I have been trying to catch up from being gone last week to 4-H Camp. Here is some of what we have been dealing with this week.
Cotton: April/Early May cotton is either squaring or very close to squaring; our variety trial was planted last Monday. We seem to be out of the Thrips and grasshoppers; the aphids are coming. Jassids have been found in Tifton. They were first spotted at the Experiment Station, and then reports came in from production fields where some were picked up in nets. It’s really hard to ID jassid nymphs; they look too much like several other species. The adults are the ones we definitely ID. We are closely monitoring Jassids this year, so if you think you have them or have spotted them, please let me know.
Peanuts: Overall, peanuts are looking good, although we have had some stand issues with GA21, GA22, 52Ns, and Arnies. Lessers have been rather quiet, but I’ve heard reports of some scattered around. We usually don’t spray preventively; we don’t trigger a spray until we find Lessers at 3 out of 10 inspection sites during scouting. Early-season Lessers can and will reduce yield, but we need to be proactive with our scouting because we don’t need to spend $14+/A spraying for them if they are not there. Our current conditions are favorable for white mold. We should have several acres that have already been sprayed and many more that are close to being sprayed. With this weather, I’d be vigilant with fungicide sprays.
Corn: No Southern Rust has been found in Georgia yet. I have found several fields with common rust, but that is of no harm to us. For southern rust, if we can make it to the hard dough stage, we’re good
Weather: Arthur has just formed over the Gulf; it’s tracking towards Georgia, though it would likely weaken before reaching the state. The system is expected to bring heavy rainfall to the region beginning Thursday. As of today (Wednesday), southern Georgia is already experiencing rain from a stationary front. This front will interact with incoming tropical moisture, leading to continued rainfall and increasing intensity as Arthur moves eastward. Forecast models are inconsistent at this point. Some indicate a low-pressure center moving directly over Macon, while others show no defined center at all. Still others place the heaviest rainfall either farther north or south. For now, this situation is worth monitoring closely, as significant rainfall appears likely regardless of storm development. Strong winds are not expected to be a major concern with this system. Standard weather apps may struggle with accuracy due to the complexity of the setup, so it’s best to check forecasts frequently using reliable sources such as the National Weather Service. After this system passes, the broader weather pattern is expected to become less favorable for tropical development for an extended period.