Michigan State University Extension
Thomas G. Coon, Director
Agriculture Hall, Room 108
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Phone: 517-355-2308
Toll Free:1-888-MSUE-4MI
(1-888-678-3464)
Fax: 517-355-6473
MSU Turf Weeds.net.site is intended to help you learn the key identification characteristics of common and not-so-common turfgrass weeds found in Michigan and the midwest. Correct identification is the first step to proper management.
They have created biography pages for each weed to help you better understand why weeds invade. The biography pages include information on habitat, alternative common names (AKA), look-a-likes, management practices and chemical controls.
Field Crop Resources
Selecting Corn and Soybean Varieties for 2010. Use this fact sheet from MSU Extension educator and Soybean 2010 coordinator Mike Staton as you make plans for next year's planting season.
Soybean 2010. Soybean 2010 is a collaborative, research, education and communication effort aimed at helping Michigan growers improve soybean yields and profitability.
Phone: 810-667-0341
MSU Extension, Lapeer County
287 W. Nepessing St, Suite 1
Lapeer, Michigan 48446-2104
List of all full members of the MSU Land Use Team click here.
For a brochure on the Regional Land Use/Policy Educators click here.
For a list of education programs and services click here.
If you do not see education programming desired here, contact your local County Extension Director. It is very possible we can create a new program which meets your specific needs.
Land Use Team Co- chairs:
Kurt H. Schindler, Regional Land Use Educator,| MSU Extension, Wexford County; 401 N. Lake Street, Cadillac, Michigan 49601 | (231)779-9480 |schindl9@msu.edu | fax(231)779-9105 | Map to office
Wayne Beyea, J.D., AICP, Associate Director, Citizen Planner | Land Policy Institute, 1405 South Harrison Road, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823 | (517)432-8800 | beyea@msu.edu | fax (517)432-8769
Anyone can put anything on the Internet. It may or may not be true, it might not be credible.
Want to know how to research material on the web with a critical eye?
Kurt H. Schindler, Regional Land Use Educator,| MSU Extension, Wexford County; 401 N. Lake Street, Cadillac, Michigan 49601 | (231)779-9480 |schindl9@msu.edu | fax(231)779-9105 | Map to office
Wayne Beyea, J.D., AICP, Associate Director, Citizen Planner | Land Policy Institute, 1405 South Harrison Road, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823 | (517)432-8800 | beyea@msu.edu | fax (517)432-8769
Stewart’s wilt widely reported on field corn in Michigan
Diane Brown- Rytlewski and William Kirk Michigan State University Department of Plant Pathology
Stewart’s wilt (also known as Stewart’s disease) is a disease of corn, caused by a bacterium, (Pantoea (Erwinia) stewartii )carried in the digestive tract of the corn flea beetle (CFB). It is transmitted to corn plants when infected CFBs feed on them.
Though Stewart’s wilt is usually considered a problem only on seed corn inbreds and sweet corn, it was widely reported on field (dent) corn in Michigan late in the season, in August and September of 2006.Late this summer, symptoms appeared on field corn leaves as long, narrow yellow streaks that later turned brown.Sometimes entire leaves in the top portion of the plant were killed. In fields where damage was more extensive, stalk rots were also reported.The stalk rots are not caused by the Stewart’s wilt bacterium, but injury from Stewart’s wilt makes the corn plants more prone to stalk rots caused by fungi.At the time of this writing, corn harvest has not yet taken place, and the effect on yield has not been determined. It appears that in most cases, the disease affected primarily foliage.
Stewart’s wilt is common in the United States, but it only periodically reaches levels high enough to cause serious economic loss in field corn.It has not been a recent problem in Michigan.Whether or not it will be a problem in Michigan on field corn in 2007 is unknown.CFB populations were high in some corn fields this fall.If Michigan has mild winter weather, and sufficient numbers of beetles harboring the bacterium survive overwinter, growers could experience early season infection of corn seedlings in the 2007 growing season.Several predictive models based on average air temperaturesduring December, January and February have been developed to help determine the risk of Stewart’s wilt, but these models haven’t always proved reliable.
