Pest Management In Pastures and Hayfields Steve Morgan, Extension Agent, Harris County The University of Georgia

QUESTIONS What is a weed? With respect to pastures, do you want to eliminate all weeds? What causes weeds in pastures and hayfields?

Pasture Weed Issues Lack of management - fertility, lime, mowing, overgrazing No weed control - only 15% of Georgia pastures are sprayed on annual basis Grazing restrictions Legume tolerance

Positive Attributes of “Weeds” in Pastures Can dilute toxins in tall fescue during critical times –Chickweed, crabgrass, dallisgrass, lespedeza Can extend grazing season and improve productivity –Crabgrass in tall fescue Can improve quality –Crabgrass Chickweed, curly dock, shepherds purse and tall fescue mixture. Eatonton GA

Forage Weeds Identification Treatment Options

Buttercup (Winter Annual) –Treatment Options: 2,4-D, Weedmaster, Grazon P+D, Cimarron or Milestone in late winter/early spring before yellow bloom. Remedy, Crossbow and Redeem are also listed as excellent on buttercup.

Bitter Sneezeweed (Summer Annual) –Treatment Options: 2,4-D, Weedmaster, Grazon P+D or Cimarron in late spring or early to mid summer. You can treat in May/June when plants are 2 to 4 inches tall with 2,4-D at 1.0 pt/acre. Remedy, Crossbow, Redeem, Banvel or Vanquish, Surmount and PastureGard are also listed as excellent on bitter sneezeweed.

Blackberry Briars (Perennial) –Treatment Options: Remedy, PastureGard Surmount or Cimarron –Smilax species (Greenbrier) extremely difficult to control. Crossbow, Banvel or Vanquish and Weedmaster are also listed as excellent on wild rose.

Broomsedge (Perennial) –No herbicide listed for control –This weed usually indicates low fertility and low pH.

Crabgrass: (Summer Annual) – Varieties: Tropical, Smooth, Large & Southern –Treatment Options: A spreading grass. Roundup WeatherMax (glyphosate) is labeled immediately after first Bermuda hay cut if crabgrass is present. – Journey is labeled for Bermuda. –No control in fescue or other pastures

Dogfennel -- Summer Cedar (Perennial) -Treatment Options: Mowing in late August early September. Treat 8 to 12 inch tall plants with Weedmaster, Grazon P+D, PastureGard or Surmount. Remedy, Crossbow, Redeem and Banvel or Vanquish.

Foxtail or Foxtail Millet (Spreading Perennial) (Yellow, Green or Knotroot) –Treatment Options: See comments on crabgrass.

Henbit (Winter Annual) –Treatment Options: Grazon P+D, Surmount, Cimarron or Milestone in Bermuda. Apply before henbit blooms. Once it blooms it is very hard to control. Remedy, Crossbow, Redeem, Weedmaster, and Banvel or Vanquish are also listed as excellent on henbit

Horsenettle (Spiny perennial with rhizomes) –Treatment Options: Grazon P+D, Surmount, or Milestone. –Apply to emerged plants before bloom.

Johnsongrass: Coarse perennial w/rhizomes –Use a ropewick or spot treatment with Roundup WeatherMax (glyphosate). –See handout on Maverick in Bermuda hay fields

Nutsedge: -- Nutgrass (Spreading Perennial) –Use Maverick in Bermuda only. –No herbicide control in Fescue

Pigweed: -- Smooth / Common (Summer Annual) –Treatment Options: 2,4-D, Weedmaster, Grazon P+D or Cimarron when plants are 2 to 8 inches tall. Don’t wait until they are 3 feet tall. Remedy, Crossbow, Milestone, and Banvel or Vanquish are also listed as excellent on pigweed species.

Sicklepod: (Summer Annual) –Treatment Options: 2,4-D, Weedmaster, Grazon P+D or Cimarron when plants are 2 to 8 inches tall. Don’t wait until they are 3 feet tall. Remedy, Crossbow, Milestone, and Banvel or Vanquish are also listed as excellent on pigweed species.

