1 00:00:00,733 --> 00:00:05,000 - [Narrator] Montana Ag Live is made possible by 2 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:07,766 The Montana Department of Agriculture. 3 00:00:07,766 --> 00:00:10,466 The MSU Extension Service. 4 00:00:10,466 --> 00:00:12,633 The MSU Ag Experiment Stations of the 5 00:00:12,633 --> 00:00:14,833 College of Agriculture. 6 00:00:14,833 --> 00:00:17,933 The Montana Wheat and Barley Committee. 7 00:00:17,933 --> 00:00:20,633 The Montana Bankers Association. 8 00:00:20,633 --> 00:00:23,366 Cashman Nursery and Landscaping. 9 00:00:23,366 --> 00:00:26,133 And the Gallatin Gardeners Club. 10 00:00:26,133 --> 00:00:30,300 (cow mooing) (country music) 11 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:34,766 ♪ If your herbicides and fungicides 12 00:00:34,766 --> 00:00:36,300 ♪ And pesticides are old 13 00:00:36,300 --> 00:00:38,100 ♪ The veggies you are growing 14 00:00:38,100 --> 00:00:40,066 ♪ In your garden start to mold 15 00:00:40,066 --> 00:00:41,700 ♪ If the ants are attacking 16 00:00:41,700 --> 00:00:43,600 ♪ And you're having a hard time 17 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:47,300 ♪ Call Montana Ag Live 18 00:00:47,300 --> 00:00:48,766 ♪ Knapweed in the ditch 19 00:00:48,766 --> 00:00:50,900 ♪ And the old bull's got an itch 20 00:00:50,900 --> 00:00:52,400 ♪ Ticks upon my sheep 21 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:54,166 ♪ And the wool is really cheap 22 00:00:54,166 --> 00:00:55,900 ♪ The gophers in the pasture 23 00:00:55,900 --> 00:00:58,466 ♪ Are even worse than last year 24 00:00:58,466 --> 00:01:02,266 ♪ Montana Ag Live where are you ♪ 25 00:01:02,266 --> 00:01:04,933 (country music) 26 00:01:11,366 --> 00:01:12,266 - Good evening. 27 00:01:12,266 --> 00:01:14,066 Welcome to Montana Ag Live 28 00:01:14,066 --> 00:01:17,766 originating tonight from the studios of KUSM 29 00:01:17,766 --> 00:01:20,366 on the campus of Montana State University. 30 00:01:20,366 --> 00:01:22,666 And before I go any farther along tonight 31 00:01:22,666 --> 00:01:26,433 I'd like to wish everybody out there a Happy Mother's Day 32 00:01:26,433 --> 00:01:28,166 especially all you mothers. 33 00:01:28,166 --> 00:01:31,533 I can't let that pass, or I'd be in big trouble. 34 00:01:31,533 --> 00:01:33,633 Okay, with that I'm going to go ahead 35 00:01:33,633 --> 00:01:35,566 and introduce the panel. 36 00:01:35,566 --> 00:01:36,900 You know the routine. 37 00:01:36,900 --> 00:01:39,400 If you have questions, pertinent to the panel this evening 38 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:41,733 please phone them in. 39 00:01:41,733 --> 00:01:43,933 The phone number will be on the screen and the more 40 00:01:43,933 --> 00:01:47,333 questions you ask, the better off we are in here. 41 00:01:47,333 --> 00:01:49,166 I'm going to start the introduction tonight 42 00:01:49,166 --> 00:01:50,133 with an old friend. 43 00:01:50,133 --> 00:01:52,566 On the far left, Hayden Ferguson. 44 00:01:52,566 --> 00:01:55,400 Hayden has moderated this program for years 45 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:57,500 lots of years, actually. 46 00:01:57,500 --> 00:02:00,800 And he is here tonight as a soil scientist. 47 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:03,533 So if you have fertilizer questions, soil questions, 48 00:02:03,533 --> 00:02:06,733 potting questions for your garden pots 49 00:02:06,733 --> 00:02:09,900 tonight would be a good night to ask those questions 50 00:02:09,900 --> 00:02:12,100 because Hayden can definitely answer. 51 00:02:12,100 --> 00:02:14,900 Our special guest tonight is Jeff Littlefield. 52 00:02:14,900 --> 00:02:17,933 Jeff is a biocontrol expert, and has one of the best 53 00:02:17,933 --> 00:02:22,000 biocontrol programs for weeds going in the United States. 54 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:24,533 So Jeff, we're happy to have you here. 55 00:02:24,533 --> 00:02:26,966 Barry Jacobsen would be sitting next to him. 56 00:02:26,966 --> 00:02:30,533 Barry is a plant pathologist, he's also associative dean 57 00:02:30,533 --> 00:02:32,066 at the College of Agriculture. 58 00:02:32,066 --> 00:02:35,633 But he's here as a plant pathologist this evening. 59 00:02:35,633 --> 00:02:37,200 Y'all recognize Laurie. 60 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:40,300 She always has a great smile on her face, Laurie Kerzicnik. 61 00:02:40,300 --> 00:02:42,366 Love you have you, she's our entomologist. 62 00:02:42,366 --> 00:02:44,866 And she'll be happy to answer any entomology 63 00:02:44,866 --> 00:02:47,133 or bug questions this evening. 64 00:02:47,133 --> 00:02:49,766 The phone operators, who will be taking your 65 00:02:49,766 --> 00:02:51,200 calls this evening. 66 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,933 From the left is Barbara Shaw. 67 00:02:53,933 --> 00:02:57,300 And in the middle is Judge Bruce Lobel back again 68 00:02:57,300 --> 00:03:01,333 as a phone operator, thanks for being here judge. 69 00:03:01,333 --> 00:03:02,800 And Sheryl Moregoff. 70 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:06,300 So with that, let's start off with asking Jeff 71 00:03:06,300 --> 00:03:08,733 to tell us a little bit about what you do 72 00:03:08,733 --> 00:03:10,266 in Montana State University. 73 00:03:10,266 --> 00:03:12,933 - Well Jack, I think I'm a Jack of all trades. 74 00:03:12,933 --> 00:03:14,100 (laughing) You know I do 75 00:03:14,100 --> 00:03:14,966 a little of everything. 76 00:03:14,966 --> 00:03:18,966 I the quarantine lab, I guess the payment laboratory 77 00:03:18,966 --> 00:03:20,200 for biocontrol. 78 00:03:21,266 --> 00:03:24,000 Very kind of a specialized containment lab 79 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:25,933 that's probably only maybe 80 00:03:25,933 --> 00:03:29,133 30 such labs in across the United States. 81 00:03:29,133 --> 00:03:32,966 And, we work primarily with biological control with weeds. 82 00:03:32,966 --> 00:03:36,366 But sometimes we do bring in plant pests 83 00:03:36,366 --> 00:03:38,600 to work on, as well. 84 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:42,733 So my function is to maintain the facility 85 00:03:42,733 --> 00:03:46,133 then for testing biocontrol agents we see 86 00:03:47,566 --> 00:03:51,400 what they feed on, how specific they are, 87 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:53,900 what sort of impact they have. 88 00:03:54,833 --> 00:03:57,000 Once we have a suitable agent we run them through 89 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:00,166 the regulatory process then we 90 00:04:00,166 --> 00:04:02,200 bring them in to quarantine, 91 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:06,233 bump up the numbers for field release, redistribute them 92 00:04:06,233 --> 00:04:07,633 across the state. 93 00:04:07,633 --> 00:04:11,066 Then do research to see how effective they are. 94 00:04:11,066 --> 00:04:14,533 So kind of a little of entomology, a little botany, 95 00:04:14,533 --> 00:04:17,500 a little bit of plant pathology at times. 96 00:04:17,500 --> 00:04:20,300 - And over the past 15, 20, 30 years 97 00:04:20,300 --> 00:04:22,600 that I've been around here, Hayden's been around here. 98 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:25,433 Barry you're a youngster, you might have been here 15. 99 00:04:25,433 --> 00:04:28,933 We've seen a big improvement in the amount 100 00:04:28,933 --> 00:04:32,033 of biocontrol agents that we have available 101 00:04:32,033 --> 00:04:34,233 to control weeds, is that correct? 102 00:04:34,233 --> 00:04:36,366 - Yes, I think that when I first got here 103 00:04:36,366 --> 00:04:41,266 leafy spurge and spotted knapweed were the big programs. 104 00:04:41,266 --> 00:04:43,866 There was kind of a lag time there where we 105 00:04:43,866 --> 00:04:46,166 started to bring in new insects. 106 00:04:46,166 --> 00:04:48,766 And now we're starting to put out agents for 107 00:04:48,766 --> 00:04:50,433 hawkweed, 108 00:04:50,433 --> 00:04:52,833 tote flags, Russian knapweed. 109 00:04:53,733 --> 00:04:57,000 Then we have agents in the pipeline. 110 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:58,833 (crosstalk) 111 00:04:58,833 --> 00:05:00,366 - I'd like to ask you a question. 112 00:05:00,366 --> 00:05:02,733 - Okay. - 100 or so years ago 113 00:05:02,733 --> 00:05:06,300 I interviewed at a place called Deep Creek. 114 00:05:06,300 --> 00:05:08,166 (laughs) - [Jeff] Yes. 115 00:05:08,166 --> 00:05:09,766 - In Maryland. 116 00:05:09,766 --> 00:05:13,333 Which was an army research center 117 00:05:13,333 --> 00:05:15,166 dealing with issues of 118 00:05:16,333 --> 00:05:17,933 using biocontrol of 119 00:05:20,333 --> 00:05:22,033 good plants 120 00:05:22,033 --> 00:05:23,200 to defeat some 121 00:05:24,433 --> 00:05:26,466 bad group of people. 122 00:05:26,466 --> 00:05:28,133 In theory. - Yep. 123 00:05:28,133 --> 00:05:29,966 - Do you interact with them? 124 00:05:29,966 --> 00:05:34,566 And has any of that kind of information transferred 125 00:05:34,566 --> 00:05:37,000 into the kind of things you do? 126 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:39,933 - Yes well they're not doing any germ warfare now. 127 00:05:39,933 --> 00:05:40,766 (laughing) 128 00:05:40,766 --> 00:05:43,966 But there is a specialized laboratory for plant pathology. 129 00:05:43,966 --> 00:05:46,600 And they have been working on a number of plant 130 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:48,400 pathogens for weed control. 131 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:51,233 And over the last couple years, they've actually 132 00:05:51,233 --> 00:05:54,466 partitioned several agents for release. 133 00:05:55,933 --> 00:05:58,833 They have one agent for yellowstar thistle. 134 00:05:58,833 --> 00:06:00,966 Common (mumbling). 135 00:06:00,966 --> 00:06:04,100 And Russian thistle. - [Jack] Okay. 136 00:06:04,100 --> 00:06:05,366 - So. 137 00:06:05,366 --> 00:06:07,333 - Appreciate the answer, thank you. 138 00:06:07,333 --> 00:06:10,633 Hayden, from Belt, this came in last week. 139 00:06:10,633 --> 00:06:14,100 Is it important to fertilize a lawn in the spring? 140 00:06:14,100 --> 00:06:16,833 I don't want to. (crosstalk) 141 00:06:16,833 --> 00:06:20,100 - Now that's a personal question because 142 00:06:20,100 --> 00:06:24,233 if I were to fertilize my lawn like two weeks ago 143 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:30,000 I couldn't keep my mowing machine sharp enough to do it. 144 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:34,033 So what I do is wait until things cool off 145 00:06:34,033 --> 00:06:36,866 in terms of rainfall and growth 146 00:06:36,866 --> 00:06:39,066 and then I fertilize. 147 00:06:39,066 --> 00:06:42,733 Now, is that, do I have a totally green lawn 148 00:06:44,300 --> 00:06:46,200 early in the spring? 149 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:47,566 No. (laughs) 150 00:06:47,566 --> 00:06:49,266 Do I care? (laughs) 151 00:06:49,266 --> 00:06:53,266 My mow machine works better. (laughing) 152 00:06:53,266 --> 00:06:54,600 - [Jack] That's a good point Hayden. 153 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:57,366 If you fertilize too early you could pasture 154 00:06:57,366 --> 00:06:59,500 with a lot of sheep and never keep up. 155 00:06:59,500 --> 00:07:02,300 (laughs) Okay, thank you. 156 00:07:02,300 --> 00:07:05,733 Barry, from Cows Bell, this person called in last week. 157 00:07:05,733 --> 00:07:08,500 It's a little out of your area of expertise but you 158 00:07:08,500 --> 00:07:10,066 could probably answer this. 159 00:07:10,066 --> 00:07:13,666 This person is concerned about the anticoagulant 160 00:07:13,666 --> 00:07:16,100 properties of yellow sweet clover. 