Lexington, KY 40546

Online at: www.uky.edu/KPN

Number 1305
CORN -Gosss Wilt of Corn SOYBEAN -Slug Damage in No-Till Soybeans TOBACCO -Blue Mold Reported in Pennsylvania

June 5, 2012
HOUSEHOLD -Odorous House Ant PESTS OF HUMANS -Controlling Mosquito Larvae Wrigglers -Millipedes

INSECT TRAP COUNTS FIELD CROPS -Common Stalk Borer

CORN Gosss Wilt of Corn By Paul Vincelli Gosss Wilt is a bacterial disease of corn (dent corn, popcorn, sweet corn). The disease has a long history of causing problems in several Plains states, especially in Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming. The disease has not yet been found in Kentucky, but it has been recently detected in scattered fields in Illinois and Indiana. Aerobiology models suggest that the bacterium may have spread further in 2011, so growers should keep a watch out for this disease, especially along the Ohio River. Infection with Gosss wilt results in long, tan spots of dead tissue anywhere on leaves. These lesions can appear very similar to Northern leaf blight. However, lesions of Gosss wilt usually have characteristic freckles (Fig. 1) that distinguish them from other diseases. Infection of leaves commonly leads to leaf blighting. Infected plants may also develop a systemic infection, which results in wilt. If this phase is active, cutting the stalk on a 45 angle may reveal brown discoloration of vascular bundles. If Gosss wilt is suspected, a sample should be submitted to the UK Plant Diagnostic Labs for confirmation,

particularly since it has not yet been reported in Kentucky. The disease is most apparent during grain fill, especially towards the late stages. Physical damage to the leaves (hail, insect damage), or hard, driving rains, can enhance disease activity. All corn types can be affected by the disease, but popcorn is reportedly at the highest risk, because of generally high susceptibility of hybrids and phytosanitary restrictions on exported seed. Crops other than corn are not affected by Gosss wilt, although the bacterium can survive on green foxtail and shattercane. The disease can be very destructive, causing losses as high as 60 bu/acre. However, there are many hybrids with adequate resistance to the disease, so if an outbreak is detected, selecting resistant hybrids will dramatically reduce the risk in future plantings. Seed producers may be required to obtain phytosanitary certificates for corn seed export. Of course, fungicides do not provide protection against a bacterial disease like Gosss wilt, and there is no reason to think that other products applied by spray application will offer any meaningful control.

The bacterium that causes Gosss wilt survives mostly in crop residue. Therefore, rotation or tillage practices reduce pathogen survival between corn crops. However, for no-till fields, tillage certainly is not necessary, should the disease show up. Just be sure to select hybrids with a reasonable degree of resistance. This is considered a very manageable disease by corn breeders familiar with the disease.

normal survival of slug eggs this winter and increased slug damage.

Figure 2. Meadow slug.

Figure 1. Goss's wilt of corn, showing dark green flecks and "freckles". Photo by Carl Bradley, University of Illinois.

Figure 3. Distinctive slug scraping on cotyledons and severed stems on these plants.

SOYBEANS Slug Damage in No-Till Soybeans By Lee Townsend, Chad Lee, and Doug Johnson Slug feeding that resulted in poor stand emergence and seedling loss has been all too common this spring. Infestations have been particularly destructive to soybeans planted into corn residue. The meadow slug has been the problem in at least some of those cases. It is a relatively common species with a history of damaging ag and horticulture crops. Meadow slugs can feed in living and dead plant material so corn stalk residue provides both food and shelter. Seedlings become an alternate food source when they germinate. The mild winter probably resulted in higher than

Slugs use their rasp-like mouthparts to tear away plant tissue. They may damage stems and leaves and completely devour small seedlings. The result can range from slowed growth of plants that do survive and recover to significant stand loss.

Figure 4. Slug scraping on soybean stem.

Slugs hide in the soil during bright sunny days so they are easy to overlook. Silver slime trails over the ground or plant foliage can be a clue in diagnosing infestations but may not be evident or noticed. A little searching under surface residue or in partially closed seed furrows will turn them up. Field checks in the evening or on cool, overcast days should catch them on the plant. Injury may be limited to specific areas of the field or relatively evenly scattered over it. Some species of ground beetles feed on slugs and can be very numerous in the soil and under corn stubble. Sometimes they get blamed for the injury that the slugs are causing.

worse. Hot sunny days with a drying wind will force slugs below ground and greatly reduce feeding as well as spur plant growth. However, cool overcast or rainy days will allow slugs to continue to feed, increasing the damage on plants that are losing the race against time by not growing. Assessing the stand after the return of weather conditions that work against slugs is about the best that can be done. Insecticides are not effective against slugs. In one way or another, most common insecticides are nerve poisons. The primitive slug nervous system is not usually affected by them. Deadline Bullets Slug Bait Killer containing metaldehyde is labeled for application to cereal grains, corn, and legumes. However, control resulting from bait applications has been inconsistent probably for a variety of reasons including the fact that seedlings and corn residue provide a lot of competition for the bait as slug food. The use of nitrogen as urea has been tried as a treatment to corn with some effect. However, like metaldehyde, success is sporadic at best. The nitrogen may not harm the crop, but it is unlikely to be available to it.

