EXTENSION REPORT

PEANUTS: THE NUMBER ONE ROW CROP IN BALDWIN COUNTY

Baldwin County with 27,864 acres of peanuts is the second largest peanut growing county in Alabama.  It is second behind Houston which produces 37,000 acres.  This is a $15 million dollar crop with an economic impact of $45 million to Baldwin County.

CORN VARIETIES FOR THE 2006 PLANTING SEASON

Corn planting is well under way in South Alabama.  One of the most important decisions in producing an excellent crop of corn is your decision on which corn hybrid to plant.  At many of the Agribusiness Dealers and at the Extension Office is a publication of Auburn University Corn Hybrids and their performance in 2005.  This information may also be found at .  It is also very important to talk with your seed dealer or corn representative to learn all that you can about a corn hybrid before making your selections. 

In 2005 Alabama Cotton growers harvested 550,000 acres with an average yield of 749 pounds per acre.  South Alabama had an excellent crop.  Hurricanes caused the most yield loss in this area.  Across Alabama nematodes are still the number one pest doing estimated 34 million dollar damage to Alabama’s cotton crop.  Stink bugs are the second largest pest.  They are a little worse in the Wiregrass, but are still eating our profits in Southwest Alabama also.  In North Alabama spider mites have been a late season pest for years.  Last season was different in that they were an early season pest also. 

SCOUTING WHEAT AND OATS FOR INSECTS AND DISEASES

We have recently found the Hessian fly larvae in wheat in Baldwin County.  The Hessian fly to my knowledge had not been a problem here since 1989.  However growers in Southwest Alabama did have a problem with them last year.  The Hessian fly we have here is the Bio-type L which has become resistant to many of the Hessian fly resistant varieties that are planted here.  Planting late has been the solution to avoid the Hessian fly.  With this mild winter even late planted wheat may suffer.  It is a good idea to scout your wheat.  There is nothing you can do now for this years crop.  But it is important to plan next year’s strategy against the Hessian fly.  Aphids are another to scout for as they spread Barley Yellow Dwarf.  Army worms are another insect that can do us some damage.  Stink bugs do infest wheat in South Alabama but rarely cause much damage.  The damage comes when they move out of wheat and go into corn or cotton.  Thrips are another small insect that enjoy feeding on wheat.  Wheat is not a host for Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus.  However, as wheat matures and dries down these thrips carrying the virus do move to adjacent peanut crops where they may cause some damage by spreading TSWV. 

Rust, powdery mildew and leaf and glume blotch are the diseases to look for.  Last year was the first time in many years that we also had yellow stripe rust.  Applying Quadris, Tilt, Quilt, Stratego or Headline typically ups your yields by 18-20 bushels.  In a bad disease year it will be more and in a low disease year the fungicides do very little.  Read the labels of these products for timing and rates.  Presently there are no fungicides labeled for use on oats.

                              SOYBEAN PLANTING DATES AND VARIETIES

Recommended planting dates for South Alabama:

                 April 1-30 plant group IV

                 May 1-30 plant group V and VI

                 June plant group VI and VII

Soil temperatures need to be at least 55 degrees F at 2 inches depth before beginning to plant regardless of the recommended planting date.  Germination will be much slower at 55 degrees than when planting later, so use a fungicide on the seed when planting early.    Soybeans flower in response to day length, so it is important to plant the correct maturity group to fit your planting date and South Alabama’s day length.  In April plant Group IV soybeans.  In May, plant Group V and VI.  In June, or later plant Group VI and VII.  The later you plant, go to a later group.  July 15 is the last recommended day for planting.  However, yields start dropping around June 15th on.Recommended Varieties from University Tests and Company Recommendations: The Alabama Performance of Soybeans Varieties for 2005 may be found at:  

The 2006 IPM “Integrated Pest Management” handbooks for Corn, Cotton, Peanuts, Soybeans and Small Grain are now available.  We will have them at each Extension Row Crop Meeting.  They are also available upon request at each Extension Office and can be found on line at .      

ROW CROP PLANNING BUDGETS

These budgets are an excellent planning tool.  They may be found by going to the Auburn University Home Page or going to , then go to Financial and Business, then to Alabama Enterprise Budgets, and then to 2006 Row Crops.  From time to time, just before going to visit with their bankers, growers call requesting these budgets.

Email address: rpetcher@aces.edu
Phone number: 937-7176 or 943-5611, 928-0860, ext. 2222

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.