Spider Mite Alert

Over the past few weeks I've been seeing more and more fields suffering from spider mites injury. Though most fields saw rain this week, don't assume that the mite problem is gone. Rain has been known to knock mites off but that is not always the case so make sure to scout fields again to determine if they are still there.

Spider mites usually start at the edges of the field but windy days have carried them in from other sites, with pockets starting up deeper into the field. From the road these pockets may have been confused for drought stress. Instead of turning yellow, the plants have a bronze/dull grey appearance to them. Looking at the underside of their leaves you find a dusting or webbing and once you shake these on a piece of paper you see the small spots moving around on the paper.

Four (4) mites per leaftlet or one severely infested plant indicates that control is necessary. Spot treatments in these infected areas can be effective, as long as you ensure that the mites are not present throughout the field. Use Cygon or Lagon to control mites. DO NOT use Matador which is a pyrethroid and will cause the mites to flare up. Scout a week or so after treatment to ensure the control was effective. If mite eggs were present at the time of application, they can survive the spray, hatch and start up new colonies.

Hopefully the rain and humidity will help the fungus that controls the mites kick into gear soon and help eliminate this very damaging pest