Figure 5. Slug feeding in emerging crook often almost severs stem.

Slug damage to soybeans varies with where the injury occurs site and its severity. Plants clipped below the cotyledons will die. If the plant is clipped above the cotyledons and it is early in soybean development (maybe V1 to V3 plants), then almost no yield loss is expected. Feeding in the crook is a gray area because it really depends on how badly the stem is damaged. If phloem mobility is severely hampered, then the plant most likely will not make it. Slugs can move along the planter furrow, accounting for feeding along the underside of the crooked stem. Corn seedlings with their growing point below ground are more tolerant of slug feeding than soybeans with growth occurring above the cotyledon. However, slow growth due to cool temperatures can increase corns vulnerability. Control options for slug infestations are very limited and the results are very inconsistent. Weather can be a great help or make the problem

Figure 6. Elongate holes in corn leaves were caused by slugs.

TOBACCO Blue Mold Reported in Pennsylvania By Kenny Seebold This past week, the Tobacco Farmer Newsletter reported that blue mold was found in two greenhouses near Lancaster, Pennsylvania (http://modtob.blogspot.com/2012/05/blue-moldbreaks-out-in-pennsylvania.html?m=1). If true, this is the first known outbreak of blue mold in North America in 2012. Given the location of this potential source of inoculum, the threat to tobacco in Kentucky and surrounding areas is minimal at this time. I will monitor the situation and provide updates if new information becomes available. Growers in our area do not need to make fungicide applications for blue mold at this time, but should monitor tobacco in float beds or fields and be prepared to act if the disease threatens. Consult the "2011-2012 Kentucky-Tennessee Tobacco Production Guide" (ID-160) for specific control recommendations for blue mold.

With common stalk borer, damage is usually confined to weedy border rows along fences, grass waterways and contour strips, while weedy no-till fields may have damage throughout. There are many potential causes for plant wilting in the field including diseases and insects. When discovering wilted plants in the field, look to see if the entire plant is wilted or just a portion. If only the upper portion is damaged, look to see if there is a noticeable hole in the side of the stem. If there is, the wilted portion can be removed and split to look for the larva. The common stalk borer is cream colored with a dark brown or purple band around the body. Several dark lengthwise stripes may be present. Full grown larvae may lack the dark stripes and band, making them harder to identify. Common stalk borer larvae are usually very active when handled.

FIELD CROPS Common Stalk Borer By Ric Bessin Many people are familiar with common stalk borer in field crops, but this spring we are also see this pest show up in some vegetables. Unlike many insect pests that start feeding on vegetables upon hatching from an egg, common stalk borer begins its attack as a partially grown larva that is moving from weeds to other hosts. This spring it has been reported tunneling in peppers and tomatoes stems. Damage to vegetables is characterized by wilting of the plant above the site of tunneling. As this attack is to young plants early in the season, damaged plants often send out suckers below this point and recover from the attack but their development remain behind undamaged plants.
Figure 7. A common stalk borer larvae cut from a pepper plant showing the characteristic purple saddle marking.

Common stalk borer will also attack field and sweet corn. Damage to corn caused by the common stalk borer is characterized by wilting and/or dying of the upper leaves or by ragged irregular holes chewed in the newly unrolled leaves. The characteristic "dead heart" is caused by the insect boring into the stalk at the soil level and tunneling upward. It may also climb up the plant and tunnel downward into the whorl, creating the ragged holes. Corn plants from 2 to 24 inches tall may be attacked. Stalk borers lay their eggs in the fall on weedy hosts and over winter in the egg stage. Eggs begin

hatching in late April and early May and the tiny borers immediately burrow into grasses or other weeds. When these grasses die, or the borers become too big, they emerge at night and tunnel into new hosts, including corn. Borers emerge from grasses over a period of several weeks. This movement of borers will also occur if the grasses are cut or killed by herbicides. Borers will crawl to the first plant that is large enough for them to enter. Common stalk borers may remain in grass stems in fields where the herbicide was not effective. To prevent common stalk borer in vegetables, weed control should be accomplished well in advance on planting or setting fields. It is helpful to use cultivation , herbicides, or mowing to maintain a minimum 6 to 10 foot weed-free buffer around vegetable fields. No effective rescue insecticide treatment is available to control stalk borers once they have entered the plants. Spraying weeds with a "burn down" herbicide and a residual insecticide before planting may help by forcing borers to move quickly over a shorter period of time, exposing them to a higher concentration of insecticide. This technique might be used in fields that have had a history of common stalk borer problems.

