Peanut: White mold weather is all over us, but so far, no jailbreaks (at least that I’ve heard about) in our crop. There are a few hits of white mold here and there, but fungicide programs have largely kept it under control. We can’t eliminate it, but our programs have limited the hits. Better to have one plant hit than to have it run 10 feet down the row. Remember to get optimum white mold benefit, the fungicide must be watered in within 48 hours, but if you have leaf spot material in the mix, it will need to dry first (usually 2-8 hrs). The picture below was sent to me; someone messed up and grabbed the Glyphosate jug.
Cotton: I just got back from the Mid-Year Cotton Meeting, where Ryan Branch won the Best Cotton Quality award for the state with this crop last year; Sconyers was the nominating gin. We have a new bug, Cotton Jassid. It’s similar to a leafhopper. They are very tiny (slightly bigger than a thrip) and have two black spots on them. They prefer okra but will feed on cotton; they have been found in Florida here recently they were identified Grady and Seminole. This week, they were found on the Experiment Station, so I’m sure there are some around in our fields as well. You may see damage before you notice the pest. They’ll give a hopper burn and curl the leaves. Jassids are still new, so we’re working out the kinks. I’ll keep everyone informed on how we should treat this pest.
Corn: We are starting to reach the black layer (approximately 30-35% moisture) in many of our early-planted corn fields. It won’t be long now; it’s best to harvest it before the moisture level drops below 20%, then dry it. Late-planted corn needs to be protected from stink bugs and southern rust. Watch diligently for worms.