Rolling Plains / West Texas Audio Updates
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9/29/2021 (audio file) Recent rains have mitigated late season pest problems. Cotton pests declining, pecans pests declining. (1:52)
9/22/2021 (audio file) Most cotton has caught up, but some late maturing varieties are short on fruit load and heat units. Harvest aids and temperature. El Paso and Hudspeth counties: Major drop in pest populations. Early season pecan harvest begins soon. (5:46)
9/15/2021 (audio file) High temperatures helping cotton catch up. Cotton insects not done; watch for bollworms, stink bugs and aphids. (4:04)
9/8/2021 (audio file) River water ending for the year. Whiteflies picking up in cotton. Yellow aphids increasing in Pecans. (2:35)
8/25/2021 (audio file) Cotton: stink bugs spotty, some need treatment. El Paso/Hudspeth counties - whitefly activity increasing. Grain sorghum: sugarcane aphid resurgence. Pecans: yellow aphids coming back after rains. (7:17)
8/18/2021 (audio file) Cotton crop mixed, concern for time to finish the season as is 10 - 14 days behind. Finish fertilizer and consider PGRs. Stink bugs some concern in places. El Paso and Hudspeth counties: monsoon puts standing water in some fields, pecan aphids will increase when it dries out. (7:22)
8/11/2021 (audio file) Cotton shedding fruit without rain, concern over late blooming fields. Stink bugs the biggest threat but bollworms increasing. Sorghum: sugarcane aphid over threshold in places, may affect harvest. (6:03)
8/4/2021 (audio file) Cotton: lygus increasing, stink bugs reaching threshold. Will cotton have time to make? Sorghum: headworms being sprayed, sugarcane aphid getting worse behind headworm sprays. Pecans: aphids increasing but rainfall helping. (5:49)
7/28/2021 (audio file) Cotton fleahopper battle continues but applications now might not pay. Time to scout for stink bugs. Grain sorghum: headworms common, sugarcane aphid in many fields. (5:37)
7/21/2021 (audio file) Cotton: fleahoppers hit and miss, low square set across region, bollworms increasing - some non-Bt needs to be treated. Grain sorghum: headworms and stink bugs increasing. El Paso and Hudspeth counties: hail knocked out some pecans and cotton. Second generation pecan nut casebearer is finished flying, yellow aphids present. Cotton: bollworm damage above threshold in some places, beneficials high, whiteflies still at low levels. (8:04)
7/14/21 (audio file) Dry-out is beneficial. Weed control still a priority. Cotton: fleahoppers getting high in places. Grain sorghum: headworms picking up, sugarcane aphid still a no-show. (5:14)
7/7/2021 (audio file) St. Lawrence area: weed control in earnest. A few fleahoppers in cotton, some fields treated. Most square drop in cotton probably due to environmental conditions. Don't apply PGRs to stressed cotton. Grain crops look good. El Paso and Hudspeth counties: Pecan nut casebearer second generation is laying eggs, aphids picking up in pecans. Cotton: bollworms in isolated spots. (6:41)
6/30/2021 (audio file) Timing of rain very favorable. Cotton growth regulator likely critical depending on rain amount. Insect pressure light. Pecan nut casebearer second flight just starting in El Paso area. (5:45)
6/22/2021 (audio file) Cotton from cotyledon to 8 leaf, time to scout for fleahoppers in edges. Lubber grasshoppers still spreading. Corn, sorghum and melons look good. El Paso and Hudspeth counties: Weeds after irrigation, second generation of pecan nut casebearer pending. (6:08)
6/15/2021 (audio file) Cotton planting completed but some emergence problems. Lubber grasshoppers popping up, wireworms more of an issue than normal. Weed battle continues. Corn and sorghum look good. Watermelon and cantaloupe still behind. El Paso and Hudspeth counties; still very hot but irrigation has started. Weeds pending, insects light. Pecans; setting traps for next generation of pecan nut casebearer. (9:05)
6/8/2021 (audio file) St. Lawrence Area: Cotton planting almost done, crop looks good and thrips pressure low. Corn looks good. Sorghum: doing well but fall armyworms increasing - a potential problem for haygrazer. Melons and pecans doing well. (5:33)
6/1/2021 (audio file) St. Lawrence Area: Rain! Hail causes some cotton replant. Over half of cotton planted. Insects light, wireworms reported. Corn and sorghum looking good. El Paso and Hudspeth Counties: Most pecan nut casebearer applications done. Seed source and equipment sanitation critical in preventing the spread of FOV4. (8:31)
5/25/2021 (audio file) Welcome rain, planting in earnest. Some cotton replant due to hail. Weeds still a problem. False chinch bugs coming out of wheat causing damage in some cotton. Grains making progress, fall armyworm may be increasing. Pecan nut casebearer levels high; first generation short and heavy. Black aphids likely not responsible for strange looking pecan leaves. (7:32)
5/18/2021 (audio file) Rolling Plains: Rain has made a big difference. Weed control necessary - best done before planting. Plant whatever you can get into. Grain crops may need fertilizer, insect pressure light. El Paso and Hudspeth counties: Pecan nut casebearer flights have peaked in the lower Valley and are increasing to the north. (7:35)
5/11/2021 (audio file) Rolling Plains: A little rain but temperature fluctuations an issue with corn and watermelons. Dryland cotton planting waiting on rain. Insects light, stay on top of weed control. El Paso: Pecan nut casebearer flight heavy along border, lighter farther north. (4:58)
