Cotton: This rain has given our dryland cotton a little boost, which was badly needed. Thrips seem to be moving on out. The newer planted cotton that I’ve looked at hasn’t seen the near thrip pressure that the earlier cotton has. I’m finding a little rhizoc in about every field, which is relatively normal; no dire situations, though.
Peanuts: Peanuts are starting to shake thrips damage, and some are beginning to nodulate. There was a light pink hue in the nodules meaning they were becoming active. I have already found some spotted wilt, so it is out there. Nothing we can do about it now; I can not stress the value of a good at plant insecticide. We have several peanut trials going on right now. We have a few peanut seed treatment trials, looking to see if there is any difference between the regular treatment versus a liquid treatment. Also, we have trials looking at different rates and tank-mix partners for PGRs on 12Ys, and we will be looking at some different harvest options for 12ys. I will try and keep you updated.
Corn: Corn is looking pretty good. No southern rust has been identified in any surrounding counties, but Northern Corn Leaf Blight (NCLB) has been found in some counties along the Florida line. NCLB is cosmetic primarily, but it can be a problem in susceptible varieties. What does this mean for us? Well, it’s time to start watching. With recent storms that blew through and the prediction of an active tropical season, it seems like it’s only a matter of time before it shows up. As corn approaches tassel and with the extra expense we already have tied up in the crop, we are left with two options. “Insurance” spray for peace of mind or just wait and see. Both are good options at this point.
