Small Grains

All Small Grains Content

Green leaves on a buckthorn tree covered with crusty spots of bright orange crown rust inoculum.

Oats Crown Rust Inoculum Abundant This Year

Crown rust is the most important fungal disease of oats in South Dakota. In years with heavy disease pressure, susceptible cultivars can have over 80% yield loss due to crown rust. The presence of crown rust inoculum on buckthorns can be an indication of the likely risk for crown rust to develop during the growing season. Buckthorns scouted recently were loaded with crown rust inoculum.

oats

2017-2018 Multi-State Organic Oat Variety Trial Results

The tight production margins currently present in agriculture have increased interest in growing organic oats.

a flooded wheat field with some emerging wheat plants.

Wet Feet in Wheat

Given the widespread wet conditions present this spring, there are many areas in winter wheat fields with both ponding and saturated (or waterlogged) soils. Producers may want to consider soil conditions and evaluate extended weather forecasts when deciding whether or not to retain a winter wheat this spring.

large multi-row sprayer adding chemicals to a field

Early Season Insecticide Applications in Wheat

Many wheat producers in South Dakota have adopted more intensive management practices in the last few years, including an early season application of fungicide and, in some cases, insecticide.

A green tractor pulls a planter to plant oats in a field

SDSU Extension Crop Hour webinar series starts in January

December 11, 2023

South Dakota State University Extension’s 2024 Crop Hour webinar series will start Jan. 9, with webinars hosted from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. CST every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for nine weeks.

Tan grasshopper with light colored stripes on its back sitting on the soil surface.

Grasshoppers May Cause Problems for Winter Wheat During Fall 2023

As winter winter begins emerging, it is important to monitor field edges for grasshopper activity and feeding injury. This is especially true in areas where large populations have been observed throughout the summer.

Yellow wheat field with green weeds throughout.

At-Harvest and Post-Harvest Weed Management Tactics in Wheat

Many pre and postemergence herbicides did not adequately control weeds during the 2023 growing season due to early dry and hot conditions. Despite the poor control, there are still options to implement at-harvest and post-harvest to help manage weeds.

Several brownish gray moths with light markings present on their wings.

Army Cutworms Returning to South Dakota

A black light trap at the SDSU West River Research Farm near Sturgis has started capturing army cutworm moths. This indicates that the moths that migrated west this spring are returning to the South Dakota plains to lay eggs.

Dark green and tan curled caterpillars with an orange stripe along their sides.

True Armyworm Caterpillars Observed in South Dakota Wheat

Wheat harvest is underway in South Dakota, and one of our seemingly annual pests has been observed in wheat fields. While scouting last week, we observed small populations of true armyworms in wheat in Northeastern South Dakota.

Dark colored caterpillar feeding on wheat head.

True Armyworm Caterpillars Spotted in South Dakota

While scouting this week we observed some very small true armyworm caterpillars. Every year these caterpillars pose a threat to wheat fields, and the best way to stay ahead of them is to start scouting before defoliation is done.