We have had a lot of aflatoxin problems in corn this year in the blacklands and this web article sure compliments the use of AflaGuard for reducing aflatoxin problems. Click on the link below to see!
Afla-Guard Also Protects Corn Crops / Month x, 2010 / News from the USDA Agricultural Research Service
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Tomato Variety Trial
Stiles Farm Foundation, 2010
Bob Whitney and Archie Abrameit
Summary: The population of Texas continues to grow but the majority of that growth is centered along the I35 corridor. Latest population estimates show Travis County with 921,000 people, Williamson County with 354,000 people and Bell County with a population of 258,000. This puts Williamson County with its rich soil and moderate climate in the middle of one and half million people, all who eat and want lots of good food every day. Recent trends in the US point to more and more consumption of locally grown food products and at the top of the list is a desire to buy locally grown vegetables, fruits and nuts. Farmer's Market interest is at an all time high and more and more cities want a Farmers Market for their citizens. The local community supports the growth of small farm agriculture that supplies nutritious and healthy, locally grown farm products.
Because of this interest there are more growers and these growers want information to make informed decisions on varieties, fertility, irrigation, harvest and more. This test evaluated 19 popular and new tomato varieties.
Materials and Methods: The Stiles Farm Foundation is a typical blackland soil and the test was planted in a Sunev series. PH of the site is 8.0; Nitrate was 15 ppm, 63 ppm P and 336 ppm K. Site was prepared in March. Beds were fertilized with 100 pounds of 21-0-0-24 in March and incorporated. Transplants were put in the beds on April 8. Varieties were planted 4 plants to a rep with 2 total reps per variety for a total of 8 plants. Spacing was 2.5 feet in the row and rows were 8 feet apart. Planting pattern is outlined in Table 1. Plants were drip irrigated on timed irrigations.
Table 1.
Row 1 Row 2
No. Variety No. Variety
1 Christy 11 BHN 685
2 Celebrity 8 BHN 968
3 Solar Fire 15 Sunstart
4 Applause 10 Katana
5 BHN 0941 12 Phoenix
6 Tycoon 13 Belle Rosa
7 BHN 602 16 Tygress
8 BHN 968 3 Solar Fire
9 Tomasin 18 Heatwave Select
10 Katana 14 Sunshine
11 BHN 685 19 Sun Pride
12 Phoenix 1 Christy
13 Belle Rosa 17 BHN 0944
14 Sunshine 4 Applause
15 Sunstart 6 Tycoon
16 Tygress 5 BHN 0941
17 BHN 0944 7 BHN 602
18 Heatwave Select 2 Celebrity
19 Sun Pride 9 Tomasin
Results:
Table 2. Vigor and Fruit Set of 19 Tomato Varieties, 2010.
No. Variety Vigor Fruit Set
1 Christy 5 5
2 Celebrity 8 7.5
3 Solar Fire 6.5 8
4 Applause 2.5 7
5 BHN 0941 6 4
6 Tycoon 5.5 5.5
7 BHN 602 6.5 7
8 BHN 968 6 8.5
9 Tomasin 6 6.5
10 Katana 7 7.5
11 BHN 685 7.5 7
12 Phoenix 5.5 7.5
13 Belle Rosa 5.5 7.5
14 Sunshine 4 8.5
15 Sunstart 2.5 7
16 Tygress 7 7.5
17 BHN 0944 7 5.5
18 Heatwave Select 5.5 6.5
19 Sun Pride 8 8
Scale is 1-10 with 10 being best. Ratings made on 6-15-10 on both replications and the results averaged.
Acknowledgments: A big thanks to Dr. Larry Stein who worked with Lone Star Growers to grow the transplants and then ship them out to counties for testing.
