James Bowen, Boyle
8/10/2024 – Rice – is anywhere from been drained for a week to 10 days to boot split. About 90% of
the rice I check has been drained. Stink bugs were bad in spots. Most farmers tried the Tenchu and
were pleased. Most of the crop looks really good.
Soybeans – Most of the crop ranges from early R5-R7. Stink bugs have been very light so far.
Loopers are picking up. I sprayed a few acres for bollworms about 3-4 weeks ago. Starting to spray
some dry land fields with a desiccant. Most of the irrigated crop looks really good.
Jim Arrington, Senatobia
8/12/2024 – I have a lot of cotton at cutout as of today. Earliest I ever remember cutting loose this
much cotton. Some will hopefully be getting the last plant bug spray this week. I have just a few fields
that will have to be protected through the month. Overall, I think we have a good crop. Wish the price
would match.
We have started to desiccate some soybeans and should really increase by next week.
Have treated some wheat beans and late planted beans for worms. Pod worms, saltmarsh
caterpillars, and a few loopers. Stinkbugs have been light but are beginning to pick up in spots.
Tucker Miller, Drew
8/13/2024 – Cotton: we are making our last plant bug applications on our cotton. They have gotten
harder to control this last couple of weeks. We also have watered for the last time on the later planted
cotton. The early cotton is starting to pop open now. I am glad this one is about over. We are still two
weeks from any defoliation.
Soybeans: we have had to spray our later planted beans for loopers this past week. Our stink bug
populations have been low up till now but are building up in the R 6 beans now. We will try to beat
them to the finish line hopefully.
Corn: We are starting harvest now, reports on yields are just now coming in .
Clay Horton, Leland
8/12/2024 – Soybeans range from 18R4 through several hundred acres harvested, and all in
between. Running into heavy looper pressure in a lot of areas. Nothing treated yet but if this
weekend’s cool snap doesn’t bring some virus, we will be killing large acres this week. Stinkbug
pressure has still been low other than a few hot spots. Lined up a good bit of desiccation last week on
some first of April planting date and will likely have plenty more to line up this week.
Irrigated my last planting date of corn last week and picked up pipe. Disease pressure is quite
naturally pretty heavy in that late planted corn. We are well into harvest south of Hwy 82 with several
growers nearing the end. Yields for the most part have been well above average with 65-35 really
showing off for the second year.
Larry Walton, Tupelo
8/14/2024 – Rain has been extremely limited the past 2 week across NE Mississippi and the younger
soybeans and late planted cotton are beginning to show signs of significant stress. The extended
weather forecast does not look promising over the next several days, however it doesn’t hurt to be
optimistic that we will receive a soaker or two.
Corn – The majority of the corn crop in NE Mississippi has fully matured and almost ready for harvest.
I’m sure many combines will be going full speed in the next week or two. Corn diseases this year in
NE Mississippi were extremely light this year. Yield potential for the early planted corn is very good.
Some of the newer corn hybrids have outstanding yield potential.
Soybeans – The early planted soybean crop continues to look outstanding and loaded with pods from
top to bottom but could use another general rain or two to fully mature. I was in the Delta latter part of
last week and combines were rolling plus I observed several fields that had been desiccated. The
main disease I see right now is frog-eye on sensitive soybean varieties. They are still some last
planted soybeans that would benefit from a fungicide or fungicide mixture if yield potential justifies. As
I walk fields, I do see a few grasshoppers and a few moths flying around, however I am not aware of
any insect outbreaks.
Cotton – Early planted cotton continues to look good, but we NEED more weekly rain showers,
especially for the late planted cotton. There are many fields right now that you can observe blooms
coming out the top. Insect pressure continues to remain light."
