Greg Endres
During the 2003 growing season, field surveys were conducted in North Dakota by the NDSU Extension Service to identify
disease and insect presence in small grain and oilseed crops. Carrington Research Extension Center staff members Patrick Metzger, summer IPM crop scout, and Greg Endres, area extension specialist/cropping systems,
conducted the surveys in the south-central portion of the state. Plant
pathologists Drs. Marcia
McMullen and
Carl Bradley and entomologist Dr. Phil Glogoza
coordinated the surveys. This data is used in grower and ag industry education, as support for labeling of
crop protection products, and as a guide for research and extension programs.
The small grain
survey was conducted from late May through July, primarily for leaf and head
diseases in 12 south-central North Dakota
counties (Burleigh, Dickey, Eddy, Emmons, Foster, Kidder, LaMoure,
Logan, McIntosh, Sheridan, Stutsman, and Wells). The 260 surveyed fields
included 199 wheat and 60 barley fields. Diseases included in the survey were
bacterial leaf blight, barley yellow dwarf, black chaff, Cephalasporum
stripe, dwarf bunt, ergot, rust (leaf, stem, and stripe), scab (Fusarium head
blight), Septoria, smut (flag and loose), spot
blotch, tan spot, and wheat streak mosaic. Leaf rust, Septoria,
and tan spot were the prominent leaf diseases detected in wheat. Fusarium head
blight was present at low levels, ranging from 0.1 to 5% field severity. The
survey insect list included aphids, cereal leaf beetle, grasshoppers, and thrips (barley).
The sunflower
survey was conducted in 42 fields during mid June through July to inspect
plants for downy mildew and sunflower beetle.
Downy mildew was found in 8 of 12 counties with 1 to 5% plant incidence
occurring in affected fields.
Forty-five soybean fields were surveyed during
mid-summer for soybean aphid. Aphids were noted in Dickey, LaMoure
and Foster counties.
The canola survey was conducted during
the first half of August in 18 swathed fields in Stutsman, Foster, Eddy, Wells,
and Sheridan counties. The fields were inspected for the
presence of Sclerotinia stem rot (white mold), blackleg, aster yellows, and Alternaria. White mold was detected in 17 of 18 fields, but
incidence was only 2 to 6%. Blackleg was found in 28% of the fields and those
fields had 2 to 4% plant incidence. In addition, the fields were surveyed for
flea beetles and grasshoppers.
The flax survey was conducted during the
first half of August in 14 fields in Stutsman, Kidder, Foster, Eddy, Wells, and
Sheridan counties for the presence of pasmo and Fusarium wilt. Pasmo
was found in all fields, with average field incidence ranging from 5 to 91%.
Wilt was found in only 2 of 14 fields.
Maps displaying
summaries of survey results by crop and pest are available at the following
website: www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/aginfo/ndipm/index.htm. Survey details may be
obtained by contacting the Carrington Center.