161 00:07:16,100 --> 00:07:18,033 If it's used as a cover crop. 162 00:07:18,033 --> 00:07:20,600 Is this a real concern for a beef producer 163 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:22,700 if they pasture that cover crop? 164 00:07:22,700 --> 00:07:25,833 - Well they produce a compound called (mumbling). 165 00:07:25,833 --> 00:07:29,233 And when molds start to attack that hay 166 00:07:29,233 --> 00:07:33,000 it's only the moldy sweet clover hay that's a problem. 167 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:37,166 It forms an anticoagulant compound in there, (mumbling). 168 00:07:38,366 --> 00:07:42,000 And it's you'll only see it as a problem if you 169 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:45,000 feed it long-term more than seven to 10 days in a row. 170 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:46,566 And that's exclusive feed. 171 00:07:46,566 --> 00:07:49,166 So is the dose that makes the poison. 172 00:07:49,166 --> 00:07:50,933 - Exactly. - [Barry] And there are 173 00:07:50,933 --> 00:07:53,600 varieties of sweet clover that don't produce this 174 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:55,600 compound for very high levels. 175 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:57,300 One of them is polar. 176 00:07:57,300 --> 00:08:01,833 So I would say it's not going to be a serious problem. 177 00:08:01,833 --> 00:08:05,300 Avoid feeding moldy sweet clover in hay. 178 00:08:05,300 --> 00:08:06,733 - [Jack] Exactly. - That's all you have 179 00:08:06,733 --> 00:08:09,266 to worry about. - Thank you. 180 00:08:09,266 --> 00:08:11,533 - Laurie, from Bowsman. 181 00:08:11,533 --> 00:08:13,966 This came in again last week. 182 00:08:13,966 --> 00:08:16,800 This person has about a dozen ant hills, many of which 183 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:20,900 are burrowing their way into the irrigation ditch. 184 00:08:20,900 --> 00:08:21,966 On his property. 185 00:08:21,966 --> 00:08:25,766 Is there a non-toxic control measure for ants? 186 00:08:26,866 --> 00:08:28,733 - Well I mean I think a lot of people will turn 187 00:08:28,733 --> 00:08:30,933 to boric acid to treat ants. 188 00:08:30,933 --> 00:08:34,500 Or I think one of the least toxic methods you could use is 189 00:08:34,500 --> 00:08:36,266 (mumbling) Earth. 190 00:08:36,266 --> 00:08:39,766 And it's a dust formulation, it's very affordable. 191 00:08:39,766 --> 00:08:41,466 And especially if you know where the ant hills are 192 00:08:41,466 --> 00:08:43,566 that's usually the challenge with ants. 193 00:08:43,566 --> 00:08:45,566 You could put the (mumbling) Earth on 194 00:08:45,566 --> 00:08:47,666 and it will end up smothering the ants 195 00:08:47,666 --> 00:08:50,400 and won't be as toxic as some of the other methods 196 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:52,333 that are available. 197 00:08:52,333 --> 00:08:55,100 - One of our previous entomologists here 198 00:08:55,100 --> 00:08:57,400 recommended feeding them yeast. 199 00:08:57,400 --> 00:08:59,066 - [Laurie] Oh. - Because when the yeast 200 00:08:59,066 --> 00:09:01,200 expands, the ants blow up. 201 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:02,833 (laughs) Now I don't know 202 00:09:02,833 --> 00:09:03,866 if that's actually. - [Laurie] That sounds 203 00:09:03,866 --> 00:09:05,533 like a fun thing to test out. (laughing) 204 00:09:05,533 --> 00:09:07,133 - [Jack] Well I just thought I'd bring it up because 205 00:09:07,133 --> 00:09:09,366 that was mentioned years ago. 206 00:09:09,366 --> 00:09:11,533 Okay. - [Hayden] Sweet clover 207 00:09:11,533 --> 00:09:12,933 was used utilized 208 00:09:13,833 --> 00:09:17,533 as a big time hay crop that fed the dairy cows 209 00:09:17,533 --> 00:09:19,700 and that was their exclusive food. 210 00:09:19,700 --> 00:09:23,166 - [Barry] Yeah. They died right and left. 211 00:09:23,166 --> 00:09:25,000 - [Barry] Yeah - But it's not 212 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:26,166 an issue today. - [Barry] No. 213 00:09:26,166 --> 00:09:27,633 It's not an issue today. 214 00:09:27,633 --> 00:09:30,400 - [Jack] Okay, Jeff, from Bowsman. 215 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:33,966 This person is thinking of starting a milk weed garden 216 00:09:33,966 --> 00:09:35,333 for monarch butterflies. 217 00:09:35,333 --> 00:09:38,900 We all know that monarchs are kind of in a decline phase. 218 00:09:38,900 --> 00:09:41,900 Any suggestions for this individual? 219 00:09:43,166 --> 00:09:45,166 - Well maybe Laurie can help me out. 220 00:09:45,166 --> 00:09:48,233 First of all, I'm not sure if 221 00:09:48,233 --> 00:09:50,733 have you ever seen any monarchs in Bowsman? 222 00:09:50,733 --> 00:09:53,566 - I hardly ever get any butterfly samples. 223 00:09:53,566 --> 00:09:55,800 But I get questions about them. 224 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,600 So I'm not sure what their population is 225 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:02,833 and how much milk weed we have around the state. 226 00:10:02,833 --> 00:10:05,966 - [Jeff] There's quite a bit of milk weed 227 00:10:05,966 --> 00:10:07,800 over in the Billings area. 228 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:09,533 Probably a little bit around Bowsman 229 00:10:09,533 --> 00:10:11,200 probably not a whole lot. 230 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:13,866 For planting it, I would suggest 231 00:10:16,566 --> 00:10:20,400 planting native milk weed rather than more tropical things. 232 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:25,100 And providing some other plants for nectar sources. 233 00:10:25,100 --> 00:10:27,966 I really have some questions whether you will attract 234 00:10:27,966 --> 00:10:32,166 any monarch butterflies to the Bowsman area. 235 00:10:32,166 --> 00:10:35,066 I haven't seen any in and I'm not sure 236 00:10:35,066 --> 00:10:37,566 the last one I saw in Montana at all. 237 00:10:37,566 --> 00:10:40,166 - [Barry] We're not really in a major migration routes. 238 00:10:40,166 --> 00:10:42,700 - No, we're kind of at the edge of the 239 00:10:42,700 --> 00:10:46,300 probably what little there is for migration. 240 00:10:46,300 --> 00:10:48,300 So if you're interested in butterflies I would 241 00:10:48,300 --> 00:10:51,300 probably go with a more diverse planting. 242 00:10:51,300 --> 00:10:52,766 - [Barry] Yes. - Of flowers 243 00:10:52,766 --> 00:10:56,633 or even some other things to attract native bees. 244 00:10:56,633 --> 00:10:58,800 - [Jack] Okay, Barry. 245 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:00,700 This is an interesting question and I've read 246 00:11:00,700 --> 00:11:01,900 quite a little bit about this. 247 00:11:01,900 --> 00:11:03,600 It's from Great Falls. 248 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:07,600 And he's heard that planting intentions indicate that 249 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:11,233 we're going to have over 200,000 acres of chickpeas. 250 00:11:11,233 --> 00:11:13,266 Is that a concern to you? 251 00:11:13,266 --> 00:11:15,266 - Yeah, the two reasons. 252 00:11:18,366 --> 00:11:20,266 A lot of our field crops 253 00:11:20,266 --> 00:11:22,866 we really don't have any diseases 254 00:11:22,866 --> 00:11:25,100 that we absolutely have to use fungicides for. 255 00:11:25,100 --> 00:11:27,266 Sometimes we have to but 256 00:11:27,266 --> 00:11:30,100 in the case of chickpeas, especially the large seeded 257 00:11:30,100 --> 00:11:34,333 or (mumbling) types, there's a disease called Ascochyta. 258 00:11:34,333 --> 00:11:36,833 And one of the key controls for this 259 00:11:36,833 --> 00:11:38,366 is disease free seed. 260 00:11:38,366 --> 00:11:40,700 And there's no way in the world we had enough 261 00:11:40,700 --> 00:11:44,766 disease free seed to plant 200,00 acres. 262 00:11:44,766 --> 00:11:48,166 So we're going to plant some diseased stuff. 263 00:11:48,166 --> 00:11:49,800 And we have a lot of new growers 264 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:51,466 and they don't realize that you've got to get out 265 00:11:51,466 --> 00:11:52,866 and scout for this. 266 00:11:52,866 --> 00:11:55,733 And you have to use fungicides for control of this. 267 00:11:55,733 --> 00:11:59,733 Now the small seeded chickpeas or (mumbling) 268 00:11:59,733 --> 00:12:01,266 are less susceptible 269 00:12:01,266 --> 00:12:03,700 although it can still be a serious disease. 270 00:12:03,700 --> 00:12:06,366 And some of the newer varieties do have some resistance. 271 00:12:06,366 --> 00:12:09,700 But I foresee some real wrecks Jack. 272 00:12:09,700 --> 00:12:12,900 - I've seen those in the past. 273 00:12:12,900 --> 00:12:14,500 So, you nailed it. 274 00:12:14,500 --> 00:12:18,533 You need to really watch that crop day in and day out. 275 00:12:18,533 --> 00:12:20,833 And watch the fungicides, a lot of the fungicides 276 00:12:20,833 --> 00:12:23,433 we used to use are now. 277 00:12:23,433 --> 00:12:27,400 - [Barry] Well any of the Headline of that quadrants 278 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:28,800 they don't work anymore. 279 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:31,533 Right now I talked to Mary Burrows 280 00:12:31,533 --> 00:12:35,666 Headline is not effective, but Preaxor is still effective. 281 00:12:35,666 --> 00:12:39,233 Which has got Headline's component Bravo. 282 00:12:39,233 --> 00:12:41,933 But this is a difficult disease to control. 283 00:12:41,933 --> 00:12:45,033 So if you start seeing little tan spots on the leaves 284 00:12:45,033 --> 00:12:47,133 and you're serious about what you've got invested 285 00:12:47,133 --> 00:12:50,400 and you've got a high seed cost. 286 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:51,666 - [Jack] Yo do. - You really need 287 00:12:51,666 --> 00:12:53,500 to think about a fungicide program. 288 00:12:53,500 --> 00:12:55,733 - Potential for high profitability. 289 00:12:55,733 --> 00:12:59,766 But it's a management issue with (mumbling) 290 00:12:59,766 --> 00:13:01,100 - [Barry] Clearly. 291 00:13:01,100 --> 00:13:03,733 - I assume my knowledge about 292 00:13:03,733 --> 00:13:05,600 growing those things 293 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:07,266 is infinitely small. 294 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:11,966 Are they related to legumes? 295 00:13:11,966 --> 00:13:13,700 - [Barry] Yes. - They are a legume? 296 00:13:13,700 --> 00:13:14,833 - [Barry] Yeah. 297 00:13:14,833 --> 00:13:19,033 - The legume for run of the galloot is valley peas. 298 00:13:19,033 --> 00:13:21,633 - [Barry] Yeah. - With diseases. 299 00:13:21,633 --> 00:13:24,233 - [Barry] Yeah. - Does that disease transfer 300 00:13:24,233 --> 00:13:27,066 to other? - Not to the chickpeas. 301 00:13:27,066 --> 00:13:29,800 But we've gone in this state from 302 00:13:31,266 --> 00:13:33,066 probably Jack when you retired we had maybe 303 00:13:33,066 --> 00:13:36,166 70,000 acres of peas, something like that? 304 00:13:36,166 --> 00:13:40,166 Last year we were over 600, 700,000 acres. 305 00:13:40,166 --> 00:13:42,800 With any of these pulse crops, peas, lentils, 306 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:46,866 chickpeas, beans, if you don't practice long rotations 307 00:13:46,866 --> 00:13:49,633 three or four years, the root diseases are gonna 308 00:13:49,633 --> 00:13:51,233 drive you out of business. 309 00:13:51,233 --> 00:13:52,633 That's just the fact of life. 310 00:13:52,633 --> 00:13:54,033 - [Jack] You're absolutely right. 