5/04/2021 (audio file) Some rain, but decisions need to be made and there are no easy answers. Maintain weed control - options listed. Enough rain to germinate drylands sorghum and supplement corn. Insect pressure very low, but don't ignore wireworms. (6:58)
4/27/2021 (audio file) El Paso and Hudspeth counties: Two races of pecan nut casebearer need to be monitored. St. Lawrence area: Cool weather slowed growth. Pecans being fertilized. Cotton: planting will pick up next week. (6:13)
4/20/2021 (audio file) Pecans: Pecan root knot nematode, Texas root rot, pecan nut casebearer flight pending. Cotton: Considerations for reducing costs as we face uncertain weather. (11:45)
4/15/2021 (audio file) Lack of rain may force reduced acres. Corn and sorghum planted, sorghum waiting on rain, pecans and watermelon on track. Change herbicide modes of action to slow resistance. Wheat is at boot/heading: Time to decide if it should be terminated. (5:47)
4/6/2021 (audio file) Cotton planted, sorghum pending. Early season weed control; watch out for application window and plant back consequences. Cotton variety data available. Check last year's grain fields for wireworms if going to cotton. Wheat being terminated. (6:33)
2020 Episodes
Counties: Runnels, Tom Green, Glasscock, Upton, Reagan
Counties: Runnels, Tom Green, Glasscock, Upton, Reagan
10/6/2020 (external link) Cotton worse than expected, some fields being shredded. Harvest aid summary. Wheat planting decisions depend on rain, start clean, worms in wheat are mostly fall armyworm. (5:14)
9/15/2020 (external link) Rain too late for cotton but will help wheat. Cotton: investigating the "blight", balance filling top bolls with keeping quality in lower bolls. Wheat: keep clean fields to avoid fall armyworm. (7:21)
8/27/2020 (external link) Most cotton finished for the year, more and more dryland might not be harvested, struggling to keep up with irrigation demand, insect pressure light. Corn yields down dramatically. Much sorghum won't be harvested. (3:34)
8/11/2020 (external link) Fast heat unit accumulation in cotton, low level of flea hoppers and other pests plus environment causing reduced square set, but might be too late to treat. Mites and stinkbugs low in cotton. Corn harvest underway, yields low. Much sorghum might not be harvested. (7:08)
7/28/2020 (external link) Cotton: bloom near start to cutout. Pest pressure low; mites and fleahoppers. Rain essential. (7:40)
7/14/2020 (external link) Cotton: pest pressure low, spider mites may increase, dryland trying to stay alive. Corn harvest pending, yields lower. Sorghum: some is ok, other too far gone, check fields for stink bugs, a few sugarcane aphids. Western leaf-footed bug prevalent in cotton, sorghum and perhaps pecans. (7:33)
6/30/2020 (external link) Cotton: even irrigated fields need rain, salty water limiting growth. Fleahoppers and aphids below cotton threshold, PGRs being applied. Corn; heat and hail hurt pollination. Sorghum: 60% of fields heading, some stuck in boot stage, sugarcane aphid building, some fields near threshold. Going to a 2-week schedule for this audio until things pick up in the field. (7:30)
6/23/2020 (external link) Wildlife damaging crops; cotton terminals being eaten, crop pests light to moderate. Sugarcane aphid arrives in Tom Green/Runnels. More hail damage to corn than thought. Water short in all crops. (8:14)
6/16/2020 (external link) Irrigated cotton ok, dryland not going to emerge, or if emerged is growing slowly. Corn pollination better than expected, sorghum nearing boot. Insects light. (4:03)
6/9/2020 (external link) Dryland plantings not emerging, water demand critical, decisions about watering cotton or corn, punishing winds, crops going downhill. Insect pressure very light. (6:42)
6/2/2020 (external link) Rain in places, still too dry in others. Dry planting cotton. Wheat about done, sorghum recovering, much corn still too dry, pest pressure light except for thrips on cotton in places. Cotton aphids still in low numbers. (7:40)
5/26/2020 (external link) Warm and dry, cotton planting - some in dry ground. Corn and sorghum hanging on, hail damage to corn and sorghum. Pillbugs in cotton with no seed treatment. (5:45)
5/19/2020 (external link) Spotty rain, earliest cotton emerged, thrips need watching, corn and sorghum perking up, keep up with weeds (7:02)
5/12/2020 (external link) Wheat drying, corn and sorghum rough start; fertilize now if needed, cultivate carefully. Watermelons improving, cotton starting (7:19)
5/5/2020 (external link) Wheat fairly good or bad, little in the middle. Cotton about to roll. Corn and sorghum progressing. (6:34)
4/28/20 (external link) A little hail, plant dryland cotton first, pecans a bust from October freeze - negligible production, wheat under drought stress, yields being reduced. (6:16)
4/21/2020 (external link) Leaf diseases minor, fungicide window closing, wheat nitrogen still short, chilling injury to corn and sorghum, cotton preparations in full swing. (6:11)
4/14/2020 (external link) Disease uptick in wheat, nitrogen fertilizer running out, soil still too cool for cotton planting, act now for clean fields, check for wireworms, very few aphids in wheat. (6:36)
4/7/2020 (external link) Tan spot and striped rust in Runnels and Tom Green counties, think twice about applying an auxin-type herbicide to wheat now, aphid pressure still light. (8:55)