BOZEMAN, Montana – Montana residents are mounting a campaign to defeat wheat stem sawfly. The wheat stem boring insect causes millions of dollars in lost revenue in bad years. The 2005 growing season is shaping up as one of those years, said Montana State University entomologist David Weaver, who heads the Wheat Stem Sawfly Project. […] Read more
Stories by Montana State University
Ten tips for better weed control
Although farming is a year-round activity, many critical crop and weed management decisions are made in spring. The following tips will help successfully manage weeds and secure a good harvest. Establish a healthy crop: A well-established and healthy crop that develops a uniform stand is the most effective tool against weeds. Use the best available […] Read more
Sheep chomp and stomp sawfly larvae
Montana State University researchers have early data that shows sheep grazing wheat stubble can reduce wheat stem sawfly larvae by more than 85 percent. “No one can say yet that this technique would make wheat producers more money,” said Pat Hatfield, an MSU animal scientist working with Sue Blodgett on the project. “It’s very preliminary […] Read more
Flooded field may need soil testing
Saturation of the soil by continual and excessive rainfall can cause significant loss of soil nitrogen reserves. Plants that survive in standing water or saturated soil will have little nitrogen available for them. Most of the applied nitrogen will be lost by either leaching or denitrification. Nitrate is the form of nitrogen most vulnerable. After […] Read more
Booklet provides kochia help
A new publication from Montana State University offers research findings about post-harvest control of kochia. The four-page guide by James Mickelson and other MSU weed researchers describes kochia regrowth patterns in small grain fields and gives recommendations for controlling the weeds before they produce seed and establish high-density kochia carpets. Kochia plants that have been […] Read more
Small pocket of damp seed could spoil entire bin
The wettest seeds in a grain bin determine storability, not the average grain moisture, cautions a Montana State University plant pathologist. While the Prairies’ dry climate and cold winters generally reduce the risk of mould damage to stored crops, this year’s late rain and weedy fields have resulted in higher risk of storage moulds, said […] Read more
Night tillage keeps weed seeds buried
What would you think if you saw your neighbor plowing his fields in the dark while wearing a pair of night-vision goggles? Crazy? Maybe not, say some weed specialists. Recent attention has been given to the practice of night cultivation as a way to deter weed growth. The idea is based on the fact that […] Read more
