Author: Brian

Photos by Kevser Ozel, University of Wisconsin

Breeding efforts seem to be paying off as researchers are seeing more and more carrots showing resistance to root-knot nematodes.

Carrots were put to the test in a recent trial that included a large collection of open-pollinated carrots from the USDA germplasm collection, along with breeding materials from the University of Wisconsin’s program and the seed industry. The trial evaluated the selections for root-knot nematode resistance in the field with the objective of identifying resistant carrot genotypes for future breeding efforts and genetic research.

The annual trial has been ongoing for several decades at California locations including Coachella, Kearney and Irvine. This year’s trial took place at the University of California – Riverside Coachella Valley Agricultural Research Center. There, Phil Roberts and Bill Matthews maintain a root-knot nematode-inoculated field by growing crops that are susceptible to root-knot nematodes, which helps keep a high and fairly uniform nematode population in the field. The University of California-Riverside team then grew carrot breeding material that the seed industry chose to be evaluated for root-knot nematode resistance.

Nematode pressure was very high in this year’s trial, and results overall were consistent for breeding stocks that were included from previous years’ trials. This year’s trial demonstrated that even though most carrots are susceptible to root-knot nematodes, including all available commercial cultivars tested, breeding efforts are working, as evaluators saw an increasing amount of resistant breeding material. The trial yielded some really good-looking resistant carrots in the cello, cut-and-peel, and novel-colored carrot categories, according to organizers.

Carrot growers, seed industry reps and the public were invited to the trial display at harvest, with a good number and diversity of participants in attendance, from growers to researchers in the seed industry and universities.

Josephine Antwi has joined Oregon State University (OSU) as the new irrigated crop entomology extension specialist at the Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center (HAREC). She is familiar with the region and its pests after working as a postdoctoral research scholar at HAREC from 2015 to 2017. 

In her new role, Antwi will lead the development, implementation and evaluation of extension and research programs in arthropod pest management to support sustainable irrigated farming systems. She will work with stakeholders, local industry and county extension agents to develop an applied research program and deliver research-based solutions.

Antwi earned a Ph.D. in entomology at Texas A&M University and previously worked as an assistant professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

The Landmaster commercial division, a member of the Landmaster family of brands, has introduced a new line of commercial utility vehicles called Industry Pro commercial utility vehicles. Industry Pro UTVs are designed to provide a turn-key solution for commercial, industrial and rental applications. The Industry Pro product line is built on a multi-year engineering, research, and in-field study of commercial dealer and distribution needs.

Commercial Grade, American Made

Jeff Bannister, President “Over the last 5 years, we have recognized a specific need for a purpose-built, commercial grade utility vehicle solution, across our North American and international customer base. The Industry Pro brand is designed to fulfill a substantial portion of what our commercial end-user customers have asked for”.

The Industry Pro brand includes the largest line up of 4×4 gas & lithium-powered utility vehicles in North America, designed, engineered, bent, welded and shipped out of our Indiana manufacturing facility.

The 4×4 vehicles include standard options which conform to the majority of key safety protocols, including 4-wheel disc brakes, 3-point seatbelt, ROPS certified roll over protective cages, front bumper, back up alarm, horn, strobe light, taillights, and 15 or 24 mph speed options. 

Industry Pro is made up of nine unique commercial utility vehicles, including 2 passenger, 4 passenger, Long bed, and sports field management options. Industry Pro partners with automotive level vendors including Vanguard motors, Timken motors and Shaeffer transmissions. “We have designed this vehicle line up to match the most demanding usage and environments and provide a proven one-stop solution to commercial equipment dealerships across the U.S.” states Dustin Noble, VP of Sales and Marketing.   

Vive Crop Protection Inc. continues to grow its U.S. sales team with the addition of three new regional sales managers: Nichole Drake, Pacific Northwest regional sales manager; Jay Holmdal, Eastern regional sales manager; and Dennis Philpot, Great Lakes regional sales manager.  

Drake previously worked as a Crop Vitality specialist at TKI. Now at Vive, she will be working in Oregon, Washington, Montana and northern Idaho.

Holmdal comes to Vive from Corteva Agriscience, where he worked as the Northeast regional sales manager for Alforex Seeds. Prior to that, he held various positions in the crop protection and row crop seed business at Dow AgroSciences. Holmdal will be covering Maine to North Carolina.

Philpot previously worked as a specialty products territory manager at The Andersons. In his new role at Vive, he will be working in Michigan, Ohio and northern Indiana.

A new national survey report has found that the vast majority of farmers who use cover crops don’t need incentive payments to continue with the practice because of how much they appreciate its value to their land and business.

According to the National Cover Crop Survey, incentives play a key role in getting some farmers started on cover crops—49% of the cover crop users participating in the survey reported receiving some sort of payment for cover crops in 2022, and 77.8% of cover crop non-users said incentive payments would be helpful. However, 90.3% of the farmers who were receiving cover crop incentives reported that they would definitely or probably continue planting cover crops after the payments ended, while only 3.3% said they definitely or probably would drop cover crops at the end of the incentive program.

In all, just 15.6% of cover crop users said receiving incentive payments was one of their goals for cover cropping.

These findings were among many conclusions drawn in a report, issued jointly by SARE, the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) and the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), based on insights from nearly 800 farmers in 49 states.

“Cover crop incentive payments are an important factor in encouraging and helping farmers to transition into cover cropping, but once they see the soil health improvements and other cover crop benefits, most stick with cover crop planting long after the incentives end,” says Dr. Rob Myers of SARE, lead researcher on the 2022-2023 National Cover Crop Survey Report. “Insights like these make the National Cover Crop Survey such a valuable tool in understanding the impacts of cover crops, the motivations of users and non-users, and needs for additional information and incentives.”

The full report, a summary of this and other key findings, and reports from prior surveys, are all available here.