Bob Whitney and Archie Abrameit
Summary: The population of Texas continues to grow but the majority of that growth is centered along the I35 corridor. Latest population estimates show Travis County with 921,000 people, Williamson County with 354,000 people and Bell County with a population of 258,000. This puts Williamson County with its rich soil and moderate climate in the middle of one and half million people, all who eat and want lots of good food every day. Recent trends in the US point to more and more consumption of locally grown food products and at the top of the list is a desire to buy locally grown vegetables, fruits and nuts. Farmer's Market interest is at an all time high and more and more cities want a Farmers Market for their citizens. The local community supports the growth of small farm agriculture that supplies nutritious and healthy, locally grown farm products.
Because of this interest there are more growers and these growers want information to make informed decisions on varieties, fertility, irrigation, harvest and more. This test evaluated 19 popular and new tomato varieties.
Materials and Methods: The Stiles Farm Foundation is a typical blackland soil and the test was planted in a Sunev series. PH of the site is 8.0; Nitrate was 15 ppm, 63 ppm P and 336 ppm K. Site was prepared in March. Beds were fertilized with 100 pounds of 21-0-0-24 in March and incorporated. Transplants were put in the beds on April 8. Varieties were planted 4 plants to a rep with 2 total reps per variety for a total of 8 plants. Spacing was 2.5 feet in the row and rows were 8 feet apart. Planting pattern is outlined in Table 1. Plants were drip irrigated on timed irrigations.
Table 1.
Row 1 Row 2
No. Variety No. Variety
1 Christy 11 BHN 685
2 Celebrity 8 BHN 968
3 Solar Fire 15 Sunstart
4 Applause 10 Katana
5 BHN 0941 12 Phoenix
6 Tycoon 13 Belle Rosa
7 BHN 602 16 Tygress
8 BHN 968 3 Solar Fire
9 Tomasin 18 Heatwave Select
10 Katana 14 Sunshine
11 BHN 685 19 Sun Pride
12 Phoenix 1 Christy
13 Belle Rosa 17 BHN 0944
14 Sunshine 4 Applause
15 Sunstart 6 Tycoon
16 Tygress 5 BHN 0941
17 BHN 0944 7 BHN 602
18 Heatwave Select 2 Celebrity
19 Sun Pride 9 Tomasin
Results:
Table 2. Vigor and Fruit Set of 19 Tomato Varieties, 2010.
No. Variety Vigor Fruit Set
1 Christy 5 5
2 Celebrity 8 7.5
3 Solar Fire 6.5 8
4 Applause 2.5 7
5 BHN 0941 6 4
6 Tycoon 5.5 5.5
7 BHN 602 6.5 7
8 BHN 968 6 8.5
9 Tomasin 6 6.5
10 Katana 7 7.5
11 BHN 685 7.5 7
12 Phoenix 5.5 7.5
13 Belle Rosa 5.5 7.5
14 Sunshine 4 8.5
15 Sunstart 2.5 7
16 Tygress 7 7.5
17 BHN 0944 7 5.5
18 Heatwave Select 5.5 6.5
19 Sun Pride 8 8
Scale is 1-10 with 10 being best. Ratings made on 6-15-10 on both replications and the results averaged.
Acknowledgments: A big thanks to Dr. Larry Stein who worked with Lone Star Growers to grow the transplants and then ship them out to counties for testing.
Monday, July 19, 2010
How Much to Water?
I am asked over and over how much do I need to water my lawn. Extension has developed recommendations that in general say you should water 1 inch per week. These are general because of differences in soil, plant, rooting depth and even shade. We have a weather station here at our Extension office that is programmed to help landscapers and homeowners know how much water they need. The information is available on texaset.tamu.edu and is fantastic. I have signed up for a weekly notification on the website so that it sends me an email and tells me how much to water for every week. I get the email on Friday and can water through the weekend to replace what was lost during the week to evapotranspiration. Evapotranspiration is the water lost from the soil surface and the plant together. I have told the program that I have bermudagrass for sod and I want normal growth. Here are the recommendations.
