Buttercup infestation in wheat and oats

farmer2009 · Apr 30, 2016

Mearntain said:
Here are a few of the pics:

This is a pic of the untouched oats in good condition
View attachment 466854

Here's where the buttercups have been effecting the oats, not nearly as bad as the wheat though.
View attachment 466855

This is the stage that most of my wheat is at
View attachment 466856

Here's the seriously infected part of my wheat
View attachment 466858

This is where the wheats not as badly infected, but does still have some damage.
View attachment 466859

I don't have much experience with Oats. Well ok none. But now I've seen more than a few wheat plants. Used to do small plot research on it.

From the pictures. Your at Feekes 10.5.1 or beginning flowering. I can see some pollinators in the photos. So definitely too late for herbicides. And without a plant tissue analysts I'd be afraid to recommend any more nitrogen for fear of inducing lodging. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/id/id-422.pdf

But does look like you have some pretty good stripe rust and Fusarium problems. Can be stopped by a fungicide application NOW. Fusarium will rob as much yield as the buttercup if not more. As well as providing a fungus that is toxic to livestock. Have a local agronomist confirm this as I'm looking at pictures 10 hours away.

Do you get RFD TV? There is a show on on Wednesday mornings called Farm Journal Corn College. There is a guy on there that specializes in small grains. I used to work with him. Phil Needham. He's a good one to learn from. Travels the world consulting.

High yield wheat is an art. When Phil came to this part of KY the average yield was 35 bushels or less. People made more money from the straw than they did the grain. I've personally been in 120 bushel wheat. Using his management techniques. He came from England, they can raise 150-200 bushel wheat in some parts.

flusher · May 1, 2016

Doesn't look like a weed wiper will work since buttercup isn't tall enough compared to your hay crop.
My problem weeds were fiddleneck and foxtail which could be handled by wiping. However, you do mash part of your crop with the tractor wheels.

Here's some info on buttercup from the U. of Maryland Extension

Controlling Buttercup in Pastures | University of Maryland Extension

Near the end there's this paragraph:

Buttercup is toxic to all species of livestock and can even cause dermatitis in humans if handled excessively. The toxin protoanemonin is released when the plant is chewed or otherwise wounded and is present in all parts of the plant. Animals that eat buttercup may suffer from blistering of the mouth and internal parts of the gastrointestinal tract, diarrhea, colic, and, in severe cases, death. Fortunately, most animals will not eat buttercup because it is unpalatable. (Animals that do not have access to adequate alternative forages are, however, more likely to consume buttercup.) The toxin becomes inactivated when dried so buttercup is not a concern in hay.

The final sentence says buttercup may not be a problem for you. I'd research this further before declaring your hay crop a total loss.

Good luck.

Mearntain · May 1, 2016

Farmer2009, Is there a particular fungicide that you would reccomend?

Flusher, I've seen the same thing before about buttercup no longer being poisonous after dried before too, some I'm pretty sure that's correct. That's actually the reason I'm in the situation that I'm in. I did some research and realized it was fine when dried, so I left the field alone. A few weeks later is when I realized they put toxins in the ground damaging the crop, and that's why I've been trying to find a solution so late in the process now.

farmer2009 · May 1, 2016

Mearntain said:
Farmer2009, Is there a particular fungicide that you would recommend?
.

I was always a Quilt fan. Two modes of action. A triazole and a strobilurin. But Headline works good too it's just a strobilurin. Also a good timing for insecticides, if needed. Warrior would also be my recommendation there.

I've also been out of row crops since '09. So things might have changed as to what the best products out are. I still raise wheat but only for grazing. So I don't use fungicides and I have to watch my N levels on those fields.

With wheat keep the flagleaf Feekes gs8 and the head clean.

powerscol · May 1, 2016

I use a product called Rifle-D. Its a fortified 2/4/d. Depending on the area a good back pack sprayer will do fine. Does not take much. If I remember the Rifle D is OK to harvest after a few days. Check with you local COOP or AGG service for additional help.