MN Fruit & Vegetable IPM News - Vol. 1, No. 3

Many of the winter annuals, such as Shepherds Purse, Pepperweed, Field Pennycress and numerous other plants in the Cruciferae Family are already flowering. Many homeowners in the Twin Cities area are sponsoring their own botanical display in their lawns with showy dandelions and pesky Heal-All. It’s time to get out the Weed-N-Feed.

Crop producers are averse to showy botanical displays of flowers or other ubiquitous uninvited greenery running amuck amongst the parallel rows of corn, soybean, sugarbeet, and small grains. Planting “Roundup-Ready” crops puts the grower at ease in making decisions about chemical weed control. However, there are often weed escapes or new weed immigrants moving into the field that vie for the grower’s attention.

Help is available for identifying the unknown weeds cohabitating with your row crops and pastures.

Weed samples can be sent to the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics at the University of Minnesota for identification. There is no charge, but this service is only offered to crop producers and those people working in the agricultural service sector.

Use That Digital Camera!

Weed samples that need to be identified can be sent in two ways: (1) Email, with attached digital photos, or (2) by mail. If using Email, enclose background information about the weed along with 2-3 digital photos. Be sure the photos are good quality and in focus so they show the main characteristics of the weed such as the whole plant, stem, leaf structure, and flower. If you are mailing a sample for identification, please follow the guidelines below.

DO NOT place weeds in plastic bags or wrap in plastic. Plants will turn to mush in the mail.
DO NOT tape weeds to paper or manila folders.
Place plant samples in newspapers or paper towels. Press overnight under the weight of a heavy book and mail them in the paper. If necessary, plants can be gently folded to accommodate the envelope.
Mail all plants samples at the beginning of the week. This will help to avoid having the plant samples sit in the post-office over a weekend.
Send at least two samples of the entire plant that include the top growth of the plant- stems, leaves, and the flowers and/or fruits, if available. Roots are not normally needed for identification of older plants. However, if sending weed seedlings or older plants, please send the entire plant.
Include background information about the plant: perennial, annual, biennial (if known), where found (cropland, near a wetland, edge of field, soil type, sunny/shady location, etc.)
Include your name address, phone number, and/or email.

Mail weed samples to:

Kevin Cavanaugh
Department of Agronomy & Plant Genetics
411 Borlaug Hall
1991 Upper Buford Circle
St. Paul , MN 55108

Digital photos can be sent by email cavan008@umn.edu

Information on weed management, herbicide application, and timing can be found in the University of Minnesota Extension Service publication BU-3157-S Cultural and Chemical Weed Control in Field Crops-2004. You can view this on the web at:

www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/cropsystems/DC3157.html#cult

Click on the PDF version in the upper left hand corner to view the entire bulletin.

Homeowners should contact their University of Minnesota County Extension Office or Master Gardner to seek help in identifying weeds found in the lawn and garden.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Co-Editors: Bill Hutchison, Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, hutch002@umn.edu
Jeanne Ciborowski, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Ag. Resources Division,jeanne.ciborowski@state.mn.us
Suzanne Wold-Burkness, Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, woldx018@umn.edu

The Newsletter is published weekly from May through August, cooperatively, by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the University of Minnesota (U of MN). Reports are posted on the U of MN and MDA web sites on Fridays. If you have suggestions and/or comments, please send your contributions by 4 p.m., Tuesday to Jeanne Ciborowski, 651-297-3217, jeanne.ciborowski@state.mn.us , MDA, 90 W. Plato Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55107-2094. You can access the Newsletter at the U of MN web site in htm. format at: www.vegedge.umn.edu/MNFruit&VegNews/mnindex.htm and at the MDA web site in pdf. format at: www.mda.state.mn.us/biocon/fruitreports/default.htm

Partial funding for this publication is provided through partnership agreements with the Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and the United States Department of Agriculture – Risk Management Agency (RMA) and the RMA Community Outreach and Assistance Partnership Program. These institutions are equal opportunity providers.

DISCLAIMER

References to products in this publication is not intended to be an endorsement to the exclusion of others which may have similar uses. Any person using products listed in this publication assumes full responsibility for their use in accordance with current manufacturer directions.

Last Revised May 21, 2004.
The University, including the Minnesota Extension Service, is an equal opportunity educator and employer. ©1999-2004 Minnesota Extension Service, University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. Contact copyright@extension.umn.edu for information on reproduction or use of this material.