Date Evapotranspiration
07/09 0.15
07/10 0.18
07/11 0.26
07/12 0.24
07/13 0.26
07/14 0.29
07/15 0.28
7 day watering recommendation for Bob Whitney: 0.60 inches (assuming no rainfall)*
Plant Coefficient: Warm Season Turfgrass
Adjustment Factor: Normal
Date Evapotranspiration
07/09 0.15
07/10 0.18
07/11 0.26
07/12 0.24
07/13 0.26
07/14 0.29
07/15 0.28
7 day watering recommendation for Bob Whitney: 0.60 inches (assuming no rainfall)*
Plant Coefficient: Warm Season Turfgrass
Adjustment Factor: Normal
Friday, July 16, 2010
Texas State Pecan Show
The Texas State Pecan show is held each year in July following the previous years crop. It is held during the Texas Pecan Growers Meeting. This year it was in San Marcos and had about 300 entries.
Congratulations to Williamson County Pecan Growers for a job well done. Warren Sefcik with a 1st place Desirable, Ron Leps with a 3rd place Sioux, Darwin and Kay Karkoska with a 3rd place Kanza and a 2nd place Brake and Ed Zucknik had a 2nd place Melrose.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Pecan Field Day Set for August 11
Texas AgriLife Extension, Williamson County, has planned a Pecan Field Day for Wednesday, August 11 at Berry Springs Park and Preserve at 1801 CR 152 near Georgetown. Registration for the field day will begin at 9:30 a.m. with the program beginning at 10:00 a.m. and lasting through a sponsored noon meal. Cost of the Pecan Field Day is $5 per person. The Pecan Field Day will include two hours of Continuing Education Credits for private, commercial and non-commercial applicators. To preregister for the Pecan Field Day please contact the Williamson County Extension office at 512/943-3300 or email at dmcolburn@ag.tamu.edu
Individuals with disabilities who require an auxiliary aid, service or accommodation in order to participate in this tour are encouraged to contact the Extension office at 512/943-3300 by August 6, 2010 to determine how reasonable accommodations can be made.
Discussing pecan weevil, pecan yellow and black aphids and other insect problems growers face will be Mr. Bill Ree, Extension Pecan Entomologist. Bill is based in College Station with state-wide responsibilities for educational programs in pecan insect management and is a great resource for pecan growers. This date for the Pecan Field Day should correspond with previous years dates for making the first pecan weevil sprays. The field day will be a great opportunity to catch up on the latest management of pecan insects and sightings of pecan weevil.
Next on the program will be Monte Nesbitt, Extension Horticulturalist and State Pecan Specialists for Texas AgriLife Extension Service. Monte was on our program in May and everyone enjoyed his discussion very much. Monte will discuss more about variety selection for production and less problems, some information on planting trees this fall and winter, care of trees in August and September and orchard preparation for harvest.
Sponsors for the Pecan Field Day include Dow AgroSciences.
Individuals with disabilities who require an auxiliary aid, service or accommodation in order to participate in this tour are encouraged to contact the Extension office at 512/943-3300 by August 6, 2010 to determine how reasonable accommodations can be made.
Discussing pecan weevil, pecan yellow and black aphids and other insect problems growers face will be Mr. Bill Ree, Extension Pecan Entomologist. Bill is based in College Station with state-wide responsibilities for educational programs in pecan insect management and is a great resource for pecan growers. This date for the Pecan Field Day should correspond with previous years dates for making the first pecan weevil sprays. The field day will be a great opportunity to catch up on the latest management of pecan insects and sightings of pecan weevil.
Next on the program will be Monte Nesbitt, Extension Horticulturalist and State Pecan Specialists for Texas AgriLife Extension Service. Monte was on our program in May and everyone enjoyed his discussion very much. Monte will discuss more about variety selection for production and less problems, some information on planting trees this fall and winter, care of trees in August and September and orchard preparation for harvest.
Sponsors for the Pecan Field Day include Dow AgroSciences.
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