Pest control in crops grown in northwestern New Mexico, 2005

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Cooperative Extension Service • College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
INTRODUCTION
Weeds cause more total crop losses than any other agricultural pest (Arnold, 1981–2008; Hall et al., 1995; Currie, 2004; Lorenzi and Jeffery, 1987). Weeds reduce crop yields and quality, harbor insects and plant diseases, and cause irrigation and harvesting problems (Chandler et al., 1984; Lorenzi and Jeffery, 1987; Currie, 2005; Massinga et al., 1999, 2003). As a result, weeds reduce the total value of agricultural products in the United States by 10 to 15% (Lorenzi and Jeffery, 1987). Estimated average losses during 1975 to 1979 in the potential production of field corn, potatoes, and onion ranged from
7 to 16% in the Mountain States Region, which includes New Mexico (Chandler et al., 1984). San Juan County ranks first in potato production, fourth in alfalfa production, and second in corn production among all New Mexico counties (New Mexico Agricultural Statistics, 2007).
Pest Control in Crops Grown in Northwestern
New Mexico, 2005
Annual Data Report 100-2005
Richard N. Arnold, Michael K. O’Neil, and Daniel Smeal1
Introduction...........................................................................1
Broadleaf weed control in field corn with preemergence and pre­emergence followed sequential postemergence herbicides.......2
Corn emergence and broadleaf weed control in Roundup Ready field corn with preemergence and preemergence followed by sequential postemergence herbicides..............2
Broadleaf weed control in Roundup Ready field corn with preemergence followed by sequential postemergence and postemergence herbicides..................................................3
Broadleaf weed control in dry beans.......................................3
Broadleaf weed control in sunflowers .....................................4
Russian knapweed and Canada thistle control in Montezuma County, Colorado.............................................................4
References............................................................................12
Notice to users of this report................................................12
Table of Contents
Page
An estimated 90% of all tillage operations are for weed control (J.G. Foster, personal communications, 2005–2007). Herbicides can reduce the number of required tillage opera­tions and can be used where cultivation is not possible, such as within crop rows or in solid-seeded crops. With increasing fuel and labor costs, herbicides are often more economical than other methods of weed control.
Many herbicides are approved for use on crops grown on medium- and fine-textured, high-organic soils. Little informa­tion is available, however, regarding their effectiveness and safety on low-organic, coarse-textured soils that are common to northwestern New Mexico.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has become more stringent with regard to research data required for pesti­cide approval. Thus, it has become critical that state Agricul­tural Science Centers work closely with commercial companies developing new pesticides in order to obtain the research data required by the EPA. This cooperation will benefit the agricul­tural industry of the state and assist EPA pesticide registration.
Before 1980, the use of herbicides in northwestern New Mexico was limited. Most growers were still using 2,4-D in corn for broadleaf weed control, while annual grasses were left in check. In alfalfa, burning winter annual mustard and downy brome with propane was not uncommon. An herbi­cide field-screening program has provided essential informa­tion on the activity of new and old herbicides on crops grown in northwestern New Mexico (Arnold, 1981–2008).
As new land on the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project comes under cultivation, weed and insect problems are varied and may change with each successive crop. It is only through con­tinued research that the demand for reliable information on the use of pesticides in northwestern New Mexico can be met.
I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the following companies for providing technical assistance, products, and/or financial assistance: Bayer CropSciences, BASF, E.I. DuPont, Gowan, BLM/FFO, FMC, Monsanto, Dow AgroSciences, Navajo Agricultural Products Industry, Pioneer Hi-Bred, Syn­genta Crop Protection, and Southwest Seed.
1Respectively, College Professor, Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Weed Science, and Superintendent, Agricultural Science Center at Farmington; Professor, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences; and College Professor, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, all of New Mexico State University.