Wheat Update – Freeze Damage

Wheat Update – Freeze Damage

The below paragraph was taken from Seminole Crop New.

It was a cold March. Here is the info from our Donalsonville Weather station that shows we had an average low of 42.7 degrees F. and the long-term normal is 47 degrees. The average daily low last March was 56.3, so 13 degrees different.  March was cooler than January this year… January average temperature was 57.6 about  3 degrees warmer than the March average temperature.  Go to http://www.georgiaweather.net/ for more info.

The photo below shows freeze damage. This was on early maturing wheat planted at the correct time. Also we have aphids (2nd photo below),  kudzu bugs, and stink bugs in most wheat fields.  Looks as if we are in for a bad year on insects; a warm January really allowed the insects to survive.

Photo 1: Freeze Damage
Photo 1: Freeze Damage
Aphids -04-8-2013
Photo 2: Aphids, mother and babies

Spray your wheat  with a fungicide at the Feekes 10.1 (if label allows) stage and add an insecticide to the tank mix – it will pay off.

Good Growing!

 *Follow label on all Pesticides, rinse and dispose of empties properly. Info Georgia Pest Management Handbook 2013