By Khardi j Mukuyu
Watch your tile lines for clogging this summer. The culprit could be cover crop roots and sediment, says Eileen Kladivko, a Purdue University agronomist.
Don’t read this wrong—cover crops still have many benefits. It’s just that cover crops grew extremely well over this warm winter and wet spring. As a result, they grew deeper roots than usual and may be growing into pipes.
Compounding this is heavy rainfall that may have washed large amounts of sediment and crop residue into some tile systems through surface risers. These are installed in low, wet areas to let surface runoff enter the tile drains. As these substances accumulate in dips, bumps, or other imperfections in the tile, they can restrict the water flow through the pipes and create a nutrient-rich place for roots to grow.
Topography, ground characteristics, and tillage practices that create smaller pieces of residue are other factors that likely contribute to the problem.
WHAT TO DO?
Small imperfections or irregularities in the system can be repaired during routine maintenance, and internal couplers, which may catch sediment and residues within the pipe, can be replaced by external couplers.
Installing a filter or sock on surface risers may reduce the amount of soil and residue material that enters the system. Also, simply sharing reports and photos of clogged drains can help investigators look for patterns and determine what conditions may increase the risk of root growth into the tile system.
Sponsored: Common Insect Infestations in Soybeans
As soybeans approach the critical pod-filling and yield-determination stages, many areas of the U.S. are experiencing increased insect feeding in soybeans. Two pests that are currently dominating this year’s soybean crop are Japanese beetles and two-spotted spider mites.
The two-spotted spider mite is beginning to make an appearance in areas with continued dry weather. Proactive scouting is important with these mites. If the golden-stippled damage can be observed from the road, it is too late.
Mites typically reside in the grass along the roadside and waterways. The first thing growers should consider when under dry conditions is to stop mowing and force the spider mites into their bean fields. Dry weather exacerbates spider mite problems because their rate of reproduction increases, fungal predators decline and their host plants often die or dry up, making the soybean plant a more succulent host.
Begin by scouting the edges of fields or along grass waterways to monitor for the pest, but also make sure to walk into the field to scout for their presence deeper in the crop.
Although it is difficult to come up with a true threshold, some universities suggest that if stippling is observed on the lower leaves and spider mites are present the middle canopy it may be time to consider treatment.
Don’t assume all insecticides are equal. Be sure to consult with your agronomist for treatment recommendations.
It is also important to continue to scout after treatment as it is possible that fields can repopulate if coverage into the canopy is not adequate. Utilizing new spray technologies that can increase canopy penetration may help increase the effectiveness of the treatment.
Japanese beetles are also feeding in soybeans, creating the window-pane effect that leaves the veins intact while removing the leaf tissue. Like the two spotted spider mite, Japanese beetles can be more present around the field’s edges, so be sure to scout the entire field.
Examine multiple areas of the field and look at 10 trifoliates at each stop from the upper, middle and lower part of the canopy for injury.
Although treatment for Japanese beetles and other defoliators such as the bean leaf beetle are not exceptionally common, if defoliation reaches 20-20% during the reproductive phase treatment may be warranted.
Consult your local agronomist for defoliation guides treatment recommendations.
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