Smartweed -- PA Smartweed (Summer Annual) –Treatment Options: Can be tough to control with 2,4-D. Suggest Grazon P+D, Surmount, Cimarron, Weedmaster or Milestone. Apply before bloom. Crossbow and Banvel or Vanquish also listed as good to excellent on smartweed(s).

Smutgrass: (Perennial) –Treatment Options: Velpar in Bermuda fields, apply in April to July time frame. Will injure Bermuda, but it will out grow it.

Thistles: Bull; Field; Musk; Yellow –Treatment Options: Biennial that produces rosette plants in year l and flowers and seeds in year 2. The key to thistle control is to treat in the rosette stage with 2,4-D, Weedmaster, Grazon P+D, Surmount, Milestone, or Cimarron Max. Treat in November through March time frame at proper growth stage. Crossbow and Redeem are also listed as excellent on thistles

Wild Garlic; Wild Onion: (Cool Season Perennial) – Treatment Options: Treat in November to March time frame with 2,4-D ester, Weedmaster or Cimarron.

Wild Mustard: (Winter Annual) –Treatment Options: Treat when plants in rosette leaf stage. Plants that are flowering are more difficult to control. Control suggestions include 2,4-D, Weedmaster, Grazon P+D or Cimarron.

Summary Maintain soil pH and soil fertility Understand the positive attributes of weeds –Dilute toxins in tall fescue –Extend grazing seasons –Improve forage quality Correctly identify undesirable weeds and apply labeled herbicides accurately If there is any uncertainty......ask BEFORE you apply

INSECT MANAGEMENT IN PASTURES AND FORAGES DR. WILL HUDSON University of Georgia

Armyworms

FALL ARMYWORMS ADULTS - MOTH EGGS LAID IN MASS GENERATION - 28 DAYS OVERWINTER IN FLORIDA WORSE IN DRY SUMMERS

ARMYWORMS SYMPTOMS: GRASS BLADES EATEN THRESHOLD: 2-5 LARVAE PER SQ. FT. TREATMENT: LANNATE OR SEVIN, OR DIMILIN

WHITE GRUBS ADULTS ARE BEETLES ONE GENERATION PER YEAR (MOST) MORE SEVERE WHEN USING CHICKEN LITTER PREFER NON- ENDOPHYTE FESCUES

WHITE GRUB CONTROL IDENTIFY SPECIES SEVIN FOR GREEN JUNE BEETLE OTHERS: COMPLETE RENOVATION or REPLANTING

CHINCHBUG SUCK PLANT JUICES CAUSE PLANTS TO BE STUNTED CAUSE YELLOWING AND DEATH DIFFICULT TO CONTROL

CHINCHBUG DIFFICULT TO CONTROL ONCE ESTABLISHED MORE PROBLEMS IN NO-TILL LORSBAN AT PLANTING LORSBAN LIQUID - POST

White-fringed Beetle Adults feed on foliage and stems Active most of the summer, and lay hundreds of eggs Larvae feed underground Alfalfa is a favorite food

SPITTLEBUG SUCKS PLANT JUICES INJECTS TOXIN NYMPHS ARE LOCATED IN SPITTLE MASS MULTIPLE GENERATIONS

SPITTLEBUG BOTH ADULTS AND NYMPHS CAUSE INJURY INSECTICIDE TREATMENTS ARE FAIR AT BEST BURNING OLD PLANT RESIDUE MAY REDUCE POPULATION

Mole Crickets Lower coastal plain only One native species Pest species are introduced from South America

Steinernema scapterisci Attack only introduced mole crickets Introduced into Florida in 1985 Georgia introduction beginning in 1990

Larra bicolor Introduced into Florida in 1982 more cold-hardy strain in late ‘80s Introduced into Georgia (Tift Co.) in 2000

FIRE ANTS NUISANCE PEST TREATMENTS MAY INCREASE NUMBER OF MOUNDS ABOUT 6 MONTHS FROM MATING SWARM TO MOUND-BUILDING COLONY

Fire ants swarming

FIRE ANT CONTROL OPTIONS BAITS –AMDRO –AWARD –EXTINGUISH MOUND TREATMENTS –SEVIN