As of May 11, 28% of the Georgia peanut crop was reported as planted. Thus, peanut growers should now be evaluating the success of their PRE weed control programs and deciding on the need for early postemergence or “cracking” herbicide applications. Here are a few reminders about cracking sprays:
1) If a peanut grower started clean and used a good residual weed control program (i.e. Prowl or Sonalan + Valor + Strongarm) that was activated with irrigation or rainfall, the need for a cracking spray is questionable. Best thing in this situation is to go to the field and look to see what has escaped or not. If the field is relatively weed-free, a cracking spray may not be justifiable. Growers might consider waiting until 30-40 DAP to pull the trigger earlier on a POST program such as Cadre + 2,4-DB + Anthem Flex or Dual Magnum or Outlook or Warrant or Zidua.
2) If a grower decides to use a cracking spray, I would suggest a combination of paraquat + Storm or Basagran + Anthem Flex or Dual Magnum or Outlook or Warrant or Zidua. Suggested use rates would be as follows:
a) 2 lb ai/gal paraquat = 12 oz/A or 3 lb ai/A paraquat = 8 oz/A b) Storm 4SL @ 16 oz/A or Basagran 4SL @ 8 oz/A. If a grower wants to make his own “Georgia” Storm then use Ultra Blazer 2SL @ 16 oz/A + Basagran 4SL @ 8 oz/A. c) Anthem Flex 4SE @ 3 oz/A or Dual Magnum 7.62EC @ 16 oz/A or Outlook 6EC @ 12.8 oz/A or Warrant 3ME @ 48 oz/A or Zidua 85WG @ 1.5 oz/A or Zidua 4.17SC @ 2.5 oz/A.
3) If Dual Magnum or Outlook are used with paraquat + Storm or Basagran, no additional adjuvants are required. If Anthem Flex or Warrant or Zidua are used, a NIS @ 0.25% v/v is suggested.
4) I would prefer peanut cracking sprays to be applied in 15 GPA and tractor speeds of 10 MPH or less to improve spray coverage and reduce the production of dust (which can greatly reduce paraquat efficacy).
5) Given the option of using either an AIXR or TTI spray tip, I would prefer the AIXR tip.
6) If growers use higher rates of paraquat and/or delay paraquat applications past 28 days after cracking (DAC), the risk for yield loss resulting from paraquat injury is increased. Recent results from a 2018 weed-free field trial indicated that paraquat treatments applied ~35 DAC resulted in a 5.5% peanut yield reduction.
Watermelon Fungicide Spray Guide
Below is a spray guide – to be used as a guide. Growing conditions, disease development, and weather events may warrant making adjustments in your watermelon fungicide program. Feel free to call me during the growing season if you would like to go over what would be the most effective fungicide application for your watermelons. Tucker 229-507-8862
Watermelon Fungicide Spray Programs 2020
Bhabesh Dutta
Extension Vegetable Pathologist – University of Georgia
As with most crops, disease management begins prior to planting the crop to be protected. By using such methods as disease-free seed and transplants, proper rotation, disking and plowing, and use of resistant varieties, growers can minimize the amount of disease that is available to attack their crop. Using many practices takes all the weight off of any on practice and gives growers more disease management options at lower risk. Once plants are in the field, however, fungicide sprays are relied on heavily for effective and economical management of plant diseases. This spray guide is designed to encompass many diseases that attack watermelon during the growing season(s) in Georgia.
This is a generalized sequence of fungicide spray. A 7-10 day schedule can be followed; however, frequency, type and sequence of fungicide spray may vary situation to situation and field to field. Growers are advised to communicate with their respective county extension agents if they have any queries regarding this spray guide.
Spray 1: Proline at-plant drench
Spray 2: Chlorothalonil1 – GSB; Actigard and/or copper fungicide2 – BFB
Spray 3: Copper – BFB
Spray 4: Chlorothalonil – GSB; Actigard and/or copper fungicide – BFB
Spray 5: Luna Experience – GSB; copper fungicide – BFB
Spray 6: Inspire Super or Aprovia top or Miravis Prime – GSB; Copper fungicide – BFB
Spray 7: Vivando or Gatten or Quintec – POW; Orondis Ultra (foliar) – DOW and PCAP; Copper – BFB
Spray 8: Inspire Super or Aprovia top or Miravis Prime – GSB; Vivando or Gatten or Quintec – POW; Quadris or Cabrio – ANTH
Spray 9: Orondis Ultra3 (foliar) – PCAP; Elumin or Ranman or Previcur flex – DOW
Spray 10: Proline or Aprovia Top OR Inspire Super – GSB; Vivando or Gatten or Quintec – POW; Quadris or Cabrio – ANTH; Presidio – PCAP; Elumin or Previcur flex – DOW
1 Chlorothalonil (Bravo, Echo, Equus, etc…) may cause rind burn if sprayed within 21 day of harvest.
2 Actigard and/or Copper is used prior to fruit set if bacterial fruit blotch is an issue.
3 Be mindful of preharvest intervals (PHIs) for later sprays as many may have a 7-14 day PHI.
Always read the label for detailed application instructions or consult the Georgia Pest Control Handbook.
Disease Acronyms: BFB = bacterial fruit blotch; GSB = gummy stem blight; POW = powdery mildew; DOW = downy mildew; ANTH = anthracnose; PCAP = Phytophthora crown and fruit rot. FW=Fusarium wilt.