most accurate diagnostic difference, visible under magnification, is the absence of a noticeable node or "bump" along the constricted area between thorax and abdomen of the odorous house ant. Pavement ants have two obvious nodes, and fine grooves or striations along the head and thorax. Pavement ants also are more likely to displace bits of soil from their typical nesting location under sidewalks, driveways and other paved areas. Odorous house ants emit what's been described as a rotten coconut or pine scent when crushed with a finger and sniffed. Odorous house ants will nest in virtually every imaginable location. They commonly nest outdoors under pavement, stones, mulch, woodpiles, flower pots, and house siding, foraging indoors for food and moisture. Nests also occur indoors within wall cavities, appliances, potted plants, etc., especially near sources of moisture. The nests tend to be mobile; colonies relocate fast and often in response to changes in weather and disturbance. Odorous house ant colonies tend to have numerous, egg-laying queens and the primary colonies may split into smaller ones for no apparent reason. Ants foraging indoors (shown right) feed on all manner of foods, ranging from the trash can to the cereal bowl. This particular ant is difficult to control, especially by householders. The better baits to try are often syrupy ones, such as Combat Ant Killing Gel or Terro Ant Killer II. As with all ants, activity indoors can sometimes be reduced by removing ready access to food and moisture (water leaks, spillage, trash cans, pet food dishes, etc). Temporary relief can sometimes be had by wiping away the invisible odor trails with a kitchen cleanser or mild detergent. Do not disturb foraging trails, however, if you are using a bait. Caulking obvious ant entry points also may be helpful, along with trimming back shrubs and limbs touching the building. In nature, this ant feeds extensively on plant nectar and honeydew excreted by plant-sucking insects such as aphids. When odorous house ants are the problem, homeowners may be better off calling a professional, although they, too, are challenged by

HOUSEHOLD Odorous House Ant By Mike Potter The odorous house ant is a difficult species to control. Unfortunately, it is becoming more common in samples sent to the Insect Identification Lab. It is small (1/8-inch), dark ant that forms distinct trails along outdoor and indoor surfaces. It is often mistaken for the pavement ant, which can readily be controlled with most baits. The

this ant. Some products used by professionals can be effective but are not available to the general public.

microbial toxins are effective only against actively feeding mosquito larvae. IGRs can reduce emergence of adults from the pupal or tumbler stage. Here are some example products and coments from their labels: Microbial insecticides - Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis and Bacillus sphaericus toxins

PESTS OF HUMANS Controlling Mosquito Larvae Wrigglers By Lee Townsend Most any accumulation of standing water is a potential mosquito breeding site. Clogged gutters, rain barrels, abandoned tires and containers, livestock watering troughs, and abandoned float tray beds can produce large numbers of mosquitoes in a short time. If the site cannot be emptied, then mosquito larvicides provide a means of treating the water to reduce or prevent mosquito production. While there are no products for use in swimming pools or human drinking water, many are labeled for animal watering troughs, other common water collection areas, and ornamental pools and ponds. Check the labels for higher treatment rates in highly polluted water. Safe for use in fish habitats. Place in containerized standing water wherever it accumulates near the household: flower pots, tree holes, bird baths, roof gutters, rain barrels, old tires, unused swimming pools, animal watering troughs. Do not apply to treated finished drinking water reservoirs or drinking water receptacles when water is intended for humans consumption. Summit B.t.i. Briquets 10.31 % 1 briquet / 100 sq ft surface area. Summit Mosquito Bits 2.86% Bti 1 tsp per 25 square feet Mosquito Dunks 10.31% Bti 1 briquet / 100 sq ft surface area. suppresses mosquito development for up to 30 days. FourStar Briquets 45, 90, 180 for 45, 90, and 180days of control. Use 1 briquet / 100 sq ft surface area. Can be applied to areas that contain aquatic life, fish and plants as well as areas used by or in contact with humans, animals, horses, livestock, pets, birds or wildlife. Examples of application sites include, but are not limited to: storm drains, catch basins, underground drainage systems, storm water retention areas, retention ponds, abandoned swimming pools, ornamental fountains and ponds, fish ponds, water gardens, animal drinking troughs, standing water, water holding receptacles, man-made and natural sites where mosquitoes may develop. Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) Use in bird baths and animal watering troughs, containerized water gardens, privately-owned ponds, unused swimming pools or spas, flooded areas, roof gutters and tree holes, rain barrels, pool covers and ornamental fountains, any other waterholding container.

