a major possibility. BOTTOM LINE: stunting in specific areas of corn fields, especially sandier areas?, I encourage you to sample for nematodes- especially stubby-root, sting, and southern root-knot. Nothing can be done now to “fix” it if it is nematodes, but you will know better “next time”.