Gene Merkl is the Program Manager for the Pesticide Applicator and Recertification Program with Mississippi State Extension.  Gene called into the Crop Doctors’ Podcast studio in Stoneville to discuss updates to the pesticide certification training for Mississippi which were mandated nationwide by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and went online July 1, 2024.  The update training can be accessed online at http://extension.msstate.edu/content/online-commercial-applicator-recertification

MSU Extension Director Angus Catchot and Associate Director Trent Irby visited the Crop Doctors’ Podcast studio on a recent trip to Stoneville.  Angus and Trent described their new roles in Extension administration and recounted things they had learned on the last few months transitioning to their new positions. 

Trent Irby sat down with Tom and Jason in the Crop Doctors’ Podcast studio in Stoneville to talk about the 2024 Mississippi soybean crop.  Trent was promoted to a position as the Associate Director of Extension over Agriculture and Natural Resources beginning April 1, so there was some difficulty getting schedules to line up to get him on a podcast this year.  Trent describes his new role with Mississippi State Extension and then moves into the status of the Mississippi soybean crop for 2024.

From the Crop Doctors’ Podcast studio in Stoneville, Don, Jason, and Tom discuss the situation with fall armyworms in rice.  An Emergency Crisis Exemption has been granted for use of Intrepid 2F targeting fall armyworms in rice from July 11 through July 26. 

Bobby Golden sat down in the Crop Doctors’ Podcast studio in Stoneville offer his perspective on the present and future of soil fertility and fertilizers.  This episode wandered back and forth on topics and will definitely require a follow up.  Some of the areas Bobby discussed with Jason and Tom include fertilizer use efficiency, biologicals, sustainability, and technology.  That may not really sound like soil fertility, but we wrapped it together somewhat by the end.

Catch this episode and discover more at our website: http://extension.msstate.edu/shows/mississippi-crop-situation

Andy Whittington with the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation sat down in the Crop Doctors’ Podcast studio during a recent visit to Stoneville to offer an update on the status of the Endangered Species Act and its influence on pesticide labeling.  Andy is an authority on this subject.  This legislation and the associated process that will change the way pesticides are labeled and used in the U.S. is complex, and Andy does a great job of breaking it down into digestible chunks. 

Find this episode and more at our website: http://extension.msstate.edu/shows/mississippi-crop-situation

Don and Tyler sat down in the Crop Doctors’ Podcast studio to offer an update on the progression of the insect portion of the crop year.  Topics include plant bug infestations and management in cotton, some discussion on crop injury when mixing a variety of products, insect management in soybean, and a couple of regulatory concerns.

Catch this episode and find more at our website: http://extension.msstate.edu/shows/mississippi-crop-situation

From the Crop Doctors’ Podcast studio in Stoneville, Jason and Tom delve into the problem of goosegrass control in row crops. Glyphosate-resistant goosegrass is present in Mississippi, but not all populations are resistant to that herbicide.  Poor control is compounded when circumstances like herbicide mixtures, application volume, hot temperatures, and dry soil condition intersect with each other. 

To listen to more episodes visit http://extension.msstate.edu/shows/mississippi-crop-situation

Drew visited with Jason and Tom from the Crop Doctors’ Podcast studio in Stoneville about initiating irrigation on the most common row crops in Mississippi.  Topics ranged from triggering, to watering for crop demand, to being cautious with too much irrigation too soon. 

Listen to this episode and find more at our website: http://extension.msstate.edu/shows/mississippi-crop-situation 

Brian Pieralisi visited with Tom Allen and Jason Bond in the Crop Doctors’ Podcast studio in Stoneville on how the early season is going for Mississippi’s cotton crop.  They discuss the blown terminal phenomenon that has been observed in recent years, weed control, fertilizer management, and touch on growth regulators.