March 2025 Central Issue
News stories shared in the March 2025 Central Issue appear below. Subscribe to receive the Central Issue newsletter monthly via email.
North Central IPM Center Updates
Stay informed with the latest news from the Center with the stories below. Be sure to share your favorites!
Apply for 2025 Funding
The North Central Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Center has approximately $360,000 of funding available for 2025 projects. Projects must focus on integrated pest management and may involve Critical Issue research, Working Group collaborations, or IPM Partnerships. Applicants may request a maximum of $30,000 per project. More details are available on the North Central IPM Center website. Applications are due on Monday, April 21, 2025 at 6 pm ET (5 pm CT). Funding for selected projects will be awarded in May of 2025.
Funding of these projects supports the North Central IPM Center’s mission to improve the health, environment and economic conditions in the North Central region while using IPM to address pest-related challenges.
April Webinar: Optimizing Drone Applications for Disease Management
As aerial drones become more readily available, there is a great opportunity to develop research-based best practices and training related to the use of drones for pesticide applications. Dr. Darcy Telenko, associate professor/extension plant pathologist at
Purdue University, and Dr. Kiersten Wise, professor of plant pathology from the University of Kentucky will share details about
- Drone history and usage
- Current research on drone application coverage and efficacy compared to ground-driven or other aerial application methods
- The importance of optimizing swath width and potential drift issues; and
- Tips to optimize drone applications, particularly in regard to disease management.
This webinar will be held on Wednesday, April 16, at 1:30 pm ET (12:30 pm CT). Be sure to register to receive the link. “Pests and Progress” webinars are free, and more details are on the North Central IPM Center website.
War Against Weeds Podcasts
- Henbit
Interviewee: Dr. Bill Johnson from Purdue University - Targeted Tillage
Interviewee: Dr. Michael Walsh with Charles Sturt University - Johnsongrass
Interviewee: Dr. JD Green (retired from the University of Kentucky) - Drones Update
Interviewee: Dr. Steve Li with Auburn University
New Episodes—I See Dead Plants Podcasts
- Southern Pine Specters: An Overview of the Southern Pine Beetle Part 1
Interviewee: Dr. Dave Coyle from Clemson University in South Carolina - Southern Pine Specters: An Overview of the Southern Pine Beetle Part 2 Interviewee: Dr. Dave Coyle from Clemson University in South Carolina
- Prophecy of Plague: Plant Diseases and Predictive Modeling Part 1
Interviewee: Dr. Damon Smith of the University of Wisconsin - Prophecy of Plague: Plant Diseases and Predictive Modeling Part 2
Interviewee: Dr. Damon Smith of the University of Wisconsin
US Environmental Protection Agency
Here’s the latest news from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
EPA Registers New Pesticide Metamitron and Uses a New Structured Label
Three plant growth regulator products containing the new active ingredient metamitron have been registered for use on apple and pear trees. Metamitron can be applied to apple and pear tree leaves shortly after the blooming stage to thin excess fruit, allowing remaining fruit to grow larger.
More details about the registration of metamitron are available in docket ID EPA-HQ-OPP-2022-0575 at www.regulations.gov.
IPM Highlights
Here’s interesting stories related to progress in integrated pest management.
Avian Influenza; Egg Price Updates
Those who celebrate Easter may make some adjustments to egg-dying traditions this year due to soaring egg prices. Have prices peaked? What is being done to protect flocks and reduce spread? Check out these recent updates:
- USDA Invests Up To $1 Billion to Combat Avian Flu and Reduce Egg Prices: a five-pronged strategy shared by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins seeks to reduce highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), protect the U.S. poultry industry, and lower egg prices.
- USDA Announces Next Steps in the Effort to Support the Fight Against Avian Influenza: Funding is available for organizations that are interested in pursuing three research topics related to avian influenza.
- Avian Influenza (USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service): Learn symptoms, prevention, treatment and resources.
- Map of Confirmations of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Commercial and Backyard Flocks: Keep up with confirmed U.S. cases of avian influenza.
- Avian Disease and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Webinar and Q&A: Answers to common questions, such as how to protect backyard flocks, whether to worry about outdoor cats, and what wild birds are most likely to spread the virus. Some responses are specific to New York State, but most are answered broadly.
IPM Survey: Prep for This is IPM
Integrated pest management (IPM) encompasses many settings, disciplines, and people, but its relevance is not always apparent. A new communication campaign called, “This is IPM” aims to form cohesive, harmonized, and collaborative IPM communications with a dedicated website and social media channels. Materials will include information about IPM, including its process, the people who practice it, and resources for those that want to know more about the discipline.