Figure 8. Mosquito larvae (wrigglers), pupae (tumblers) and adult in a bucket of collected water.

The two basic mosquito larvicides are microbial toxins produced by common soil and water bacteria (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bts) and Bacillus sphaericus) and insect growth regulators (IGRs). They are formulated into solid blocks or granules that can be tossed into or sprinkled over water. The matrix slowly erodes, releasing the insecticide into the water. The

Prestrike Mosquito Torpedo 8.62% Methoprene 60 day protection 500 sq feet

and similar items laying on the ground beside the foundation should be removed, since these often attract and harbor pests. Items that cannot be removed should be elevated off the ground. Don't allow water to accumulate near the foundation or in the crawl space. Water should be diverted away from the foundation wall with properly functioning gutters, down spouts and splash blocks. Leaking faucets, water pipes and air conditioning units should be repaired, and lawn sprinklers should be adjusted to minimize puddling. Homes with poor drainage may need to have tiles or drains installed, or the ground sloped to so that surface water drains away from the building. Humidity in crawl spaces and basements should be reduced by providing adequate ventilation, sump pumps, polyethylene soil covers, etc. Millipedes can thrive in the moist, dense thatch layer of poorly maintained turf; dethatching the lawn and keeping the grass mowed close should make areas less suitable for millipedes. Over-watering or watering during the evening may also contribute to millipede problems. Seal Pest Entry Points - Seal cracks and openings in the outside foundation wall, and around the bottoms of doors and basement windows. Install tight-fitting door sweeps or thresholds at the base of all exterior entry doors, and apply caulk along the bottom outside edge and sides of door thresholds. Seal expansion joints where outdoor patios, sunrooms and sidewalks abut the foundation. Expansion joints and gaps should also be scaled along the bottom of basement walls on the interior to reduce entry of pests and moisture from outdoors. Insecticides - Application of insecticides along baseboards and other interior living areas of the home are of little use in controlling millipedes. Most wandering millipedes which end up in kitchens, living rooms, etc. soon die from a lack of moisture. Removal with a vacuum or broom is all that is needed. Insecticides may help to reduce inward invasion of these and other pests when applied outdoors, along the bottom of exterior doors, around crawl space entrances, foundation vents and utility openings, and up underneath siding. It also may be useful to treat along the

Millipedes By Lee Townsend and Mike Potter Millipedes play an important role in breaking down decaying plant matter as they feed. As a result, they accumulate in areas where there is some moisture coupled with mulch, fallen leaves, or a significant thatch layer.

Figure 9. Flatbacked millipede - note 2 pairs of legs per body segment. (Photo by B. Newton).

Large numbers of millipedes can appear suddenly to cover sidewalks and sides of buildings. Reasons for the activity are not clear but two main thoughts are 1) seasonal dispersal from overwintering sites in fallen logs and other shelters to more open grassy sites, 2) and / or searching for mates. The flatbacked millipede has been very active in parts of eastern and southeastern Kentucky over the last few weeks. General millipede management tips Minimize moisture and remove debris - The most effective, long-term measure for reducing entry of millipedes (and many other pests) is to minimize moisture and hiding places, especially near the foundation. Leaves, grass clippings, heavy accumulations of mulch, boards, stones, boxes,

ground beside the foundation in mulch and ornamental plant beds, and a few feet up the base of the foundation wall. Heavy accumulations of mulch and leaf litter should first be raked back to expose pest hiding areas. Insecticide treatment may also be warranted along the interior foundation walls of damp crawl spaces and unfinished basements. Various insecticides sold in hardware/lawn and garden shops are effective, including Sevin and synthetic pyrethroids (e.g., Spectracide Bug Stop, Ortho Home Defense System). Treatment can be accomplished with a compressed air "pump up" or hose end sprayer. Dust formulations (e.g., silica get, diatomaceous earth) also work well for treating cracks, weep holes, and similar openings in the foundation.

INSECT TRAP COUNTS May 24 - 31 Location Black cutworm Armyworm Corn earworm European corn borer Southwestern corn borer Fall armyworm Princeton, KY 2 1 23 0 34 0 Lexington, KY 2 6 0 3 0 0

Graphs of insect trap counts for the 2012 season are available on the IPM web site at http://www.uky.edu/Ag/IPM/ipm.htm. View trap counts for Fulton County, Kentucky at http://ces.ca.uky.edu/fulton/InsectTraps

Note: Trade names are used to simplify the information presented in this newsletter. No endorsement by the Cooperative Extension Service is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar products that are not named.