UMN Extension Field Crop IPM Podcasts: Recent Episodes
University of Minnesota Extension
Hosts Anthony Hanson, Dave Nicholai, and Bill Hutchison at the University of Minnesota alert growers, ag professionals and educators about emerging pest concerns with Minnesota Field Crops, including corn, soybean, small grains and alfalfa. They offer useful, research-based pest management solutions.
Dr. Anthony Hanson, IPM Educator - Field Crops Dr. Bill Hutchison, Coordinator of the MN IPM Program Dave Nicolai, Crops Extension Educator & Coordinator of the Extension Institute for Ag Professionals
Dr. Trisha Leaf from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture Pesticide & Fertilizer Division discusses how pesticide regulation works at the federal and state level. The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) is federal law that governs how pesticides are registered, distributed, sold, and used in the U.S (i.e., "the label is the law"). Recently, tolerances of a common insecticide, chlorpyrifos, were revoked on all food and feed crops and is no longer permitted for agricultural use in 2022. Enlist Duo has also undergone label changes where initially use was not permitted in six MN counties due to endangered species concerns, but after review, use is now permitted after determining those species are not present in those counties.
Dr. Ken Ostlie looks back on his career as a corn entomologist ranging from starting off in the middle of the farming and fiscal crisis of the 80s, how Extension has changed, the introduction of Bt corn, and of course, corn pests. Much of his research directly worked with farmers and he stresses to always remember that farmers are real people out in the environment that are the best resource for telling researchers and educators what farmers need the most. Dr. Ostlie will still be around from time to time as an emeritus professor.
Soybean breeding can be a complicated process, but it is one of the tools used for research at the U of M to manage pests such as soybean cyst nematode, soybean aphid, and diseases like Phytophthora root rot. More information on and availability of publicly available U of MN crop varieties can be found at: https://www.mncia.org/.
Common insects infested stored grains can include weevils, India meal moth, and mold feeding insects. Indian meal moth larvae leave behind tell-tale webbing that causes clumping in grain and can be especially noticeable when you skim the top of an infested grain pile with your hand. For more information on managing stored grain pests, visit: https://blog-crop-news.extension.umn.edu/2021/09/prevent-stored-grain-pest-issues-before.html
Liz Stahl, U of M Regional Extension Educator based out of Worthington, discusses what she has learned from the annual IPM Assessment, a survey of growers across the state about their pest management use and concerns. Perceptions on what neighbors are doing can influence grower decisions, though one farmer after seeing this survey data remarked, "Wow, I thought all my neighbors were using fungicide on their corn." Often times, growers are using less pesticide than we might perceive.
Episode 21. Small grains and not so small pest problems. Small grains (wheat, oats, rye, and barley) are one of the important sets of crops in our rotations in Minnesota, and they come with their own unique pest problems. Listen in on the conversation with two U of MN small grains specialists as we discuss weeds, diseases, and insects for small grains and what we've seen so far towards the end of May in 2021.
Join members of the SCN Coalition from MN, ND and IA and learn about why soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is such a threat to soybean production and how the coalition is helping producers fight back. Join us for this discussion with Dr. Greg Tykla, nematologist with Iowa State University, Dr. Seth Naeve, Extension soybean agronomist at the University of Minnesota and Dr. Samuel Markell, Extension broadleaf plant pathologist at North Dakota State University. This was part of the Strategic Farming: Let's Talk Crops series of webinars. The full webinar this episode was based on with transcripts can also be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucqNQkrW-_8
If you are interested in future Strategic Farming webinars, a new series, Crop Notes, will be held Wednesdays from 7:30-8am for the 2021 growing season where participants can ask experts questions about current crop issues. More information is at: https://extension.umn.edu/courses-and-events/strategic-farming-field-notes
Is it worthwhile to continue to plant Bt corn for European corn borer? How should Bt-resistance of corn rootworm affect management decisions? Join us for the discussion on these and other corn pests to watch out for with Dr. Ken Ostlie, Extension entomologist at the University of Minnesota and Bruce Potter, Extension Integrated Pest Management specialist at the Southwest Research and Outreach Center. The full webinar this episode was based on with transcripts can also be viewed at: https://extension.umn.edu/courses-and-events/strategic-farming-lets-talk-crops#%2310-what%27s-bugging-your-corn%3F-2677219
Episode 18: Climate in Minnesota and how it helps and challenges pest management. Climate and weather significantly affect how we manage pests from winter keeping out some invasive pests, affecting spring emergence of insects & weeds, conditions ideal for disease, as well as crop planting dates and how they coincide with pest development.
IPM or Integrated Pest Management is the subject of this podcast, but after hearing about the different tools used for specific scenarios over the three years of this podcast, the hosts thought it would be a good idea to step back and ask themselves, "What is IPM?"
Episode 13: What’s in the toolbox? Aphids and other soybean insects in 2020.
https://www.mnipm.umn.edu//sites/mnipm.umn.edu/files/july_30_2020_koch_soybean_1.mp3
Robert Koch discusses soybean aphid as well as other insects causing new issues in the state.