This is a reminder that this year’s Integrated Pest Management School meeting will take place at the McCracken County Extension Office, Paducah on March 8. Virtual attendees can access the meeting through Zoom, virtual and in-person audiences require registration via…
Monthly Archives: February 2023
Scout for Aphids Before Conducting an Early Spray in Winter Wheat
Aphids in Wheat The bird cherry oat (Rhopalosiphum padi), English grain (Sitobion avenae), greenbug (Schizaphis graminum), and corn leaf (Rhopalosiphum maidis) aphids are key pest species in small grains (wheat, barley, and cereal rye) in Kentucky for their role as…
Posted in Grains
Preemergence Herbicides for Kentucky Lawns (AGR-272)
Herbicides are used to control unwanted plants in many different locations. In turfgrass, several herbicides are used to control weeds before they germinate and begin to grow. These are called “preemergence herbicides” and are commonly sold as “weed preventers.” They…
Posted in Featured Pubs & Videos
Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab Highlights
The following plant disease highlights have been compiled from samples submitted to the University of Kentucky Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory from February 1 to February 28, 2023. Rodent injury was diagnosed on forage fescue. On greenhouse vegetables and ornamental crops,…
Posted in Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab
Critical time to Begin Sampling for Alfalfa Weevil
The University of Kentucky Ag Weather Center’s degree day model for alfalfa weevil indicates that many counties in Kentucky are likely to exceed the 190 Degree Days (DD) used as a starting point to begin scouting by early to mid-March.…
Posted in Forages
Pesticide Storage Fire Preparation
While everyone would like to avoid a fire in a pesticide storage area, waiting to prepare until a fire incident occurs is too late. There are a number of steps to take to help avoid or to mitigate injury, losses,…
Posted in Pesticide Topics
Downy Mildew of Grape (PPFS-FR-S-13)
Downy mildew is a significant disease of commercial and backyard grapes in Kentucky. This disease causes direct yield losses when flowers, fruit, and shoots become infected. Indirect losses result when premature defoliation impacts fruit quality, predisposes vines to winter injury,…
Posted in Featured Pubs & Videos
EPA IPM Webinar: Fungal Biopesticides – A Growing Option in Pest Control
Biological pesticides, or biopesticides, are usually inherently less toxic than conventional pesticides and generally affect only the target pests and closely related organisms. This free webinar will discuss various fungal biopesticides — Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium, Isaria (Cordyceps) — and their effective applications to manage pests,…
Posted in Announcements, Pesticide Topics
Pesticide Storage & Cold Weather
Pesticides are a significant investment for many ag producers, and cold weather during storage can ruin some pesticides. Pesticides also must be stored properly and in a secured place to meet regulations and to keep persons and the environment safe. …
Posted in Pesticide Topics
Submitting Turfgrass Samples for Disease Diagnosis (PPFS-OR-T-14)
Diagnosing turfgrass diseases can be challenging in the field, but it is even more problematic when relying on a small sample collected from the site. However, proper collection and submission of turfgrass samples can enhance the accuracy and timeliness of…
Posted in Featured Pubs & Videos
University of Kentucky’s 46th Annual Turf and Landscape Short Course
Registration is now open for the University of Kentucky’s 46th Annual Turf and Landscape Short Course, presented in partnership with the Kentucky Horticulture Council. The event will be held at the Hardin County Extension Center in Elizabethtown, KY on February…
Posted in Announcements, Lawn & Turf
Winter Woes on Woody Landscape Plants: Winter Drying
The UK Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (PDDL) has received many broadleaf and needled evergreen samples with discolored foliage recently. Despite relatively mild weather during much of the winter thus far, extremely low temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds during the…
Posted in Landscape Trees & Shrubs
6th Annual National Pesticide Safety Education Month – February 2023
February is National Pesticide Safety Education Month. This is a time to reinforce the core principals of safe and responsible pesticide use with many audiences. Pesticides are key tools used to manage a diverse group of pests, diseases, and weeds.…
Posted in Pesticide Topics
Use Winter for Preventive Maintenance on Your Sprayers
As winter begins to wind down, growers need to get their equipment ready for the coming growing season. When it is time to begin spraying and planting, you don’t want to spend precious time fixing and repairing equipment. It is…
Posted in Pesticide Topics
Managing Tobamoviruses in Greenhouse Production (PPFS-GH-08)
Tobamoviruses, including tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and the new tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), can be persistent in greenhouses and other protected cropping environments. Herbaceous ornamentals, vegetables, and tobacco can be affected by tobamoviruses. Once introduced into a site,…
Posted in Featured Pubs & Videos
Kentucky Pest News 