Please help launch this effort by filling out this survey to share your thoughts and attitudes about IPM. It will take about 10 minutes to complete and is open to anyone doing work in the IPM discipline.
The Story of Starry & Other Introduced Podcasts
Listen to the podcast episode called, “Story of Starry,” which explores the invasion of starry stonewort and how language affects approaches to invasive species management.
“Story of Starry” is one of the newest episodes of the award-winning podcast called Introduced, which focuses on aquatic invasive species and their impacts on the Great Lakes. This intriguing podcast series also explores the role of art to increase public awareness of conservation topics.
Introduced is co-produced by the Great Lakes Commission and Wisconsin Sea Grant and is in its third season. Listen now or check out other episodes on the Wisconsin Sea Grant website.
Preparing for Next Season
Get ready for next year with these learning opportunities.
Over-The-Top Dicamba Applications Are Not Legal in 2025
Be sure to start planning for weed management early this year, especially if you are growing tolerant soybean varieties. Dicamba products, such as Xtendimax, Engenia, and Tavium, must not be used for over-the-top applications in tolerant soybean varieties in 2025.
How to Manage Cereal Rye in the Upper Midwest for Weed Suppression and Max Yields
In a recent study, cereal rye cover crops suppressed weeds in both corn and soybean rotations, but gaining the most from this cover crop depended on timing of both cover crop termination and crop planting.
Considerations for early fungicide applications on wheat in 2025
Thinking about an early fungicide application this year? Check out this summary from Kansas State University to learn about the best time to apply, consider how the early application fits in with your overall fungicide spraying schedule, and be sure to follow labels for active ingredients because some have a maximum-use limit per season.
Field Crops Virtual Breakfast Series: Early Season Weed Control
Michigan State University offers a Virtual Breakfast series that you can join weekly during the growing season. These chats are live via Zoom every Thursday morning from 7 to 8 a.m. ET (6 to 7 a.m. CT), March 27 through Sept. 18, 2025. The list of topics is available and ranges from planter set up to herbicide resistance, cover crops, insect management and even drones.
Live sessions are eligible for RUP and CCA credits. Sign up to attend. Recordings are available on the Field Crops Virtual Breakfast page.
Resources
Read, use or share the latest IPM resources.
Ohio Plant Pest Reporting Tool
Ohio residents can help track invasive insects and diseases by reporting sightings. This will help the Ohio Department of Agriculture prioritize areas for monitoring. Use this online form to share photos of suspected box tree moth, spotted lanternfly, hemlock woolly adelgid, spongy moth, Asian longhorned beetle, yellow-legged hornet, beech leaf disease or sudden oak death. You may also submit photos of unidentified insects or diseases that affect plants.
CropCast Podcasts
Be sure to check out monthly Minnesota CropCast podcasts, which focus on progress and challenges related to Minnesota’s agronomic crops. Hosts David Nicolai and Dr. Seth Naeve chat with specialists from a variety of agronomic disciplines to discuss research and impacts on future Minnesota crops.
An Overview of Ear Rots
Ear rots are important corn diseases because they decrease yield and reduce grain, feed, and food quality. “An Overview of Ear Rots” is a free Crop Protection Network publication that will help you learn to identify the most common corn ear rots along with management options. You will also learn about diseases that look similar to ear rot and details about the mycotoxins associated with each ear rot. Check out this resource or share it with farmers.
SDSU Extension Releases Updated Crop Budgets Tool
The Crop Budgets tool can help South Dakota farmers estimate the cost of production and profits related to growing corn, soybeans and wheat. Farmers enter details regarding fertilizer and pesticide use, along with their region of the state, and the spreadsheet then provides a profit estimate.
Events
Learn and network at these upcoming in-person events. Society of NematologistsJuly 13-17; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Aquatic Plant Management SocietyJuly 14-17; Providence, Rhode Island
Job Board
Consider applying for these job opportunities.
Research Technician, Michigan State University
Plant Researcher, Gravity Tech Inc, Indianapolis, IN
Program Leader, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Central State University Extension Service, Wilberforce, OH
Research Technician, The Ohio State University
Horticulture Research Manager, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Seed Science Operations Agronomist, Fowler, IN
Assistant Professor of Crop Resilience, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Research Specialist, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Crop Protection Genetics, The Land Institute, Salina, Kansas
Assistant Professor of Informal Entomology Education, University of Florida