News Update
May 29, 2009

Grubs in Pastures

It had to happen. Grubs have been a turf grass problem for years and now grubs are becoming more common in pasture grasses as well. Many counties in eastern and central Nebraska have reported finding grubs in scattered areas within pastures during the past several years.

Most of the time, grubs have been found in pasture areas dominated by bluegrass, which seems logical since they also like bluegrass lawns.

An interesting feature of the pasture grubs, though, is that University of Nebraska entomologists discovered that many of the grubs in pastures belong to an entirely different genus of grubs than those commonly found in lawns. This unusual genus has not been studied very thoroughly, so their life cycle is unknown.

Since grubs have been found in pastures during all months of the growing season, they may be like the May/June Beetle, which has a three-year life cycle that includes about 24 months as a grub. This is just my speculation, though. The big question is how do we control these grubs? At this point, we don’t know. Skunks, birds, and other animals like to dig up the grubs for food, leaving a pasture full of unproductive divots. Sevin is the only chemical labeled for pastures that can kill grub larvae, but it’s not very effective in a pasture environment. Other pasture insecticides are likely effective only on adults, not on the grubs. My best recommendation for now is to have grasses more productive than bluegrass in your pasture and keep them healthy and vigorous with good management. Grub problems probably are here to stay. We may need to learn to live with it.

— by Bruce Anderson, professor of agronomy, University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Wheat Disease is Widespread in Kentucky

During the past week, the disease Fusarium head blight or “head scab” has appeared at significant levels in many wheat fields across Kentucky, according to University of Kentucky (UK) Extension. Depending on the severity of the disease, it could pose potential problems for the state’s many agricultural sectors that depend on wheat, Don Hershman, UK Extension plant pathologist, said.

“We’re still in a period of flux right now,” he said. “There could be more disease development over the next week or so.”

Click here to read more.

Extension to Present New 2008 Farm Bill Information

Iowa State University (ISU) Extension farm management field specialists are continuing informational meetings on the 2008 Farm Bill. The summer meetings will address new sign-up dates, rules and other regulations that have been finalized in recent weeks.

Topics to be covered include: payment limitations, current Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program (DCP), the new revenue component known as the Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) program and the new permanent disaster program (SURE). They are intended to assist landowners and operators in their decision whether to enroll in the new ACRE program or stay with the current DCP.

Extension specialists will discuss revenue features of the ACRE program and the Ag Decision Maker ACRE decision tool will be presented to show projected revenue and payments. Meetings will be approximately two to three hours.

The first of the summer meetings will take place June 2 at 7 p.m. in Burlington at the Southeastern Community College Little Theatre. Registration information as well as other meeting times and locations are available at www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/info/meetings.html. New locations will be added as they become available.

— Release provided by ISU.

Funding Shortage Forces Closure of Fresno Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory

Due to budget shortfalls, the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, managed by the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), will close its Fresno laboratory on July 19.

The laboratory system provides diagnostic services for diseases in livestock, poultry and horses to veterinarians and animal producers in California’s agricultural heartland. Closure of the 59-year-old Fresno laboratory will shift diagnostic testing to other facilities in the laboratory system.

The closure of the Fresno laboratory will affect more than 20 employees, resulting in the reassignment of three faculty positions to the system’s labs in Tulare and Davis and the layoff of the remaining scientific and administrative personnel. In addition to the closure of the Fresno lab, the laboratory system has eliminated 14.75 positions through staff and faculty attrition at the Davis, San Bernardino and Turlock labs.

— Adapted from a release provided by UC Davis.

— compiled by Crystal Albers, associate editor, Angus Productions Inc.