As overwintering beetles carrying the Stewart’s wilt bacterium emerge from the upper few inches of soil in areas near farm fields, they feed on weeds and grasses until corn seedlings emerge. Once the seedlings emerge, the beetles move to begin feeding on corn foliage, and deposit bacteria (in feces) in the feeding wounds. Repeated feeding re-infects the corn plant at additional sites, worsening the infection.Beetles that feed on infected plant tissue become carriers for the bacterium, spreading the disease even further. In the seedling stages, the bacteria produce (systemic) infections that spread through the whole plant, causing stunting, wilting or death.Stewart’s wilt is most serious when it infects corn seedlings, but can infect corn plants at any stage of development. Leaf blights, as described earlier, occur more commonly on adult plants later in the season, usually after pollination.Severe case of leaf blight can reduce yields and increase susceptibility to other diseases, such as stalk and root rots.
Unlike sweet corn, there does not seem to be much university-based research available about field corn hybrids that show tolerance to Stewart’s wilt.Field corn hybrids haven’t necessarily been selected for resistance to Stewart’s wilt, as it hasn’t been considered a problem in northern-grown hybrids. Seed corn dealers may have more specific information about which of the field corn hybrids they carry show tolerance to Stewart’s wilt.
There are no known cultural practices to reduce the disease.Seed treatments with systemic insecticides may be of benefit to reduce early season-feeding by CFB, but will not last the entire season.As mentioned earlier, whether or not Stewart’s wilt will re-appear as a problem in field corn next year is unknown. Scout fields for the presence of flea beetles soon after corn plants begin to emerge. Pay particular attention to the edges of fields adjacent to grassy areas and ditch banks, as that is where CFB will be found first, as they move from their overwintering locations.As the growing season gets underway in 2007, we’ll keep you up-to-date on CFB activity and Stewart’s wilt, through the Field CAT Alerts, and Extension web sites.
Energizing Michigan is a Web site that has been created in collaboration by MichiganStateUniversity, Michigan State University Extension and the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station to help facilitate energy related information to Michigan residents and businesses.
We seek to assist Michigan residents and businesses in making decisions regarding energy based on timely and useful information. On this site you will find information on conserving energy, new developments in bio-fuels and other renewable energy sources; government policies affecting energy and future trends regarding energy markets. In addition, you will find a series of timely topics and reports and information regarding forthcoming events related to energy.
Agriculture Information
The following is a sample of the materials available in the Extension Library under Soybeans:
1. Develop new primers for specific soybean pathogens, and optimize conditions to
diagnose soybean plants using RT-PCR.
2. Evaluate and validate RT-PCR for the soybean pathogens as a diagnostic tool in
collaboration with Michigan State University Diagnostic Services.
3. Fully integrate RT-PCR into a Diagnostic Service tool as part of the MSU Diagnostic
Services programs
Calibrating Drills for Soybean Production
Variations in the size of soybean seed can lead to excessive or inadequate populations if drills are not properly calibrated. Dropping too many seeds can increase disease problems, plant lodging and seed costs. Dropping too few seeds can increase weed competition due to insufficient shading. Dr. Jim Beuerlein, Soybean Agronomist at the Ohio State University, has developed a rule of thumb for determining the most economical planting population
Checklist for Improving Soybean Yields
This list contains management practices that are proven to contribute to high-yielding soybeans. The list is organized chronologically, beginning with the fall before the soybeans will be planted. This list can be used to identify opportunities for increasing soybean yields
1. Quantify the yield loss caused by Soybean Aphid. Environmental conditions may
have exaggerated the yield loss that was measured in 2001.
2. Quantify the yield effect of the timing of insecticide application. Early
applications may show the largest yield benefit.
3. Determine the populations of aphids in trials and correlate with yield loss to aid in
determining a treatment threshold. A threshold is not available to help growers
decide when or if to spray.
Do I have enough soil moisture to make a crop?
An explanation of simple calculations that farmers can use to predict if they will have enough soil moisture to finish out their corn and soybean crops during a summer drought.
MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thomas G. Coon, Director, MSU Extension, East Lansing, MI 48824. This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned.
