New Products

Valent Excalia Fungicide

Peanut growers have a new defense against white mold with Excalia fungicide from Valent U.S.A. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency granted federal registration of Excalia, which offers white mold control even under heavy pressure, to help growers prevent the yield loss this difficult disease can cause.

According to the most recent Georgia plant disease loss estimate by the University of Georgia Extension, white mold was the most problematic disease for peanut growers, leading to an average 8% reduction in crop value.

“When peanut growers are dealing with a disease like white mold, they can’t risk the yield loss that comes from not using an effective product,” says Quyntin Brandt, Valent brand manager. “Excalia shields peanut crowns through proven Peanut Rx spray programs, giving growers a flexible option to strengthen their soilborne disease control and protect yield.”

Excalia features a new succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (FRAC 7) active ingredient, Indiflin (the trademark name for inpyrfluxam), which offers fast-acting, highly systemic movement into the plant tissue. This allows the product to interfere with fungal growth and reproduction for intrinsic potency against damaging pathogens.

Excalia also targets Rhizoctonia limb and pod rot and Sclerotinia blight for broad spectrum peanut disease control. It also offers suppression of early and late leaf spot.

“Excalia is an excellent fit in integrated pest management and Peanut Rx programs to protect the crop and improve the production efficiency of a grower’s operation,” Brandt says.

UGA Extension plant pathologist Bob Kemerait says, “Even with a stout fungicide program, farmers cannot always fully protect a peanut crop from white mold. Management

UGA Extension weed specialist Eric Prostko tested Excalia fungicide in herbicide tankmixes and found no compatibility or injury problems. However, more data is needed to ensure crop safety from tankmixes.

may include rotation, variety selection, choice and timing of fungicides, and strategies to move fungicides into the crown of the plant.”

Peanut Rx can be helpful in deciding when to initiate a peanut fungicide program. For many farmers, the date to begin including a fungicide for white mold control is approximately 60 days after planting, or with the third application of a traditional seven-spray program.

UGA Extension weed specialist Eric Prostko says that although he needs to collect more replicated data, currently he has not observed any physical compatibility problems or significant increases in peanut injury from the use of Excalia fungicide with commonly used peanut herbicides.

To learn more about Excalia, visit Valent.com/Excalia.

John Deere Introduces AutoPath

To help producers more accurately document and follow each row of crops in fields throughout the season, John Deere has introduced AutoPath. This new precision ag application uses data collected from the first pass in the field, either planting or strip-till, to establish precise row guidance for all subsequent field passes, no matter the machine type or equipment width.

According to John Mishler, precision ag marketing manager for John Deere, traditional guidance line setup can be a challenge for some customers during the season.

“When using AutoPath, guidance lines are automatically created from a map of crop row lines for each field. These mapped row lines are used to automatically create guidance lines for the entire field for all other in-field passes, such as spraying, nutrient application or harvesting operations, later in the year,” Mishler says. “Using this solution, operators know which rows to start on and can precisely follow the auto-generated guidance lines, regardless of the field application or machine width. This increases operator confidence in being on the right row and the efficiency of field operations throughout the growing season and harvest.”

AutoPath is included in the John Deere Generation 4 Automation Bundle and available for either the 4600 CommandCenter Integrated Display or the 4640 Universal Display. It’s available for use on tractors, sprayers and combines, and can be incorporated with active and passive implement guidance systems for planters, nutrient applicators and other field equipment.

For more information on AutoPath row guidance and other precision ag technologies, contact your local John Deere dealer or visit JohnDeere.com.

Grow your peace of mind with Optimize® peanut inoculant

Make the most of your peanut season from planting to harvest with a proven dual-action inoculant. In-furrow Optimize® Liquid LCO Promoter Technology for Peanuts combines an elite strain of Bradyrhizobium sp. Arachis with LCO Promoter Technology to support root and shoot growth, which enhances season-long nutrient availability and productivity. Plant like your season depends on it. Ask your local retailer how Optimize can help you maximize your yield.

NPB Offers Tuition Grant For Farm Management Program

The virtual bootcamp sets farmers up for success.

Times are challenging on the farm these days. Farmers run and finance large and diverse businesses, manage capital, handle labor issues and navigate regulations. Operators are constantly working on their business. The Executive Farm Management Program is designed to help farmers work on their business. This year, the National Peanut Board is proud to partner with the EFMP to support peanut farmers’ participation in this educational activity.

NPB will provide a $150 tuition grant for up to 100 U.S. peanut farmers who participate in the 2021 EFMP to be held virtually Feb. 9-11, 2021. Farmers can find more details and sign up for the program at go.ncsu.edu/efm.

Traditionally, the EFMP is delivered in three in-person sessions totaling 12 days in January and February. However, due to the pandemic, the EFMP for 2021 has been modified to a virtual bootcamp covering strategy, financial management and human resource management.

Sharpen Skills, Learn New Ones

“Peanut farms are usually capital-intensive operations,” says EFMP director Blake Brown. “They are more complex and diverse than other row-crop farms. Some peanut farms even venture into value-added peanut products.

“Regardless, they must stay at the cutting edge of management, particularly if they want to successfully pass the operation to the next generation. The EFM bootcamp will sharpen peanut farmers’ existing management skills and provide new skills in an innovative and intuitive framework that peanut farmers can put to work right away.

“We hope to help farmers with some very important, core management skills and prepare a really strong group of farmers for a full program in 2022,” Brown says.

The program is open to U.S. peanut farmers from all growing areas, backgrounds and business situations.

“NPB’s support of peanut farmers’ participation in this program aligns with our mission to improve the economic condition of peanut growers and their families,” says Lauren Highfill Williams, NPB director of communications. “We anticipate that the $150 tuition grant will encourage growers to make this investment in the future profitability and success of their operations.”

The bootcamp program will be preceded by four webinars, delivered at 9 a.m., Eastern Standard Time each Tuesday, Jan. 12 to Feb. 2. The webinars cover critical management topics such as transforming your business, managing cash, family succession issues and tackling sticky conversations.

More information on the management program and how to apply can be found at go.ncsu.edu/efm. PG

Alabama Row Crop Short Course Now Online

Preparations for the upcoming growing season will not need to be put on hold during the pandemic. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the Auburn University College of Agriculture’s Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences have partnered to bring the annual row crops short course to producers everywhere—on their own time. Now available, the topics run the gamut from weed control and market outlooks to farmer panels.

Alabama Extension Soil Scientist Audrey Gamble says the faculty and agents are working to equip farmers with relevant research and information.

“We are excited to bring farmers the Alabama row crops short course online,” says Gamble. “As in previous years, we have a top line-up of speakers. COVID will keep us from a traditional, in-person short course, but we are dedicated to equipping our farmers with cutting-edge information as they make decisions about the upcoming year.”

Topics include: weed control in Xtendflex soybean; cotton leaf roll dwarf virus update; crop market outlook; redbanded stink bug management in soybean; nematode-resistant cotton varieties; seed quality issues in peanut; herbicide applications in a world with dicamba; potassium management for high-yielding cotton; wild hog management and a farmer panel on cover crop management.

Each video is 10 to 15 minutes. Watch the virtual Alabama Row Crops Short Course at https://

cses.auburn.edu/2020-alabama-

row-crops-short-course/.