311 00:13:54,033 --> 00:13:57,500 Jeff, from Innsdale, for biological control 312 00:13:57,500 --> 00:14:01,633 of orange hawkweed, what type of habitat is needed? 313 00:14:01,633 --> 00:14:04,400 And what are the best practices to benefit 314 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:06,600 those biological controls? 315 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:09,600 - We've been putting out a gall wire 316 00:14:10,633 --> 00:14:12,833 for orange hawkweed. 317 00:14:12,833 --> 00:14:15,666 And unfortunately we haven't established it 318 00:14:15,666 --> 00:14:17,200 on orange hawkweed. 319 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:19,466 Even though it's a laboratory host it doesn't seem 320 00:14:19,466 --> 00:14:21,500 to be a good field host. 321 00:14:21,500 --> 00:14:24,966 Up in Canada they have the same agent 322 00:14:24,966 --> 00:14:26,966 established on a closely 323 00:14:28,033 --> 00:14:31,366 related species whiplash hawkweed 324 00:14:31,366 --> 00:14:34,866 it seems to be a little better host. 325 00:14:34,866 --> 00:14:36,666 They have recovered it on orange hawkweed 326 00:14:36,666 --> 00:14:38,300 but at very low levels. 327 00:14:38,300 --> 00:14:39,533 So I'm not sure 328 00:14:41,633 --> 00:14:43,600 right now it doesn't look too promising. 329 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:44,566 - [Jack] Okay. - However we do 330 00:14:44,566 --> 00:14:47,033 have a new agent that we hope to release 331 00:14:47,033 --> 00:14:49,866 probably next year, or the following year 332 00:14:49,866 --> 00:14:52,800 that attacks a variety of invasive hawkweeds. 333 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:54,466 - Appreciate it. 334 00:14:54,466 --> 00:14:56,533 Laurie, from Billings. 335 00:14:56,533 --> 00:14:58,933 They have some young plains cottonwoods 336 00:14:58,933 --> 00:15:01,300 with thousands of tiny black bugs 337 00:15:01,300 --> 00:15:03,466 about the size of ants. 338 00:15:03,466 --> 00:15:06,800 What do you think they are, and are they hurting the trees? 339 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:08,700 - And you can guess at that one. 340 00:15:08,700 --> 00:15:10,266 - Yeah, those are probably aphids. 341 00:15:10,266 --> 00:15:12,500 They could either be aphids without wings 342 00:15:12,500 --> 00:15:13,833 or aphids with wings. 343 00:15:13,833 --> 00:15:15,466 And that would probably be the most likely thing 344 00:15:15,466 --> 00:15:17,266 that would be on the trees right now. 345 00:15:17,266 --> 00:15:21,033 And most aphids are controlled by natural enemies. 346 00:15:21,033 --> 00:15:23,000 And especially with all these rains coming in 347 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:25,100 I think that we could maybe it will take 348 00:15:25,100 --> 00:15:26,533 care of a lot of the aphid populations 349 00:15:26,533 --> 00:15:28,000 we've just seen them recently. 350 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:30,700 I try to steer people away from doing a lot of 351 00:15:30,700 --> 00:15:32,200 treatments for aphids because if you 352 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:33,366 take care of the natural enemies 353 00:15:33,366 --> 00:15:36,300 you might just have a secondary pest infestation. 354 00:15:36,300 --> 00:15:37,800 - All right, thank you. 355 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:40,633 Hayden, this person from Havern wants to know 356 00:15:40,633 --> 00:15:45,366 what causes dark green spots in their winter wheat fields? 357 00:15:45,366 --> 00:15:48,700 - Well if you drive around this part of the world 358 00:15:48,700 --> 00:15:51,066 especially in northern Idaho 359 00:15:52,233 --> 00:15:55,433 you look at a winter wheat field and there will be 360 00:15:55,433 --> 00:15:58,600 a whole series of spots about this big 361 00:16:01,066 --> 00:16:03,933 out in that field that are dark green. 362 00:16:03,933 --> 00:16:06,300 Now what you know about that 363 00:16:06,300 --> 00:16:08,300 is the cows stop there. 364 00:16:08,300 --> 00:16:10,800 (laughing) 365 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:12,500 - I would have guessed that Hayden. 366 00:16:12,500 --> 00:16:13,766 (laughing) 367 00:16:13,766 --> 00:16:17,200 - And you don't need the soil to disc 368 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:20,633 if you have that kind of thing on your farm. 369 00:16:20,633 --> 00:16:23,933 You need some nitrogen management. 370 00:16:23,933 --> 00:16:25,633 - [Jack] Exactly. 371 00:16:25,633 --> 00:16:27,366 From Bowsman. 372 00:16:27,366 --> 00:16:30,133 Interesting, if you live around Bowsman 373 00:16:30,133 --> 00:16:34,600 you know we are inundated with plenty of dandelions. 374 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:36,300 And this person would like to know 375 00:16:36,300 --> 00:16:39,666 is there any biocontrol for dandelions? 376 00:16:39,666 --> 00:16:41,233 - As a matter of fact there is. 377 00:16:41,233 --> 00:16:42,966 - Oh, I didn't know that. 378 00:16:42,966 --> 00:16:44,700 - There's a very good 379 00:16:46,266 --> 00:16:48,633 I think it's called Setorra or something like that. 380 00:16:48,633 --> 00:16:51,766 It's a (mumbling) minor 381 00:16:51,766 --> 00:16:54,100 which will not produce Sclerotia. 382 00:16:54,100 --> 00:16:57,300 But they put it on and the Sclerotinia attacks 383 00:16:57,300 --> 00:16:59,333 dandelions and any broad leaf. 384 00:16:59,333 --> 00:17:00,533 And it works very very well 385 00:17:00,533 --> 00:17:03,666 in over winter, go to any of our crops. 386 00:17:03,666 --> 00:17:06,433 And that's a very very nice biological control 387 00:17:06,433 --> 00:17:08,766 Disease-wise there might be an insect or two. 388 00:17:08,766 --> 00:17:10,900 - There's no insects from here. 389 00:17:10,900 --> 00:17:12,533 Is that a commercial product? 390 00:17:12,533 --> 00:17:14,500 - Yes, yes. - [Laurie] Deer are too. 391 00:17:14,500 --> 00:17:16,666 I've watched all the deer eat all the heads 392 00:17:16,666 --> 00:17:17,900 off my dandelions. 393 00:17:17,900 --> 00:17:19,900 Why do I even have to treat them? 394 00:17:19,900 --> 00:17:20,766 (laughing) 395 00:17:20,766 --> 00:17:22,233 - They do other things Laurie. 396 00:17:22,233 --> 00:17:23,433 - Yeah. (laughing) 397 00:17:23,433 --> 00:17:24,600 - This I think 398 00:17:26,266 --> 00:17:28,533 it's white mold control for dandelions. 399 00:17:28,533 --> 00:17:30,066 I'm sure if somebody Googles it 400 00:17:30,066 --> 00:17:31,733 they can find the name of that product. 401 00:17:31,733 --> 00:17:34,866 It's a Canadian product, but it does work very well. 402 00:17:34,866 --> 00:17:37,733 - I bet it's a little pricier than your standard. 403 00:17:37,733 --> 00:17:39,800 - [Barry] It's more expensive than 240, yes. 404 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:41,100 - Yeah, okay. 405 00:17:41,100 --> 00:17:45,133 Jeff, what's that dead plant you've got there? 406 00:17:45,133 --> 00:17:48,133 - Well I told you I was a jack of all trades. 407 00:17:48,133 --> 00:17:50,700 And currently I'm a bug sucker. 408 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:55,333 So what I have here is Russian knapweed. 409 00:17:57,300 --> 00:18:00,866 And what you see here are what the biocontrol 410 00:18:00,866 --> 00:18:04,900 agents that we're releasing and moving around the state. 411 00:18:04,900 --> 00:18:07,200 And this is a Cynipid wasp. 412 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:11,800 A Cynipid wasp people are really concerned 413 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:13,066 do they sting. - [Jack] Yeah. 414 00:18:13,066 --> 00:18:14,100 - [Jeff] And they don't. 415 00:18:14,100 --> 00:18:16,200 What they do is they lay their eggs in the plant 416 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:18,500 the larvae hatch out and cause these skulls 417 00:18:18,500 --> 00:18:21,133 that you see here on the plant. 418 00:18:21,133 --> 00:18:23,700 And I get my coordination here. 419 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:30,000 And they kind of stunt the plant a little bit. 420 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:33,533 And what we're hoping to see that some long-term 421 00:18:33,533 --> 00:18:35,200 impacts with reduced 422 00:18:37,633 --> 00:18:39,100 plant density and 423 00:18:40,633 --> 00:18:42,066 reduced flowering. 424 00:18:42,066 --> 00:18:44,500 In some of our sites we've had this out for 425 00:18:44,500 --> 00:18:46,400 about nine years now. 426 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:49,266 And not even nine years and maybe we're just 427 00:18:49,266 --> 00:18:53,300 starting to see some impact on some of our populations. 428 00:18:53,300 --> 00:18:55,633 You can kind of see here the plant 429 00:18:55,633 --> 00:18:58,200 kind of compensates a little bit. 430 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:00,500 So even putting these out about 431 00:19:00,500 --> 00:19:02,166 about 10 to 20 sites 432 00:19:03,633 --> 00:19:05,666 now across the state. 433 00:19:05,666 --> 00:19:08,500 - [Hayden] Are those bugs elective in the type 434 00:19:08,500 --> 00:19:10,700 of weed that they eat? 435 00:19:10,700 --> 00:19:13,433 - [Jeff] These are very specific to Russian knapweed. 436 00:19:13,433 --> 00:19:16,366 - They don't, how about the others? 437 00:19:17,266 --> 00:19:19,800 - [Jeff] Even though it's called knapweed 438 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:22,066 it's a lot different than spotted knapweed 439 00:19:22,066 --> 00:19:23,766 or diffused knapweed. 440 00:19:23,766 --> 00:19:27,433 And completely different set of insects that 441 00:19:28,333 --> 00:19:29,566 that attack it. 442 00:19:29,566 --> 00:19:31,900 So Russian knapweed, Asian small tag. 443 00:19:31,900 --> 00:19:34,366 Spotted knapweed, spotted knapweed agents won't attack 444 00:19:34,366 --> 00:19:36,700 a Russian knapweed. 445 00:19:36,700 --> 00:19:39,666 This is one agent that we're putting out. 446 00:19:39,666 --> 00:19:41,500 The other one is a small (mumbling) 447 00:19:41,500 --> 00:19:43,500 that attacks the tips of the plant. 448 00:19:43,500 --> 00:19:44,966 And that has multiple generations. 449 00:19:44,966 --> 00:19:46,500 - [Barry] I think Jeff, Hayden just brought up 450 00:19:46,500 --> 00:19:49,533 something that you spent a lot of your time on 451 00:19:49,533 --> 00:19:52,100 as we import some of these biological control agents 452 00:19:52,100 --> 00:19:54,100 from overseas, you have to make sure they don't 453 00:19:54,100 --> 00:19:55,500 attack our crops. 454 00:19:56,366 --> 00:19:58,366 - Yes, it depends on. 455 00:19:58,366 --> 00:20:00,566 - A lot off the work that Jeff does. 456 00:20:00,566 --> 00:20:02,300 - And some of that work is done overseas 457 00:20:02,300 --> 00:20:03,800 by a co-operators. 458 00:20:04,700 --> 00:20:06,700 - [Jack] On that note we had a questions come in 459 00:20:06,700 --> 00:20:07,866 from out in Gateway. 460 00:20:07,866 --> 00:20:10,933 And they have a small patch of leafy spurge. 461 00:20:10,933 --> 00:20:12,666 Would it be better to spray it? 462 00:20:12,666 --> 00:20:16,366 Or would it be better to use a biocontrol agent? 463 00:20:16,366 --> 00:20:18,300 - One thing I found over the years 464 00:20:18,300 --> 00:20:22,133 what people consider a small batch is quite variable. 465 00:20:22,133 --> 00:20:24,766 Sometimes a small batch 466 00:20:24,766 --> 00:20:26,533 is just a few plants. 467 00:20:27,833 --> 00:20:29,800 Sometimes it's much bigger infestation. 