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Wet weather and mild winter creates pest and weed challenges

An agronomist says the wet weather combined with the mild winter will give farmers an extra challenge when it comes to weed and pest control this spring.

Matt Montgomery with Illinois-based Burrus Seed says winter annuals have gotten out of control this year.  “When that happens cyst nematode claps its hands and black cutworm starts setting dinner reservations,” he says.  “Because winter annuals are an attractive crop for things like black cutworm.  They aren’t just an impediment to getting a crop planted they also are an attractant to certain pests.”

He tells Brownfield that is one of the ripple effects of the delays this spring. 

Montgomery says the problem can’t be contained until fields dry out and farmers get into the field to apply burndown.  “Than, I do think it’s going to have to take growers categorizing their fields for how intensely they’ve been infested with winter annuals,” he says.  “And then using that as a triage for how intensely you scout.”

He says a field that is inundated with winter annuals will likely need closer management and heavier scouting later in the growing season.\

AUDIO: Matt Montgomery, Burrus