In the Furrow
Scout Wheat Field for Insects
By Will Duffie County Extension Coordinator

The fall grain and grazing season has gotten off to an extremely difficult start. I have heard the comments from many growers that it may be one of the driest fall planting seasons that have ever been experienced in Burke County. Unfortunately, the forecast does not look favorable for wet conditions.

The demand for wheat on a global market is strong. Many economists contribute this to factors like a shortage of wheat in storage, an increase in indi- viduals with some money in under developed countries, and a weak U.S. dollar.

Burke County wheat growers plan on planting seed during mid-November. Due to dry soils many fields are being planted later than normal. Germination of seed is slow, if at all. This can easily be seen as you drive the roads of Burke County. You may notice partial areas of green in any given field.

One management practice that wheat producers need to currently monitor is the presence of insects like aphids and the Hessian fly. Aphids are small soft-bodied insects that can be found in wheat anytime during the growing season. Five different species are common in Burke County. Aphids is a viral disease named barley yellow dwarf (BYD). To sample aphids, inspect plants in 12 inches of row in fall and 6 inches of row in winter at about 10 locations per field. Consider treatment at 2 per row foot when in the seedlings stage. In an intense management situation it may justify a preventive strategy of foliar insecticide sprays at 30 - 45 days after planting to suppress aphids and BYD incidence. A well-timed insecticide application of a persistent pyrethroid insecticide such as lambda cyhalothrin (Warrior, Karate, Lambda, Silencer, others) can reduce the incidence of BYD and increase yields.

Hessian fly is a pest of no mercy. It has been many years since the last outbreak of this pest. Hessian fly adults begin moving into wheat fields during late November and throughout December. The adult is a small, long-legged, black gnatlike insect about the size of a mosquito. Adults live about two days and females lay eggs in the grooves of the upper side of the wheat leaves. Eggs are orangered, 1/32 inch long and hatch in several days. Larvae initially are orange-red but become white with a greenish center.

Scout earlier planted fields along with susceptible varieties once plants are 2 to 3 leaf. Studies in Georgia have found the insecticide Warrior applied at 2- 4 leaf stage is variable in efficacy. Nevertheless, this approach may be suitable for susceptible wheat varieties under intensive wheat management that includes routine scouting for insects.

For more information contact the UGA - Burke County Extension Office at 706-554-2119.