468 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:32,633 If it's a really small infestation 469 00:20:33,700 --> 00:20:36,333 my suggestion would be to probably just spray it 470 00:20:36,333 --> 00:20:39,866 if you don't have anything else in the area. 471 00:20:39,866 --> 00:20:41,866 The small infestations, the roots haven't 472 00:20:41,866 --> 00:20:44,100 been established very well, in leafy spurge 473 00:20:44,100 --> 00:20:46,000 they go down quite deep 474 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:47,766 and quite extensive root system. 475 00:20:47,766 --> 00:20:50,100 So if you can get that early before the roots 476 00:20:50,100 --> 00:20:52,233 really become established 477 00:20:53,266 --> 00:20:56,366 that is probably the better than biocontrol. 478 00:20:56,366 --> 00:20:58,166 - Who is the best person for someone to contact? 479 00:20:58,166 --> 00:21:00,033 I get a lot of calls from extension agents 480 00:21:00,033 --> 00:21:01,733 in the community, they want to 481 00:21:01,733 --> 00:21:03,866 release the agents or want to know who to contact. 482 00:21:03,866 --> 00:21:07,366 Is there a lot of them, or some of your agents 483 00:21:07,366 --> 00:21:09,166 available though the state 484 00:21:09,166 --> 00:21:10,766 that they could, I mean. 485 00:21:10,766 --> 00:21:14,266 - There's a variety of sources for agents. 486 00:21:15,500 --> 00:21:18,233 You can buy some of them commercially. 487 00:21:18,233 --> 00:21:20,666 Some of the newer ones, I'm always looking 488 00:21:20,666 --> 00:21:22,266 for research sites. 489 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:27,100 Over in Missoula County Melissa Mageo Cassner 490 00:21:27,100 --> 00:21:29,900 is the biocontrol coordinator. 491 00:21:29,900 --> 00:21:33,233 Every winter she puts out a request list 492 00:21:34,533 --> 00:21:38,066 for mostly state and county people. 493 00:21:38,066 --> 00:21:40,066 - Okay. - Wheat suppliers 494 00:21:40,966 --> 00:21:43,500 requesting that might have a request for 495 00:21:43,500 --> 00:21:44,833 biocontrol agents. - [Laurie] Oh great. 496 00:21:44,833 --> 00:21:49,766 - There's also school groups that produce biocontrol agents. 497 00:21:49,766 --> 00:21:51,533 And will give them out. 498 00:21:51,533 --> 00:21:52,833 - [Laurie] Okay. 499 00:21:52,833 --> 00:21:55,533 - [Jack] Barry, on a related topic from Three Forks. 500 00:21:55,533 --> 00:21:58,066 I kind of have to agree with this question. 501 00:21:58,066 --> 00:22:00,633 They have seen a lot of advertisement 502 00:22:00,633 --> 00:22:03,700 and a lot of information crossing 503 00:22:03,700 --> 00:22:06,800 their magazines, Ag magazines talking about 504 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:08,800 biostimulants. 505 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:10,966 Are these bathtub brews, or are they actually 506 00:22:10,966 --> 00:22:12,666 some good biostimulants out there? 507 00:22:12,666 --> 00:22:14,200 What is a biostimulant? 508 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:18,100 - Well, there are bacterias that colonize roots 509 00:22:19,866 --> 00:22:22,900 and sometimes they get insides of plants 510 00:22:22,900 --> 00:22:25,200 that produce some of the plant hormones 511 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:27,266 that cause things to grow faster. 512 00:22:27,266 --> 00:22:29,500 More importantly they're probably very very important 513 00:22:29,500 --> 00:22:33,700 (mumbling) both phosphorous and potassium. 514 00:22:35,100 --> 00:22:37,700 So there are legitimate things, I would have said 515 00:22:37,700 --> 00:22:40,266 20 years ago we had a lot of things 516 00:22:40,266 --> 00:22:43,266 that were probably witches brews of some sort. 517 00:22:43,266 --> 00:22:46,600 Today we've really got some actual products out there 518 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:49,200 that work as advertised. 519 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:53,466 They can be applied as seed treatments, most of them. 520 00:22:53,466 --> 00:22:55,033 You got to remember with anything when you're 521 00:22:55,033 --> 00:22:56,533 dealing with biocontrol, you're dealing with 522 00:22:56,533 --> 00:22:57,866 living things. - [Jack] Right. 523 00:22:57,866 --> 00:23:00,233 - So you've got to take care of your (mumbling). 524 00:23:00,233 --> 00:23:02,333 It's just like the (mumbling) we put on 525 00:23:02,333 --> 00:23:04,066 (mumbling) for example. 526 00:23:04,066 --> 00:23:06,766 If it's dead it's not gonna fix nitrogen. 527 00:23:06,766 --> 00:23:09,100 - [Jack] Most of what I've read about the biostimulants 528 00:23:09,100 --> 00:23:11,866 in the magazines and so forth 529 00:23:11,866 --> 00:23:15,000 are geared towards row crops more than 530 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:17,900 wheat or pulse crops, is that true? 531 00:23:17,900 --> 00:23:19,466 - No, no. - [Jack] Okay. 532 00:23:19,466 --> 00:23:21,533 - We've actually gotten some pretty good materials 533 00:23:21,533 --> 00:23:23,266 coming down the road. 534 00:23:24,266 --> 00:23:26,566 This is one of the reasons we actually 535 00:23:26,566 --> 00:23:29,100 at the Central Agricultural Research Station 536 00:23:29,100 --> 00:23:31,600 Judd Eberly is a new scientist. 537 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:34,000 And he's applied so much (mumbling) 538 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:36,266 It's his job to actually find out how these 539 00:23:36,266 --> 00:23:38,833 things will work in Montana. 540 00:23:38,833 --> 00:23:41,766 On what crops, and how to use them the best way. 541 00:23:41,766 --> 00:23:44,400 Do they actually help in water uptake. 542 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:47,500 Phosphorous solubization, potassium, 543 00:23:47,500 --> 00:23:48,733 plant hormones. 544 00:23:49,900 --> 00:23:52,166 So that's gonna be his area of study. 545 00:23:52,166 --> 00:23:53,100 - [Jack] Good. 546 00:23:53,100 --> 00:23:54,833 Laurie, from Bowsman. 547 00:23:56,933 --> 00:23:59,266 This person's neighbors 548 00:23:59,266 --> 00:24:03,900 cottonwood tree is dropping tons of sticky leaf buds. 549 00:24:03,900 --> 00:24:05,866 The dogs get them stuck in their fur 550 00:24:05,866 --> 00:24:07,400 and bring them inside. 551 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:09,800 The cat licks them off her fur. 552 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:11,266 Are they toxic? 553 00:24:11,266 --> 00:24:13,366 Or what do you think that might be? 554 00:24:13,366 --> 00:24:15,433 - I think that might be another aphid issue. 555 00:24:15,433 --> 00:24:17,900 So if it's if you got some aphids 556 00:24:17,900 --> 00:24:19,566 aphids release honeydew, and that's the sticky stuff 557 00:24:19,566 --> 00:24:21,700 that's coming off the leaves. 558 00:24:21,700 --> 00:24:23,000 So, it's not toxic. 559 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:25,100 It is a little bit of a nuisance and sometimes 560 00:24:25,100 --> 00:24:26,700 can attract sitting molds. 561 00:24:26,700 --> 00:24:28,066 - [Jack] That's true. - And it's sometimes 562 00:24:28,066 --> 00:24:30,033 on sidewalks it can turn black 563 00:24:30,033 --> 00:24:31,366 and from the sitting mold. 564 00:24:31,366 --> 00:24:33,200 - [Jack] You don't want to park your car under those trees. 565 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:34,733 - No (laughs) no. 566 00:24:34,733 --> 00:24:37,966 - Hayden, why is phosphorous deficiency 567 00:24:38,933 --> 00:24:41,500 more of an issue in eastern Montana? 568 00:24:41,500 --> 00:24:45,333 And this question actually came in from Mile City. 569 00:24:45,333 --> 00:24:48,900 - Well for one thing, phosphorous is generally 570 00:24:48,900 --> 00:24:52,500 tied up to a very high degree with calcium. 571 00:24:53,866 --> 00:24:57,566 And the eastern Montana soils are loaded 572 00:24:57,566 --> 00:24:58,666 with calcium. 573 00:25:00,533 --> 00:25:03,533 So it's a very slow release process. 574 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:08,133 Now if you analyzed some of that soil 575 00:25:08,133 --> 00:25:11,233 and really analyzed it completely you'd find 576 00:25:11,233 --> 00:25:15,400 enough phosphorous to fertilize half of the Gallatin Valley. 577 00:25:17,100 --> 00:25:19,866 But it ain't available to plants. 578 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:21,833 So the 579 00:25:25,333 --> 00:25:28,000 calcium issue in eastern Montana 580 00:25:28,900 --> 00:25:33,000 is a bigger factor in phosphorous availability 581 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:36,800 than the actual amount of phosphorous that's there. 582 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:40,133 - This is ties back into the biostimulant. 583 00:25:40,133 --> 00:25:43,300 If you can get some good root colonizing bacteria 584 00:25:43,300 --> 00:25:45,733 that actually start to disassociate 585 00:25:45,733 --> 00:25:47,366 the calcium and phosphorus 586 00:25:47,366 --> 00:25:49,300 makes it available to the plant. 587 00:25:49,300 --> 00:25:52,866 And this is a huge area of research 588 00:25:52,866 --> 00:25:55,966 with tremendous economic implications. 589 00:25:55,966 --> 00:25:56,933 - Yeah yeah. 590 00:25:56,933 --> 00:25:58,633 I didn't know it was going on 591 00:25:58,633 --> 00:26:03,100 but it makes total sense if you could make it work 592 00:26:03,100 --> 00:26:06,000 in any place that is dominated with 593 00:26:07,633 --> 00:26:10,866 the kind of rock that's east of Bowsman 594 00:26:13,500 --> 00:26:15,800 is gonna be short of phosphorous. 595 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:17,233 - [Barry] Yeah. - You know Hayden 596 00:26:17,233 --> 00:26:19,366 I've always been told that phosphorous 597 00:26:19,366 --> 00:26:22,000 to be available to a plant has to be 598 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:24,233 incorporated in the soil. 599 00:26:24,233 --> 00:26:26,333 And a lot of people put 600 00:26:26,333 --> 00:26:29,066 nitrogen phosphorous from potassium on their lawn 601 00:26:29,066 --> 00:26:31,533 and they just sprinkle it over the top. 602 00:26:31,533 --> 00:26:34,166 Is that phosphorous ever available to? 603 00:26:34,166 --> 00:26:35,500 - [Hayden] Oh yeah some of it is. 604 00:26:35,500 --> 00:26:37,566 Let me tell you a story about. 605 00:26:37,566 --> 00:26:39,033 - Uh oh I shouldn't have asked. 606 00:26:39,033 --> 00:26:40,033 (laughing) 607 00:26:40,033 --> 00:26:42,966 - A long time ago my dad decided 608 00:26:42,966 --> 00:26:45,900 he would plant a lot of potatoes. 609 00:26:45,900 --> 00:26:47,966 Along came a county agent 610 00:26:50,366 --> 00:26:53,866 who was an icon in this part of the world. 611 00:26:55,133 --> 00:26:58,133 And my brother and I were walking along 612 00:26:58,133 --> 00:27:02,600 throwing a spoonful of treble super phosphate 613 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:04,266 on each seed potato. 614 00:27:06,833 --> 00:27:10,033 And the county agent said, "I think that's gonna 615 00:27:10,033 --> 00:27:11,466 "burn the potato. 616 00:27:14,300 --> 00:27:18,466 "So plant it a couple of three inches away from that seed." 617 00:27:20,700 --> 00:27:24,600 Okay, we harvested those things next fall 618 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:28,666 where we put the phosphorous on the seed 619 00:27:28,666 --> 00:27:31,066 the potatoes were this big. 620 00:27:31,066 --> 00:27:35,033 Where we put it several inches from the seed 621 00:27:35,033 --> 00:27:37,500 you could stuff it in that cup. 622 00:27:37,500 --> 00:27:41,100 Phosphorous does not move readily in soils. 