Something Old, Something New
In early July, Weldon Shook gazed across his cotton field ravaged by adverse weather and nematodes.
But like most farmers, he was looking on the bright side. “For all it’s been through with weather and nematodes, I’m actually proud of this cotton field. If this field makes two bales average, I’ll be pleased,” said Shook, a Seagraves, TX, producer who’s always on the lookout for new crop management ideas. Much of the optimism he expressed that day in early July was based on how much better the cotton was progressing where he had tested a new combination of old and new – his usual Temik in-furrow application, along with N-Hibit Seed Treatment.
“It seemed to give the treated cotton an added ability to withstand stresses like the cool, wet, and windy weather we experienced right after planting and emergence of the cotton,” he explained.
Replicated trials in Southern and Midwestern states have shown that the Harpin protein in N-Hibit reduces the number of nematode eggs among plant roots by an average 50% or more. Harpin does not act directly on the disease organism, according to EPA information, nor does it alter the DNA of treated plants, but instead activates a natural defense mechanism in the host plant.
The Texas A&M Cooperative Extension Service has been soil testing on farms in two counties to the north of Seminole for 10 years, and finds that 80% of the surrounding acreage has some level of nematode infestation, with 60% of those acres requiring a nematicide. “We need more tools to help us manage nematodes, so I will try new technologies as they come along,” Shook said. “I heard about N-Hibit at the Sandyland Ag Conference in Seminole in 2006, and decided this year I would test it.”
The test field made just under four bales per acre in 2006, but this year it looked as though it might have been on another planet. At planting on May 7, the weather was nice and warm. Then came the trifecta of bad weather: an extended cold snap, high winds for three straight days, and rain (including a hail storm that came with it on May 25) for days on end. Heat units quickly fell far behind normal.
Shook’s test field is minimum-till and received 130 units of nitrogen with a pre-plant herbicide. He planted 40 acres of FiberMax FM 9063 B2RF treated with N-Hibit Hopper Box Seed Treatment. (N-hibit also is available as an on-seed, dealer-applied treatment.) The remaining seed was not treated with NHibit, but all the seed was accompanied in-furrow by Temik at a 41⁄2 pound per-acre rate. After emergence there were two trips over the field with glyphosate. Shook makes all the applications himself with his own sprayer.
“I think I’ve found the right at-planting nematode combination with Temik and N-hibit,” said Shook. “… I’ve been told that N-Hibit is not a stand-alone product for nematodes, but it seems to give me an edge in combination with Temik; and for now, maybe this is how to get the best out of both. After seeing these results, I’ll expand this nematode management program