Texas Agricultural Extension Service
Texas A&M University System


July 28, 2000

Attached is a copy of the agenda for the Big Country Wheat Conference to be held in Abilene, Texas on August 24, 2000 at the Civic Center. There are a number of excellent speakers on the program and will be worth your time and effort to attend.

I think that all wheat samples have been thrashed from result demonstrations conducted this year. When you finish writing up your demonstration, please send me a copy by e-mail. Thanks!

Small grain seed for tests will be in short supply this year. I need to know what type of test(s) you plan to conduct. Please take time to visit with your cooperators and determine what type of tests you want to establish. Several counties focus on variety testing for forage only, other counties look at grain production and some do both. The picture to the left is from a conservation tillage plot in San Saba county. If your interested in evaluating triticale, oats, barley, ryegrass and wheat; seed can be obtained. Annually, varieties are evaluated in our result demonstration plots to determine changes in insect and disease pressures. A copy of the 2000 Wheat Disease and Insects Ratings is attached.



 Several fields have small areas of cotton dying and we have not had the usual weather for Texas Cotton Root Rot to develop. However, it appears that damage did occur in June with all the rains and some areas of the field were impacted.

The root on the cotton plant when it is cross sectioned should look fleshy color as shown in the picture to the left.

If you have dark brown discoloration it may be due to the cotton root rot or to Verticillium Wilt or Fusarium Wilt.
This has been a difficult year for conducting cotton variety tests. Out of the 22 tests established this year, 10 have been lost due to environmental impacts. Square retention on cotton has been impacted by high air temperatures in July (most daytime temperatures for the month have been above 100 degrees F) combined with high heat generated from the soil surface. The reduced square set will impact the cotton fruiting pattern and producers will want to blame it on a flush of insects or something. In most acreage, this year's cotton plants have not grown enough to develop a leaf canopy that shades most of the soil surface, so the problem will continue into August.

Approximately 40,000 acres have been plowed up. Another 50,000 acres may be plowed up in the near future. For many of the counties, the yields at harvest time will be 50 to 100 pounds per acre below the county average. Three consecutive years of this is resulting in a lot of stress for producers and their families. Many of the problems being encountered by producers are out of their control. Take time to review the information available and be aware of how stress impacts people physically and emotionally.

Forage Sorghum

Several of the CEAs in the district have called asking for information about Nitrate and Prussic Acid Poisoning and Testing. The publication L-5231 written by Charles Stichler and John C. Reagor covers both topics. The charge for Nitrate Testing and Prussic Acid Testing is $6.00 per sample plus $1.00 if you want the results faxed or phoned to you.

Additional information on Nitrates is available from the following URLs:

http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/agdex/400/0006001.html
http://www.ianr.unl.edu/PUBS/beef/g170.htm

Additional information on Prussic Acid is available from the following URLs:

http://www.cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/_b/b-808.html
http://www.forages.css.orst.edu/Topics/Pastures/Species/Grasses/Animal_issues/Prussic_Preventing.html

Pesticide Recertification Training

If you have training during the next two months, please let me know so I can share that information with other agents and producers. Thanks.

Information on Texas Country Cleanup and Pesticide Disposal opportunities can be found on the TNRCC web site the URL for the calendar is http://www.tnrcc.state.tx.us/admin/calendar/events.html

Texas Country Cleanup - Wall, Texas

Starting Date: August 31, 2000
Ending Date: August 31, 2000
Event Address: WALL CO-OP GIN #1 - 8 miles east of San Angelo on U.S.Hwy.87. (1/2 mile east of Wall).
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (noon)
Cost: free
Description: Materials accepted: metal, wire, oil, oil filters, batteries and properly rinsed plastic empty pesticide containers.

Pesticide disposal tentative for December 4 at Wall, Texas.

Monthly Calendar

August 2000

August 1 - 4, Vacation
August 7, Office Conference
August 8, Fisher County Cotton Turnrow Meeting
August 14 - 18, Faculty Conference at College Station
August 18, Professional Ag Workers Meeting
August 21, Brown County Forage Production Meeting and Hay Show
August 24, Wheat Production Conference at Abilene
August 27, Tom Green County 4-H Gold Star Banquet
August 29, Schleicher County Small Grain Production Meeting
August 31, Southern Rolling Plains Gin Delegate Meeting
September 2000

September 4, Holiday
September 5, Office Conference
September 7, Sheep and Goat Field Day at San Angelo
September 11, Fisher County Hay Show
September 15, Professional Ag Workers Meeting
September 18, Specialist Scheduling
September 19, Tom Green County Master Gardener Program
September 25 & 26, Lubbock County Water Resources Training Workshop
Sincerely,


Billy E. Warrick
Extension Agronomist
Texas Agricultural Extension Service
Texas A&M University System