623 00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:45,133 The roots have to go get it. 624 00:27:46,933 --> 00:27:48,766 - Good story Hayden. (laughs) 625 00:27:48,766 --> 00:27:50,933 And I have heard this before. 626 00:27:50,933 --> 00:27:53,366 Jeff, from (mumbling), what establishes 627 00:27:53,366 --> 00:27:55,833 a biological control for one of my 628 00:27:55,833 --> 00:28:00,000 all-time least favorite weeds, houndstongue? 629 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:01,200 - Houndstongue. 630 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:04,900 Hmmm, that is a sticky (laughs) 631 00:28:04,900 --> 00:28:07,033 question biocontrol-wise. 632 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:13,000 There's one agent that attacks the 633 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:14,333 developing seeds 634 00:28:17,300 --> 00:28:20,300 that will probably be petitioned for a field release 635 00:28:20,300 --> 00:28:21,666 in another year. 636 00:28:21,666 --> 00:28:24,733 That's very host specific agent. 637 00:28:24,733 --> 00:28:27,266 The other agent is an agent that had been approved 638 00:28:27,266 --> 00:28:30,200 up in Canada, but not approved down in the U.S. 639 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:33,533 because of a possible non-target impacts 640 00:28:34,533 --> 00:28:38,633 on other native (mumbling). 641 00:28:38,633 --> 00:28:42,500 However, that agent has moved over the border. 642 00:28:43,366 --> 00:28:45,133 And established in Montana. 643 00:28:45,133 --> 00:28:46,966 So the question now is 644 00:28:49,766 --> 00:28:51,600 whether or not to move it around the state 645 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:53,466 and which we're not recommending 646 00:28:53,466 --> 00:28:56,766 until we get some additional information 647 00:28:56,766 --> 00:28:58,866 about what sort of impact it might have 648 00:28:58,866 --> 00:29:00,500 or it might not have 649 00:29:00,500 --> 00:29:01,900 on native plants. 650 00:29:01,900 --> 00:29:05,200 Right now it looks like they have very little impact. 651 00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:08,933 And that we can petition for release. 652 00:29:08,933 --> 00:29:12,533 So technically you cannot move that agent 653 00:29:12,533 --> 00:29:14,300 across state lines 654 00:29:14,300 --> 00:29:16,300 without being penalized. 655 00:29:17,266 --> 00:29:20,966 We're not recommending that be moved within state. 656 00:29:20,966 --> 00:29:23,266 Up in Canada it is a good agent. 657 00:29:23,266 --> 00:29:24,200 - [Jack] Barry. 658 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:28,600 - Now when (mumbling) was in my lab 659 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:31,600 and I had a lab did a lot of biological control work. 660 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:34,700 She had a bacterium (mumbling) 661 00:29:34,700 --> 00:29:37,033 common leaf occurring thing. 662 00:29:38,100 --> 00:29:39,933 And it worked quite well on houndstongue 663 00:29:39,933 --> 00:29:41,600 that were out in the full sun. 664 00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:43,666 If they were in partial sun 665 00:29:43,666 --> 00:29:45,000 it didn't work so well. 666 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:47,966 And there are a lot of, it had worked well 667 00:29:47,966 --> 00:29:49,866 enough people said you should commercialize that. 668 00:29:49,866 --> 00:29:53,033 Well you had something for one single plant 669 00:29:53,033 --> 00:29:55,700 and it's to get through all the EPA labeling 670 00:29:55,700 --> 00:29:57,333 and everything like that 671 00:29:57,333 --> 00:30:00,866 is just too much for just that single use. 672 00:30:00,866 --> 00:30:03,433 But there are some other biological controls 673 00:30:03,433 --> 00:30:05,466 I've seen houndstongue dying from 674 00:30:05,466 --> 00:30:07,966 what I think is a (mumbling) wilt. 675 00:30:07,966 --> 00:30:10,533 So they are attacked by other things. 676 00:30:10,533 --> 00:30:12,966 - [Jack] A day where I run around with the dogs 677 00:30:12,966 --> 00:30:15,433 most of the houndstongue is pretty active. 678 00:30:15,433 --> 00:30:16,833 - [Barry] Well Jack, that's why I've got 679 00:30:16,833 --> 00:30:19,866 the German shorthairs. (laughing) 680 00:30:19,866 --> 00:30:22,033 - [Jack] Yeah the goldens do have an issue 681 00:30:22,033 --> 00:30:24,300 with weeds, I agree with you there. 682 00:30:24,300 --> 00:30:26,133 Laurie, from Missoula. 683 00:30:27,233 --> 00:30:31,300 This person has brown beetles and grubs in their garden. 684 00:30:31,300 --> 00:30:33,733 Will they hurt the vegetables? 685 00:30:33,733 --> 00:30:35,566 - At this time of year that maybe there is 686 00:30:35,566 --> 00:30:36,866 May June beetles. 687 00:30:36,866 --> 00:30:41,266 And they're more of a issue with turf grass. 688 00:30:41,266 --> 00:30:43,533 And I actually would check your turf grass 689 00:30:43,533 --> 00:30:46,266 and in the turf grass they're called white grubs. 690 00:30:46,266 --> 00:30:48,366 And they spend most of their time under the soil. 691 00:30:48,366 --> 00:30:50,766 They can potentially cause some damage 692 00:30:50,766 --> 00:30:51,833 in your garden. 693 00:30:51,833 --> 00:30:56,033 But it's they're more of a nuisance in the turf grass 694 00:30:56,033 --> 00:30:58,100 and then more of a nuisance they come to your porch lights 695 00:30:58,100 --> 00:31:00,666 kind of in a couple weeks here. 696 00:31:00,666 --> 00:31:02,233 So not much of a problem. 697 00:31:02,233 --> 00:31:05,566 - I actually rototilled a patch of garden last week 698 00:31:05,566 --> 00:31:08,433 and I saw some cut worms in the garden. 699 00:31:08,433 --> 00:31:09,466 - [Laurie] Oh really. 700 00:31:09,466 --> 00:31:13,366 - So that could be what those grubs look like. 701 00:31:13,366 --> 00:31:16,066 Probably the army cut worms, I would assume? 702 00:31:16,066 --> 00:31:18,200 - Yeah the grubs for the May June beetles 703 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:20,000 are white and they're C-shaped. 704 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:23,133 But there are the army cut worms are 705 00:31:23,133 --> 00:31:24,900 have a little bit of striping 706 00:31:24,900 --> 00:31:26,633 and a little bit different. 707 00:31:26,633 --> 00:31:28,566 - [Jack] I've seen cut worms in gardens 708 00:31:28,566 --> 00:31:31,800 go to town on a lot of different plants. 709 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:32,666 - Oh yeah. 710 00:31:32,666 --> 00:31:35,833 - If they really want to know for sure 711 00:31:35,833 --> 00:31:37,333 they could send you some. 712 00:31:37,333 --> 00:31:38,666 - [Laurie] They could send me the grub. 713 00:31:38,666 --> 00:31:39,966 - (laughs) Okay. - Or the immature. 714 00:31:39,966 --> 00:31:41,233 - [Jack] All right. 715 00:31:41,233 --> 00:31:43,733 Barry, question came in 716 00:31:43,733 --> 00:31:46,366 I think it was from Highsham last week. 717 00:31:46,366 --> 00:31:49,366 They say they had lesions on spring wheat. 718 00:31:49,366 --> 00:31:51,833 It headed out and didn't produce any berries 719 00:31:51,833 --> 00:31:54,666 on the variety vita, which is a very popular variety 720 00:31:54,666 --> 00:31:55,833 in the state. 721 00:31:55,833 --> 00:31:58,433 Any thought what might have caused that 722 00:31:58,433 --> 00:32:00,733 without seeing it? 723 00:32:00,733 --> 00:32:02,400 - Yeah without seeing it it's difficult. 724 00:32:02,400 --> 00:32:05,066 It is in low areas I might suspect frost. 725 00:32:05,066 --> 00:32:07,700 We did have some frost lat year, right near 726 00:32:07,700 --> 00:32:09,333 heading time. 727 00:32:09,333 --> 00:32:12,333 It could be a headlight or scab. 728 00:32:12,333 --> 00:32:14,800 Another one that they talked about lesions 729 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:17,233 if they had kind of diamond shaped lesions 730 00:32:17,233 --> 00:32:18,733 down on the lower part of the stem 731 00:32:18,733 --> 00:32:22,100 this could be (mumbling) sharp eye spot. 732 00:32:22,100 --> 00:32:25,900 And actually I have seen that not very far from Highsham. 733 00:32:25,900 --> 00:32:28,333 A good friend of mine had some on his farm 734 00:32:28,333 --> 00:32:31,000 and we got him changed up on seed treatment. 735 00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:33,100 And that took care of it. 736 00:32:34,633 --> 00:32:36,700 - [Jack] All right thanks Barry. 737 00:32:36,700 --> 00:32:40,033 From Hindsdale, Jeff, is there any biological control 738 00:32:40,033 --> 00:32:42,466 available for field bind wheat? 739 00:32:42,466 --> 00:32:44,666 - [Jeff] For field bind wheat we were working with 740 00:32:44,666 --> 00:32:47,500 a gall mite back in the mid '90's. 741 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:52,200 The mite attacks the leaves causing it to fold 742 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:53,466 and to curl up. 743 00:32:53,466 --> 00:32:57,500 And under heavy populations it really stunts the plant 744 00:32:57,500 --> 00:32:59,966 so your bind wheat plant just comes up 745 00:32:59,966 --> 00:33:04,133 and it's just kind of a knotted mass of gall material. 746 00:33:06,966 --> 00:33:10,100 That was fairly widespread in eastern Montana. 747 00:33:10,100 --> 00:33:13,000 But maybe about eight years ago we had that 748 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:14,866 100 year flood where we had 749 00:33:14,866 --> 00:33:16,866 a very very wet spring. 750 00:33:16,866 --> 00:33:18,600 That seemed to knock the population back 751 00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:21,366 and it really hasn't rebounded very well. 752 00:33:21,366 --> 00:33:25,400 So the mite does well in dry open areas. 753 00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:27,133 But it's very inconsistent. 754 00:33:27,133 --> 00:33:30,466 As you go south into Colorado, or even down Texas 755 00:33:30,466 --> 00:33:32,966 it seems to be more effective. 756 00:33:34,100 --> 00:33:36,966 Another agent was a moth, a defoliating moth 757 00:33:36,966 --> 00:33:38,033 that we put out. 758 00:33:38,033 --> 00:33:41,533 Established also down in Colorado and Idaho 759 00:33:41,533 --> 00:33:42,900 but not in Montana. 760 00:33:42,900 --> 00:33:45,466 And that has question about that. 761 00:33:45,466 --> 00:33:47,300 - That is a tough wheat to control. 762 00:33:47,300 --> 00:33:48,133 - Oh yeah. 763 00:33:48,133 --> 00:33:49,833 - They are looking for additional agents 764 00:33:49,833 --> 00:33:52,466 and I think there's dust and mining lye 765 00:33:52,466 --> 00:33:54,100 that they're considering. 766 00:33:54,100 --> 00:33:55,433 - [Jack] Okay. - In Europe. 767 00:33:55,433 --> 00:33:58,266 - [Jack] Hayden, standard question 768 00:33:59,500 --> 00:34:01,566 comes in every spring. 769 00:34:01,566 --> 00:34:06,000 They need to know how much nitrogen is required 770 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:08,566 to get a bushel of spring wheat 771 00:34:09,566 --> 00:34:11,766 and/or winter wheat? 772 00:34:11,766 --> 00:34:14,100 Do you want to get that one? 773 00:34:14,100 --> 00:34:16,633 - A little more for winter wheat only because 774 00:34:16,633 --> 00:34:20,166 you probably have more water available. 775 00:34:20,166 --> 00:34:21,766 But, it takes about 776 00:34:23,366 --> 00:34:24,633 100 pounds of N 777 00:34:26,666 --> 00:34:29,766 wherever the source of the N is 778 00:34:29,766 --> 00:34:33,566 for a 40 bushel crop of wheat, winter wheat. 