Sunbelt - Sunbelt Expo Program 2019

DR. LISA BAX TER

UGA Extension Forage Specialist

THE SUNBELT AG EXPO Darrell Williams Research Farm provides a perfect opportunity to showcase forage research in South Georgia.

There are currently two research trials in progress on the farm, with several more planned for next season. The two-acre bermudagrass garden provides a field-scale comparison of the six most-popular bermudagrass varieties in the Southeast.

Here producers can interact with and evaluate these different
varieties before selecting the best option for their own farm. This
area also provides an outdoor classroom for county Extension
agents, producers and industry partners.

Forage research at the farm is focused on improving the chemical control recommendations for the bermudagrass stem maggot (BSM; Atherigona reversura Villenueve).

Although the degree of damage depends on the bermudagrass variety, latitude of the farm, and time of year, producers have reported up to an 80 percent yield loss in late summer. The economic impact of the BSM damage depends on several factors, but if a conservative yield loss of 25 percent is generally applied to just the bermudagrass acreage in Georgia, the potential economic loss totals $40 million annually.

The first research trial is evaluating the use of trap strips, a targeted insecticide application on an unmown strip after mowing, in reducing adult BSM populations in the next regrowth cycle. Ideally this will improve the efficacy of the insecticide application.

The second trial is digitally measuring BSM damage in real-time. Ultimately, we plan to develop an integrated mobile phone app that would combine instantaneous estimates of BSM damage in a field with real-time reports of the BSM population to generate a pest management recommendation for the user. This work would not be possible without assistance from the crew at the Darrell Williams Research Farm and funding from the Georgia Beef Commission.

Strategically-timed insecticide applications can significantly reduce the adult BSM fly population and protect the bermudagrass during the most sensitive regrowth phase. The current recommendation requires two insecticide applications, one at 7 to 10 days after harvest and one applied 7 to 10 days later. Unfortunately, most of the Southeast has experienced drought conditions this summer, which leads to slower forage regrowth.

It is important to remember that the BSM fly is only found in fields with green leaf material. If producers find themselves in a drought situation, they should delay insecticide applications until the grass begins to regrow.

With the prolonged drought this summer, many pastures have been overgrazed while hayfields did not generate as many bales as predicted. It is likely that many producers do not have enough quality forage resources for this fall and winter.

If rainfall continues, then stockpiling forage and growing winter annuals should be explored. Producers should evaluate winter feeding strategies and work with their local county Extension agent to develop a customized plan for their farm.

38 Sunbelt Expo 2019 Farm Press
FOCUS ON THE FARM

Research targets bermudagrass stem
maggot economic impact

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