779 00:34:33,566 --> 00:34:37,333 And it takes a little more than that actually 780 00:34:38,766 --> 00:34:41,933 so it would be a little more careful 781 00:34:41,933 --> 00:34:42,766 with that. 782 00:34:43,700 --> 00:34:47,900 And probably because the water ratio with spring wheat 783 00:34:49,066 --> 00:34:51,366 you might get by with less. 784 00:34:51,366 --> 00:34:53,366 But that's questionable. 785 00:34:55,100 --> 00:34:58,600 And it may not be questionable though with 786 00:35:00,066 --> 00:35:02,700 what's the cost of nitrogen today? 787 00:35:02,700 --> 00:35:05,100 - [Jack] I'm not sure this year. 788 00:35:05,100 --> 00:35:06,700 - 30 cents a pound? 789 00:35:08,300 --> 00:35:10,300 - [Barry] No I'm gonna guess a little higher than that. 790 00:35:10,300 --> 00:35:13,833 - It was 23 when I was dealing with it. 791 00:35:13,833 --> 00:35:14,666 - Yeah. 792 00:35:15,566 --> 00:35:19,266 - You're doubling the cost of your input there 793 00:35:19,266 --> 00:35:21,633 so be a bit careful with that. 794 00:35:21,633 --> 00:35:24,633 - [Jack] On that note, for winter wheat producers, 795 00:35:24,633 --> 00:35:27,266 spring wheat producers, most people do a pretty good 796 00:35:27,266 --> 00:35:29,033 job in today's world to fertilize. 797 00:35:29,033 --> 00:35:30,800 - [Hayden] Yeah. - And that was not 798 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:32,433 the case 30 years ago. 799 00:35:32,433 --> 00:35:34,266 There was a lot of people who did not use 800 00:35:34,266 --> 00:35:35,600 a lot of fertilizer. 801 00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:38,566 Let's change the subject a little bit and go to lawns. 802 00:35:38,566 --> 00:35:41,133 How much nitrogen would you use 803 00:35:41,133 --> 00:35:43,566 on 1,000 square feet of lawn? 804 00:35:45,366 --> 00:35:46,700 - Well, any more 805 00:35:48,866 --> 00:35:51,266 I tell the lady who sprays it 806 00:35:52,466 --> 00:35:54,333 to put on whatever the 807 00:35:55,566 --> 00:35:57,966 extents and service recommends. 808 00:35:57,966 --> 00:36:00,066 - [Jack] (laughs) Okay. 809 00:36:00,066 --> 00:36:03,366 You know I probably under-fertilize my yard. 810 00:36:03,366 --> 00:36:05,333 But then again, I don't run my. 811 00:36:05,333 --> 00:36:07,100 - [Hayden] Most people over-fertilize. 812 00:36:07,100 --> 00:36:07,966 - That's true. 813 00:36:07,966 --> 00:36:10,100 - [Hayden] And then they over-water. 814 00:36:10,100 --> 00:36:13,200 And nitrogen is extremely moldable 815 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:14,633 because it's NIN. 816 00:36:16,100 --> 00:36:19,166 Most of the nitrogen is, it's an NIN. 817 00:36:20,733 --> 00:36:23,733 And if you want to kill your neighbors cows 818 00:36:23,733 --> 00:36:26,600 with nitrate poisoning, that's probably 819 00:36:26,600 --> 00:36:28,000 a good way to do it. 820 00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:30,066 - [Jack] (laughs) Okay. 821 00:36:30,066 --> 00:36:35,066 Laurie, a comment from Plains on using yeast on the ants. 822 00:36:35,066 --> 00:36:38,633 This person says yeast packets work on sugar ants. 823 00:36:38,633 --> 00:36:40,833 Was there such a thing as sugar ants? 824 00:36:40,833 --> 00:36:44,833 - I don't know what, yeah I'm not sure. 825 00:36:44,833 --> 00:36:46,933 - [Jack] What they do is they use a packet 826 00:36:46,933 --> 00:36:49,400 at the entry point into the house 827 00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:51,866 and replenish until the ants stop. 828 00:36:51,866 --> 00:36:53,966 This will eliminate the problem. 829 00:36:53,966 --> 00:36:55,233 - Give them another source? 830 00:36:55,233 --> 00:36:56,900 - Yeah. - Yeah yeah. 831 00:36:56,900 --> 00:37:00,633 Laurie, I want to have you up from Manhattan. 832 00:37:02,133 --> 00:37:04,333 This question concerns dandelions. 833 00:37:04,333 --> 00:37:06,533 Some say they are the most important plant 834 00:37:06,533 --> 00:37:09,366 for maintaining honey bee populations. 835 00:37:09,366 --> 00:37:10,633 What are your thoughts on that? 836 00:37:10,633 --> 00:37:12,600 - [Laurie] They are one of the earliest 837 00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:14,666 things out there for that are blooming. 838 00:37:14,666 --> 00:37:16,766 So they're very important for 839 00:37:16,766 --> 00:37:18,833 if you do start a honey bee colony that's one of 840 00:37:18,833 --> 00:37:20,533 the things that they suggest is make sure that 841 00:37:20,533 --> 00:37:23,733 you have a good pollen source right away. 842 00:37:23,733 --> 00:37:26,433 And early on, and if you can put your honey bees 843 00:37:26,433 --> 00:37:29,533 somewhere where you have some dandelions 844 00:37:29,533 --> 00:37:31,733 then yeah, it's they're important. 845 00:37:31,733 --> 00:37:33,366 - [Jack] There's no shortage of dandelions 846 00:37:33,366 --> 00:37:35,100 in the Gallatin County. - Yeah not at all. 847 00:37:35,100 --> 00:37:35,933 Yeah. 848 00:37:35,933 --> 00:37:38,700 - And they're really attractive, I think. 849 00:37:38,700 --> 00:37:40,100 - [Laurie] Yeah, early season. - They are. 850 00:37:40,100 --> 00:37:41,633 - [Laurie] Yeah. 851 00:37:41,633 --> 00:37:45,566 Barry, this probably came in last week 852 00:37:45,566 --> 00:37:48,766 and we didn't get to it on the organic program we had. 853 00:37:48,766 --> 00:37:51,166 But this person would like to know what is new 854 00:37:51,166 --> 00:37:53,400 in organic research at MSU? 855 00:37:55,033 --> 00:37:58,033 - Well I think MSU has had a long-term 856 00:37:58,033 --> 00:38:01,033 interest in organic related research. 857 00:38:01,966 --> 00:38:04,666 Certainly Jeff Littlefield's lab 858 00:38:04,666 --> 00:38:07,166 using biocontrol for noxious weeds. 859 00:38:07,166 --> 00:38:09,200 We've had a lot of efforts in disease 860 00:38:09,200 --> 00:38:12,966 and other insect control with biological agents. 861 00:38:12,966 --> 00:38:15,233 Certainly we can, one of the things we're always 862 00:38:15,233 --> 00:38:17,000 studying is what are the mechanisms 863 00:38:17,000 --> 00:38:21,166 for the biological suppression of any of our pests. 864 00:38:21,166 --> 00:38:24,133 Our breeding programs, particularly in our cereal crops 865 00:38:24,133 --> 00:38:26,233 breeding for disease resistance, that's 866 00:38:26,233 --> 00:38:28,600 organic-related work. 867 00:38:28,600 --> 00:38:31,366 Doing a lot of work now in cropping systems. 868 00:38:31,366 --> 00:38:34,433 And I think the Ag Experiment Station 869 00:38:35,633 --> 00:38:37,800 we look at biological systems 870 00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:39,766 and try to understand them. 871 00:38:39,766 --> 00:38:43,400 And I think from that work the organic producer 872 00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:45,366 gets very good information 873 00:38:45,366 --> 00:38:48,333 but as well as our traditional agriculture. 874 00:38:48,333 --> 00:38:52,800 So we have relatively little work that just focuses 875 00:38:52,800 --> 00:38:55,300 strictly on organic agriculture. 876 00:38:55,300 --> 00:38:58,633 I might say that the we've done some really 877 00:38:58,633 --> 00:39:02,233 revolutionary work in the area of cover crops. 878 00:39:02,233 --> 00:39:04,800 To use manual crop plannings for hay 879 00:39:04,800 --> 00:39:05,633 and whatnot. 880 00:39:05,633 --> 00:39:07,833 And I think these are gonna play a real important role 881 00:39:07,833 --> 00:39:11,366 in Montana agriculture from more of the organic 882 00:39:11,366 --> 00:39:14,533 perspective perhaps long-term in getting 883 00:39:14,533 --> 00:39:16,366 organic matter up 884 00:39:16,366 --> 00:39:19,666 and proving water infiltration, things of that nature. 885 00:39:19,666 --> 00:39:21,366 - You know, you mention organic matter. 886 00:39:21,366 --> 00:39:23,900 We got one of our experts on that. 887 00:39:23,900 --> 00:39:27,266 It's my impression that over the last 20, 25 years 888 00:39:27,266 --> 00:39:31,000 statewide, the organic content of our soils 889 00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:33,533 has actually increased significantly. 890 00:39:33,533 --> 00:39:36,333 Would you agree with that, Hayden or Barry? 891 00:39:36,333 --> 00:39:38,900 - [Barry] I think no till has had a tremendous 892 00:39:38,900 --> 00:39:40,800 impact on that. 893 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:43,966 Although Jack, it's still not back where it needs to be. 894 00:39:43,966 --> 00:39:45,700 One of the things that's very impressive to me 895 00:39:45,700 --> 00:39:48,866 is up at the northern Ag Research Station in Havern 896 00:39:48,866 --> 00:39:50,866 we've got native prairie up there. 897 00:39:50,866 --> 00:39:53,766 That native prairie's got an organic matter 898 00:39:53,766 --> 00:39:55,300 levels five, three, five, 899 00:39:55,300 --> 00:39:57,533 five and a half percent. 900 00:39:57,533 --> 00:39:59,433 - [Laurie] Wow. - Where we've cropped 901 00:39:59,433 --> 00:40:01,866 there for 100 years, the research 902 00:40:01,866 --> 00:40:05,133 we're down to one percent, one and a half percent. 903 00:40:05,133 --> 00:40:07,133 - [Hayden] THat's right. - And you know 904 00:40:07,133 --> 00:40:11,200 a lot of our guys that have gone to no till 905 00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:14,233 we're starting to see that two, two and a half percent 906 00:40:14,233 --> 00:40:17,100 we're coming back up, but it takes a long time. 907 00:40:17,100 --> 00:40:18,366 - [Jeff] It does. 908 00:40:18,366 --> 00:40:20,033 - All right, thank you. 909 00:40:20,033 --> 00:40:21,800 Jeff, from Livingston. 910 00:40:21,800 --> 00:40:23,633 This person would like to know, are there any 911 00:40:23,633 --> 00:40:26,133 biocontrols for bell flower? 912 00:40:26,133 --> 00:40:28,366 And I'm not sure what bell flower is. 913 00:40:28,366 --> 00:40:30,700 - [Jeff] No. - Okay. 914 00:40:30,700 --> 00:40:32,133 - Sometimes. - Not that I'm aware 915 00:40:32,133 --> 00:40:33,866 of, anyway. - All right. 916 00:40:33,866 --> 00:40:37,733 And the other one that we have, have you ever heard of 917 00:40:37,733 --> 00:40:40,066 minors candle or mullen? 918 00:40:40,066 --> 00:40:43,100 And are there any biological controls for those? 919 00:40:43,100 --> 00:40:45,366 - [Jeff] For mullen 920 00:40:45,366 --> 00:40:48,100 there is a weavel that accidentally 921 00:40:48,100 --> 00:40:51,133 got introduced that attacks the flower heads. 922 00:40:51,133 --> 00:40:53,600 It is established in the state. 923 00:40:53,600 --> 00:40:56,033 Unfortunately it doesn't build up high enough 924 00:40:56,033 --> 00:40:58,833 populations to impact the seed production. 925 00:40:58,833 --> 00:41:01,800 It has a lot of seeds and that mullens produce 926 00:41:01,800 --> 00:41:04,633 and the weavels just can't keep up with that. 927 00:41:04,633 --> 00:41:07,700 - Mullen is a tough bugger to control period. 928 00:41:07,700 --> 00:41:09,266 There's no doubt about that. 929 00:41:09,266 --> 00:41:11,766 And I'll save that because Jane's gonna be around 930 00:41:11,766 --> 00:41:14,166 and she might have some suggestions 931 00:41:14,166 --> 00:41:17,566 on which herbicides would work best for that. 932 00:41:17,566 --> 00:41:19,300 - Getting back to your last question 933 00:41:19,300 --> 00:41:21,700 that me and Jeff just said no. 934 00:41:21,700 --> 00:41:25,200 Just like our crop plants, or our ornamentals 935 00:41:25,200 --> 00:41:27,500 all plants are attacked by things. 936 00:41:27,500 --> 00:41:30,166 And it's just understanding how we can manipulate 937 00:41:30,166 --> 00:41:33,233 the environment or manipulate the populations 938 00:41:33,233 --> 00:41:34,500 of these agents. 939 00:41:34,500 --> 00:41:35,966 So there are biocontrols 940 00:41:35,966 --> 00:41:38,533 they're just not commercial biocontrols. 941 00:41:38,533 --> 00:41:40,366 - I was going to ask Jeff 942 00:41:40,366 --> 00:41:43,033 if the tell us about outstanding 943 00:41:46,033 --> 00:41:49,200 biocontrol systems that are documented 944 00:41:51,400 --> 00:41:55,566 and have made a huge difference, huge, a big difference 945 00:41:56,533 --> 00:41:59,700 in the growth of some obnoxious plant. 946 00:42:00,866 --> 00:42:02,666 - There's probably several examples. 947 00:42:02,666 --> 00:42:06,966 One that may relate to Montana is Tansy ragwort. 948 00:42:06,966 --> 00:42:09,133 We do have Tansy ragwort in the state up in 949 00:42:09,133 --> 00:42:10,866 the northwest corner. 950 00:42:11,900 --> 00:42:16,133 That was a big biocontrol project in western Washington, 951 00:42:16,133 --> 00:42:19,966 and Oregon, and northern California. 952 00:42:19,966 --> 00:42:22,966 They had several agents center bar moth 953 00:42:22,966 --> 00:42:25,100 and a three beetle that they introduced. 954 00:42:25,100 --> 00:42:28,300 And it was very effective in reducing Tansy ragwort. 955 00:42:28,300 --> 00:42:32,466 Tansy ragwort is also poisonous to livestock cattle. 956 00:42:35,000 --> 00:42:37,933 We've introduced some of the same agents 957 00:42:37,933 --> 00:42:41,900 in northwest Montana and they've been equally effective. 958 00:42:41,900 --> 00:42:45,100 We've brought in a different strain of the flea beetle 959 00:42:45,100 --> 00:42:48,966 that is more cold hearty that seems to be doing quite well. 960 00:42:48,966 --> 00:42:51,500 The center bar moth is really doing well 961 00:42:51,500 --> 00:42:53,100 up in northern Montana. 962 00:42:53,100 --> 00:42:56,433 So, that would probably be an example of 963 00:42:57,833 --> 00:43:00,100 a really important biocontrol agent 964 00:43:00,100 --> 00:43:03,333 that's been effective across regions. 965 00:43:03,333 --> 00:43:05,766 Rather than just localized. - Right. 966 00:43:05,766 --> 00:43:09,466 Has there been a release of a particular bug 967 00:43:10,700 --> 00:43:13,966 that is dessimated the particular weed? 968 00:43:15,900 --> 00:43:17,233 - [Jeff] Usually 969 00:43:18,600 --> 00:43:22,033 biocontrol the insects kind of leave a few 970 00:43:22,033 --> 00:43:23,733 weeks behind. - Yeah they have to 971 00:43:23,733 --> 00:43:25,666 if they want to eat wheat. 972 00:43:25,666 --> 00:43:28,200 - Although some of my ragwort agents 973 00:43:28,200 --> 00:43:32,100 actually will eliminate the weed from a particular area. 974 00:43:32,100 --> 00:43:34,200 But eventually the seeds might germinate 975 00:43:34,200 --> 00:43:35,766 and they come back. 976 00:43:37,066 --> 00:43:37,900 Let's see 977 00:43:41,166 --> 00:43:44,666 some of the agents on St John's Worts 978 00:43:44,666 --> 00:43:46,866 can be very effective 979 00:43:46,866 --> 00:43:49,400 in reducing the populations down to low levels. 980 00:43:49,400 --> 00:43:52,566 But they have a kind of up and down cycles 981 00:43:52,566 --> 00:43:53,400 where the 982 00:43:56,700 --> 00:43:59,800 we target weeds start to increase the 983 00:43:59,800 --> 00:44:02,900 biocontrol agents eventually catch us up with it 984 00:44:02,900 --> 00:44:05,933 to make an impact to make the population crash. 985 00:44:05,933 --> 00:44:09,166 With that system it's kind of a long up and down cycle 986 00:44:09,166 --> 00:44:11,000 maybe like 10 years. 987 00:44:11,000 --> 00:44:13,666 For something like. - Barry would agree 988 00:44:13,666 --> 00:44:15,933 that the lack of a dramatic 989 00:44:19,266 --> 00:44:20,100 control 990 00:44:22,133 --> 00:44:26,466 is more reason to work hard on it, than not. 991 00:44:26,466 --> 00:44:28,433 - Yeah. - We can't 992 00:44:28,433 --> 00:44:31,433 stop working on biocontrol. 993 00:44:31,433 --> 00:44:32,266 - No. 994 00:44:32,266 --> 00:44:34,266 You know one of the things I was gonna mention Jeff 995 00:44:34,266 --> 00:44:38,033 in sites we know the flea beetle won't spurge. 996 00:44:38,033 --> 00:44:40,866 When I first came here 25 years ago 997 00:44:40,866 --> 00:44:42,700 almost 26 years ago 998 00:44:42,700 --> 00:44:46,466 the Story Hills were just covered with spurge. 999 00:44:46,466 --> 00:44:49,166 And there's still some spurge there 1000 00:44:49,166 --> 00:44:51,433 but not like it was. 1001 00:44:51,433 --> 00:44:53,933 What's your impression of? 1002 00:44:53,933 --> 00:44:56,100 - Well at least up there there has been some 1003 00:44:56,100 --> 00:44:57,566 chemical treatments, as well. 1004 00:44:57,566 --> 00:44:59,866 So it's not entirely biocontrol. 1005 00:44:59,866 --> 00:45:03,966 Leafy spurge has been pretty effective in some habitats. 1006 00:45:04,866 --> 00:45:07,533 The flea beetles tend to be somewhat habitat specific 1007 00:45:07,533 --> 00:45:08,733 sometimes. 1008 00:45:08,733 --> 00:45:11,800 And it's one of those systems where it 1009 00:45:11,800 --> 00:45:14,333 can benefit from an integration of 1010 00:45:14,333 --> 00:45:16,133 other management techniques. 1011 00:45:16,133 --> 00:45:18,166 Especially grazing with sheep 1012 00:45:18,166 --> 00:45:21,233 you go in there, thin out the leafy spurge 1013 00:45:21,233 --> 00:45:23,600 the flea beetles seem to be doing a lot better. 1014 00:45:23,600 --> 00:45:26,066 Same way with chemical control. 1015 00:45:26,066 --> 00:45:28,400 The combination of simple techniques 1016 00:45:28,400 --> 00:45:30,400 that can benefit biocontrol now. 1017 00:45:30,400 --> 00:45:32,100 - The sheep are biocontrol agents. 1018 00:45:32,100 --> 00:45:33,233 - Well they are. (laughing) 1019 00:45:33,233 --> 00:45:34,533 They are kind of biocontrol. 1020 00:45:34,533 --> 00:45:35,866 - [Jack] And they taste good too. 1021 00:45:35,866 --> 00:45:37,200 (laughs) 1022 00:45:37,200 --> 00:45:40,466 - From Stephensville, is there a way to get rid of 1023 00:45:40,466 --> 00:45:42,900 crab grass in the lawn, and the answer is no. 1024 00:45:42,900 --> 00:45:46,833 The only way you can do it is take a glove 1025 00:45:46,833 --> 00:45:50,033 and Round Up, and that's a lot of work. 1026 00:45:50,033 --> 00:45:52,000 - It sounds like it. 1027 00:45:52,000 --> 00:45:54,333 - From Cut Bay, Hayden 1028 00:45:54,333 --> 00:45:57,166 does the use of chemical fertilizers accelerate 1029 00:45:57,166 --> 00:46:01,633 the decomposition of organic matter in the soil? 1030 00:46:01,633 --> 00:46:05,200 - Well it might if it's supplied a nutrient 1031 00:46:06,233 --> 00:46:10,066 that the bugs couldn't get on their own there. 1032 00:46:11,633 --> 00:46:14,966 But I would guess that proper fertilizer 1033 00:46:16,166 --> 00:46:17,900 management at Cut Bay 1034 00:46:18,933 --> 00:46:23,466 would have a positive effect on organic matter 1035 00:46:23,466 --> 00:46:25,933 unless you burned it. 1036 00:46:25,933 --> 00:46:27,233 Then, then none 1037 00:46:29,700 --> 00:46:31,700 fertilizer management. 1038 00:46:31,700 --> 00:46:35,433 So I think that the increase we may be seeing 1039 00:46:36,300 --> 00:46:37,733 in organic matter 1040 00:46:38,600 --> 00:46:39,433 smally 1041 00:46:41,100 --> 00:46:43,600 is probably more associated with 1042 00:46:43,600 --> 00:46:47,233 good management than it is with anything else. 1043 00:46:47,233 --> 00:46:50,933 - [Jack] I would agree entirely with that Hayden. 1044 00:46:50,933 --> 00:46:52,566 Laurie, from Bowsman. 1045 00:46:52,566 --> 00:46:55,166 They have a bunch of holes on the side 1046 00:46:55,166 --> 00:46:56,766 of their pine tree. 1047 00:46:56,766 --> 00:46:58,900 Dozens all over the trunks and branches, 1048 00:46:58,900 --> 00:47:00,366 is this an insect? 1049 00:47:01,533 --> 00:47:04,266 - If it's in a patterned form, and not just a couple 1050 00:47:04,266 --> 00:47:07,533 holes here or there, it's likely is sapsucker damage. 1051 00:47:07,533 --> 00:47:10,833 And I have a lot of sapsucker damage on my pine trees 1052 00:47:10,833 --> 00:47:12,733 and several other trees. 1053 00:47:12,733 --> 00:47:14,000 And there's not much you can do about it 1054 00:47:14,000 --> 00:47:17,066 except try to deter the birds in some way. 1055 00:47:17,066 --> 00:47:19,066 And you can use some flashy tape or something 1056 00:47:19,066 --> 00:47:21,366 of that sort but are they protected so you 1057 00:47:21,366 --> 00:47:22,733 can't get rid of the birds. 1058 00:47:22,733 --> 00:47:24,933 It's they're taking the sap out of the tree 1059 00:47:24,933 --> 00:47:26,933 they're not boring it and looking for insects. 1060 00:47:26,933 --> 00:47:31,200 So they're not, if you have dozens it could potentially 1061 00:47:31,200 --> 00:47:33,366 threaten the health of your tree. 1062 00:47:33,366 --> 00:47:35,666 But just try to get the birds away. 1063 00:47:35,666 --> 00:47:36,666 - Yeah. 1064 00:47:36,666 --> 00:47:39,000 I have seen a lot of sapsucker damage around, 1065 00:47:39,000 --> 00:47:40,266 there's no doubt about that. 1066 00:47:40,266 --> 00:47:41,533 - Yeah, me too. 1067 00:47:43,533 --> 00:47:46,900 - From Clancy, Jeff, is there any biological control 1068 00:47:46,900 --> 00:47:49,433 agents for poison ivy? 1069 00:47:49,433 --> 00:47:52,866 And is poison ivy a big issue in Montana? 1070 00:47:53,866 --> 00:47:55,633 - If you run into it, yes. 1071 00:47:55,633 --> 00:47:57,233 (laughing) 1072 00:47:57,233 --> 00:47:59,900 There are patches of poison ivy. 1073 00:48:00,666 --> 00:48:04,833 To my knowledge, there's no bioocontrol agents that. 1074 00:48:06,266 --> 00:48:08,433 Barry do you happen to know if there's any 1075 00:48:08,433 --> 00:48:10,300 any sort of pathogens that they have used? 1076 00:48:10,300 --> 00:48:13,400 - I'm sure there are insects and plant pathogens 1077 00:48:13,400 --> 00:48:15,300 that attack poison ivy. 1078 00:48:16,233 --> 00:48:18,466 We just don't have really studied them, I think. 1079 00:48:18,466 --> 00:48:19,433 - [Jeff] Right. 1080 00:48:19,433 --> 00:48:22,400 And typical most native plants 1081 00:48:22,400 --> 00:48:24,900 we don't do a lot of biocontrol work on 1082 00:48:24,900 --> 00:48:25,733 because of 1083 00:48:28,000 --> 00:48:30,166 yeah, they're native. 1084 00:48:30,166 --> 00:48:31,800 - You know it's interesting 1085 00:48:31,800 --> 00:48:33,800 and maybe somebody can explain this. 1086 00:48:33,800 --> 00:48:36,866 I've been in poison ivy many times as a kid. 1087 00:48:36,866 --> 00:48:38,433 I've never had an issue with it. 1088 00:48:38,433 --> 00:48:41,900 Do some people react to it, and others do not? 1089 00:48:41,900 --> 00:48:43,633 - I think so. 1090 00:48:43,633 --> 00:48:47,233 I grew up back east and we had a lot of poison ivy. 1091 00:48:47,233 --> 00:48:50,966 And we would burn our fields or a brush pile. 1092 00:48:51,900 --> 00:48:55,333 And with poison ivy and the oils 1093 00:48:55,333 --> 00:48:56,933 would get onto your skin. 1094 00:48:56,933 --> 00:48:58,666 So it becomes quite a problem. 1095 00:48:58,666 --> 00:49:01,566 I think some people are fairly resistant to. 1096 00:49:01,566 --> 00:49:03,733 - A long time ago Ford Ord 1097 00:49:05,066 --> 00:49:07,966 was a poison ivy area of the world. 1098 00:49:10,100 --> 00:49:13,233 And so when you were marching and the guy said, 1099 00:49:13,233 --> 00:49:15,133 "Hit the ground." 1100 00:49:15,133 --> 00:49:16,533 it didn't bother me. 1101 00:49:16,533 --> 00:49:18,900 But we had people almost die from it. 1102 00:49:18,900 --> 00:49:22,600 - [Jack] Yeah I've seen some nasty reactions. 1103 00:49:22,600 --> 00:49:25,866 All right from Bowsman, a comment about 1104 00:49:25,866 --> 00:49:29,766 the cats that had stuff sticking to them 1105 00:49:29,766 --> 00:49:30,933 from the cottonwoods. 1106 00:49:30,933 --> 00:49:33,066 This person says, and this is true, 1107 00:49:33,066 --> 00:49:35,100 that bud scales from cottonwoods have a resin 1108 00:49:35,100 --> 00:49:37,733 on them that's naturally sticky. 1109 00:49:37,733 --> 00:49:40,633 And it also could be aphids. 1110 00:49:40,633 --> 00:49:42,200 - Yeah, thanks for that comment. 1111 00:49:42,200 --> 00:49:43,200 - All right. 1112 00:49:44,966 --> 00:49:48,533 Laurie, this is south of Billings toward 1113 00:49:48,533 --> 00:49:51,900 caller is seeing an increase in ticks and grasshoppers 1114 00:49:51,900 --> 00:49:53,466 this year. 1115 00:49:53,466 --> 00:49:57,533 Would like suggestions on how to best control them. 1116 00:49:57,533 --> 00:49:59,166 Ticks are tough to control. 1117 00:49:59,166 --> 00:50:00,600 - Ticks are very tough to control. 1118 00:50:00,600 --> 00:50:01,466 I'll start with that. 1119 00:50:01,466 --> 00:50:03,600 But just as a note I talked about this a 1120 00:50:03,600 --> 00:50:05,400 few weeks ago when I was on. 1121 00:50:05,400 --> 00:50:08,133 We don't have either species of ticks 1122 00:50:08,133 --> 00:50:10,433 of the two ticks that vector 1123 00:50:10,433 --> 00:50:12,166 Lyme disease, so we're lucky there. 1124 00:50:12,166 --> 00:50:14,233 If you're traveling outside of the state 1125 00:50:14,233 --> 00:50:16,533 you might run into those. 1126 00:50:16,533 --> 00:50:19,466 But they really like tall grass. 1127 00:50:19,466 --> 00:50:22,266 I guess if you keep your, if you went away from your yard 1128 00:50:22,266 --> 00:50:24,933 if you want to keep your lawn mowed short 1129 00:50:24,933 --> 00:50:27,200 and you don't have a lot of tall grasses 1130 00:50:27,200 --> 00:50:29,133 then that would keep a lot of the ticks away. 1131 00:50:29,133 --> 00:50:31,000 But if you're going for a walk where anywhere 1132 00:50:31,000 --> 00:50:33,000 you're encountering them you're gonna 1133 00:50:33,000 --> 00:50:34,066 come across them. 1134 00:50:34,066 --> 00:50:36,366 Grasshoppers are really depending on 1135 00:50:36,366 --> 00:50:39,533 they usually don't over winter don't spend 1136 00:50:39,533 --> 00:50:41,566 don't ever spend winter in your yard. 1137 00:50:41,566 --> 00:50:43,833 So they usually are in ditches. 1138 00:50:43,833 --> 00:50:45,266 Or somewhere close by. 1139 00:50:45,266 --> 00:50:47,266 But it's really important to try to target 1140 00:50:47,266 --> 00:50:49,066 grasshopper control early before they 1141 00:50:49,066 --> 00:50:52,333 get into the later stars or later stages. 1142 00:50:52,333 --> 00:50:54,733 - We actually had a question from back 1143 00:50:54,733 --> 00:50:56,466 in the Jordan area a couple weeks ago. 1144 00:50:56,466 --> 00:50:58,833 This person was driving along the highway 1145 00:50:58,833 --> 00:51:00,866 from Jordan to someplace 1146 00:51:00,866 --> 00:51:04,100 and ran into swarms of small grasshoppers already. 1147 00:51:04,100 --> 00:51:05,766 - [Laurie] They're out. - Obviously there's 1148 00:51:05,766 --> 00:51:08,400 probably a good year for grasshoppers 1149 00:51:08,400 --> 00:51:10,166 so need to be watching for them. 1150 00:51:10,166 --> 00:51:11,400 - You need to be watching. 1151 00:51:11,400 --> 00:51:15,566 - Barry, this probably relates to last week's program. 1152 00:51:17,733 --> 00:51:20,700 We talked a lot about production of organic crops 1153 00:51:20,700 --> 00:51:22,766 especially organic wheat. 1154 00:51:22,766 --> 00:51:25,266 If this person were to produce organic wheat 1155 00:51:25,266 --> 00:51:27,900 in the Gallatin Valley, is there a local elevator 1156 00:51:27,900 --> 00:51:28,966 that would take it? 1157 00:51:28,966 --> 00:51:32,466 If not, where would you market this? 1158 00:51:32,466 --> 00:51:34,566 - I don't know the exact answer to that. 1159 00:51:34,566 --> 00:51:36,866 But I can tell you where they can get that answer. 1160 00:51:36,866 --> 00:51:38,866 The State Department of Agriculture has an 1161 00:51:38,866 --> 00:51:41,433 organic cropping specialist. 1162 00:51:41,433 --> 00:51:42,600 And marketing specialist. 1163 00:51:42,600 --> 00:51:45,700 And if you call the Montana Department of Agriculture 1164 00:51:45,700 --> 00:51:49,000 up in Helena, and ask for the organic specialist 1165 00:51:49,000 --> 00:51:51,100 they can give you that answer. 1166 00:51:51,100 --> 00:51:53,133 - [Jack] That's exactly right, thanks Barry. 1167 00:51:53,133 --> 00:51:56,766 Hayden, this person is from Mile City 1168 00:51:56,766 --> 00:51:58,500 and they want to know 1169 00:51:58,500 --> 00:52:02,566 why an inch of rain in the Mile City area 1170 00:52:02,566 --> 00:52:04,233 will penetrate to a foot deep? 1171 00:52:04,233 --> 00:52:05,266 Is there a reason? 1172 00:52:05,266 --> 00:52:07,033 Is that normal, or not? 1173 00:52:07,033 --> 00:52:08,766 - Now, repeat that please. 1174 00:52:08,766 --> 00:52:11,000 - [Jack] Well this person says that if they get an inch 1175 00:52:11,000 --> 00:52:13,366 of rain, on dry soil. - Oh. 1176 00:52:13,366 --> 00:52:15,100 - [Jack] It would penetrate a foot deep. 1177 00:52:15,100 --> 00:52:18,366 - Soil will basically the average soil, 1178 00:52:19,333 --> 00:52:22,133 there's a huge difference there. 1179 00:52:22,133 --> 00:52:25,333 An inch of rain would wet dry soil 1180 00:52:25,333 --> 00:52:26,400 about a foot. 1181 00:52:28,966 --> 00:52:32,766 That's the water holding capacity of that soil 1182 00:52:32,766 --> 00:52:34,266 basically. 1183 00:52:34,266 --> 00:52:36,933 If you got four feet of wet soil 1184 00:52:39,500 --> 00:52:41,900 you've actually got four feet 1185 00:52:43,366 --> 00:52:46,700 you've got four inches of available water 1186 00:52:46,700 --> 00:52:48,133 for winter wheat. 1187 00:52:49,033 --> 00:52:50,966 - [Jack] That makes sense. 1188 00:52:50,966 --> 00:52:53,800 All right, from Bellgrade. 1189 00:52:53,800 --> 00:52:56,800 Jeff, these homeowners have problems with dandelions 1190 00:52:56,800 --> 00:52:58,200 and knapweed. 1191 00:52:58,200 --> 00:53:00,833 They say one of the best biocontrol methods is 1192 00:53:00,833 --> 00:53:03,700 to pull them and remove by the tap root. 1193 00:53:03,700 --> 00:53:06,000 That works for dandelions, will that work 1194 00:53:06,000 --> 00:53:08,300 as well for knapweed? 1195 00:53:08,300 --> 00:53:11,066 - You have to be somewhat persistent with knapweed. 1196 00:53:11,066 --> 00:53:12,800 Because of seed bank. 1197 00:53:14,166 --> 00:53:16,066 So if you can pull up a 1198 00:53:17,500 --> 00:53:19,166 most of the tap root 1199 00:53:20,600 --> 00:53:21,433 it helps. 1200 00:53:22,600 --> 00:53:25,466 If you start breaking it off it can regenerate. 1201 00:53:25,466 --> 00:53:27,200 But you just have to be persistent 1202 00:53:27,200 --> 00:53:29,633 in hand pulling knapweed. 1203 00:53:29,633 --> 00:53:32,500 - [Jack] Okay, thank you. 1204 00:53:32,500 --> 00:53:35,333 This question came in from Helena. 1205 00:53:35,333 --> 00:53:38,566 They have had issues with their Aspens 1206 00:53:38,566 --> 00:53:40,166 and insect damage. 1207 00:53:40,166 --> 00:53:42,066 They see holes and sawdust. 1208 00:53:42,066 --> 00:53:44,700 What causes this, and is there anything they can do 1209 00:53:44,700 --> 00:53:47,266 to make their Aspens healthier? 1210 00:53:48,133 --> 00:53:50,033 - That would probably be 1211 00:53:50,033 --> 00:53:51,800 based on those symptoms it probably would be 1212 00:53:51,800 --> 00:53:52,966 the Poplar bore. 1213 00:53:52,966 --> 00:53:54,766 And once they've gotten into the tree 1214 00:53:54,766 --> 00:53:56,766 they have a pretty complicated life cycle. 1215 00:53:56,766 --> 00:53:58,400 Sometimes up to three, three or four years 1216 00:53:58,400 --> 00:54:00,333 to complete their life cycle. 1217 00:54:00,333 --> 00:54:02,133 The best thing you could do is try to protect 1218 00:54:02,133 --> 00:54:03,700 your other Aspen trees. 1219 00:54:03,700 --> 00:54:06,400 I would try to get any of your infested trees out 1220 00:54:06,400 --> 00:54:07,933 and away from your property 1221 00:54:07,933 --> 00:54:09,300 so they don't infest your other trees. 1222 00:54:09,300 --> 00:54:12,666 If your neighbor has them as well and they're infested 1223 00:54:12,666 --> 00:54:13,566 that's a big deal. 1224 00:54:13,566 --> 00:54:16,766 But there are a lot of things that you could spray 1225 00:54:16,766 --> 00:54:19,933 on the trunk to keep to protect the trees 1226 00:54:19,933 --> 00:54:21,566 that have not been infested yet. 1227 00:54:21,566 --> 00:54:22,900 - What about a middle culprit, 1228 00:54:22,900 --> 00:54:25,833 would that a systemic on Aspens 1229 00:54:25,833 --> 00:54:28,333 would that control the Poplar bores? 1230 00:54:28,333 --> 00:54:31,100 - That again that would have to be applied. 1231 00:54:31,100 --> 00:54:33,200 Now would not be the time to apply it 1232 00:54:33,200 --> 00:54:34,500 to the (mumbling) because it takes 1233 00:54:34,500 --> 00:54:35,766 several weeks to be absorbed. 1234 00:54:35,766 --> 00:54:39,066 And your whole goal is to try to protect 1235 00:54:39,066 --> 00:54:43,366 the eggs from hatching and burrowing into the trunk. 1236 00:54:43,366 --> 00:54:45,266 - [Barry] Laurie it's been my general impression 1237 00:54:45,266 --> 00:54:47,200 you tell me if I'm wrong, and I might be wrong 1238 00:54:47,200 --> 00:54:48,233 for this insect. 1239 00:54:48,233 --> 00:54:51,700 But on woody plants we tend to get the wood boring 1240 00:54:51,700 --> 00:54:53,233 insects on stressed trees. 1241 00:54:53,233 --> 00:54:54,300 - That's right, yep. 1242 00:54:54,300 --> 00:54:57,033 - And I'm gonna guess if they're having real trouble 1243 00:54:57,033 --> 00:54:59,600 on these Aspens, Aspens are a shallow 1244 00:54:59,600 --> 00:55:01,500 shallow rooted thing, they're meant to grow 1245 00:55:01,500 --> 00:55:02,900 on wet places. 1246 00:55:02,900 --> 00:55:04,866 And in Helena there's not a whole lot of 1247 00:55:04,866 --> 00:55:06,300 really wet places. - Yeah. 1248 00:55:06,300 --> 00:55:09,433 - So I think if they do some mulching and watering 1249 00:55:09,433 --> 00:55:12,066 that might help just as much, about as much as anything. 1250 00:55:12,066 --> 00:55:13,400 - That's a great tip. 1251 00:55:13,400 --> 00:55:14,366 - [Jack] All right. 1252 00:55:14,366 --> 00:55:16,766 With that folks we're down to our last 30 seconds. 1253 00:55:16,766 --> 00:55:19,333 I have a few calls that we didn't get to. 1254 00:55:19,333 --> 00:55:21,266 We'll work on those next week. 1255 00:55:21,266 --> 00:55:23,400 I'd like to thank Jeff for being here. 1256 00:55:23,400 --> 00:55:24,666 - Thank you. - Great job. 1257 00:55:24,666 --> 00:55:26,833 Laurie, you didn't get to show the scales 1258 00:55:26,833 --> 00:55:30,433 but we'll have those on again some other time. 1259 00:55:30,433 --> 00:55:32,433 Hayden, good to have you back. 1260 00:55:32,433 --> 00:55:34,866 Next week we have Miles Watts 1261 00:55:35,800 --> 00:55:38,033 retired economist who wants to talk about 1262 00:55:38,033 --> 00:55:41,600 the effect of public debt on agriculture in Montana. 1263 00:55:41,600 --> 00:55:43,866 Thanks for watching, have a good week. 1264 00:55:43,866 --> 00:55:46,633 And we hope to see you next week. 1265 00:55:47,500 --> 00:56:12,400 ♪ (country music) 1266 00:56:14,333 --> 00:56:18,500 -[Narrator] Montana Ag Live is made possible by... 1267 00:56:18,500 --> 00:56:21,700 the Montana Department of Agticulture 1268 00:56:21,700 --> 00:56:24,666 the MSU Extension Service 1269 00:56:24,666 --> 00:56:28,866 the MSU Ag Experiment Stations of the College of Agriculture 1270 00:56:28,866 --> 00:56:31,700 the Montana Wheat & Barley Committee 1271 00:56:31,700 --> 00:56:34,600 the Montana Bankers Association 1272 00:56:34,600 --> 00:56:37,533 Cashman Nursery and Landscaping, 1273 00:56:37,533 --> 00:56:39,533 and the Gallatin Gardeners Club 1274 00:56:40,466 --> 00:56:44,466 ♪ bluesy guitar riff