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November 28, 2018

Palmer Amaranth Update

In 2016, Palmer amaranth was confirmed for the first time in Minnesota on newly established conservation plantings that were tied to a pollinator seed mix contaminated with Palmer amaranth seed.    After all of the plantings associated with this seed mix were identified and management plans implemented by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), to date no additional Palmer amaranth has been found at these locations.  Extensive surveying and help from both the land managers and the Conservation Corps of Minnesota and Iowa has made a huge difference for the successful eradication of the plant. 

Over the past five years, extensive outreach has helped spread the word about Palmer amaranth, including what the plant looks like, what to do when you come across the plant and who to contact.  As the 2018 harvesting season was about to start, farmers in Redwood and Jackson Counties were scouting their bean fields for weeds and noticed plants that looked different than your typical water hemp and redroot pigweed.  This was brought to the attention of both the University of Minnesota Extension (U of M) and the MDA.  Both the MDA and the U of M sent staff out to investigate the suspect plants and to figure out possible pathways.  Tissue samples were collected from both counties and genetically tested for species composition and herbicide resistance.  The samples came back positive as Palmer amaranth and were found to be resistant to the active ingredient glyphosate. 

These two new finds are the first field crop confirmations for Palmer amaranth in Minnesota.  The Redwood County find resulted in four plants being found all in one general location and the Jackson County location only resulted in only one plant.   MDA also intensively surveyed around the confirmed locations for five miles in each direction and no other Palmer plants were discovered.  All plants were hand-pulled and destroyed early enough to prevent any seed production from occurring at either location.  Currently MDA is investigating potential pathways and the U of M is providing increased outreach to growers in these areas. 

Palmer amaranth in soybean field

Regulatory Options for Emerald Ash Borer in Minnesota

Emerald ash borer has been regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) since 2002 when it was discovered in southeastern Michigan. As of September 2018, emerald ash borer can be found in 35 of the 48 continental states (73%) and the area federally regulated for emerald ash borer includes most of the native range of ash in the U.S. Recently, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced a proposed rule change to deregulate emerald ash borer at the federal level. This would mean that APHIS would no longer regulate the interstate movement of products which can carry emerald ash borer. Emerald ash borer has been regulated by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) since 2009 when it was discovered on the Minnesota / Wisconsin border. As of September 2018, emerald ash borer can be found in 17 of Minnesota’s 87 counties (16%) and the state regulated area does not include one of the densest concentration of forestland ash in North America. In addition, emerald ash borer has only been found in 63 of Minnesota’s 853 cities (7%). Currently, the MDA regulates the intrastate movement of products that can carry emerald ash borer through an internal quarantine and collaborates with APHIS on interstate movement with the federal quarantine. Should APHIS proceed with federal deregulation, Minnesota has the option to continue regulating emerald ash borer at the state level or not. If a decision is made by MDA to continue regulating emerald ash borer at the state level, Minnesota also has the option to modify the structure of those regulations. The MDA has prepared a summary of these options (available at www.mda.state.mn.us/eab) and has been discussing them with partners and stakeholders. We anticipate holding a formal meeting on the topic in February and releasing a plan for comment. In the meantime, any comments regarding future Minnesota regulation of emerald ash borer can be made to arrest.the.pest@state.mn.us.

Update on 2018 Invasive Species Surveys

The MDA does a lot of monitoring for new and emerging invasive species each year. The following is summary of 2018 surveys with results to date.

• Agricultural Pathway Survey
  • A total of 70 sites comprised of community gardens and small farms in and around urban areas were monitored in 28 counties
  • A total of 13 insects and 10 pathogens were targeted in the survey
  • Swede midge was found in Anoka County for the first time this year and was also found at two new sites in Ramsey County
  • Clubroot was found at three sites in two counties (Ramsey and St Louis)
• Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB)
  
  • 33 orchards were monitored and detections were made in five (see map below)
  • BMSB is abundant in some residential areas of the Twin Cities but was not yet at damaging levels in agricultural systems during 2018
• Exotic Woodborer Survey
  • 152 traps were monitored in 19 counties for 10 target species of woodborers
  • Samples are currently being screened
• Velvet longhorned beetle (VLB)
  • Using a newly available lure, VLB was captured at 20 sites in Richfield, Bloomington and Minneapolis during 2018
  • Studies are underway at the U of M to better understand the biology of this insect in Minnesota
• Gypsy moth
  • 20,333 traps were monitored statewide during 2018
  • 438 moths in total were captured which is the lowest total since 2006
  • 6 sites were treated totaling 26,230 acres
  • 3 sites are targeted for treatment in 2019 (Chisholm, Lakeville and Stillwater)
• Potato cyst nematode
  
  • 472 acres were sampled for potato cyst nematodes this fall and soil samples are currently being processed
• Canola
  • Traps were monitored in 9 sites in 5 counties for Swede midge in northwestern Minnesota - none found
• Corn
  • 148 fields surveyed in 30 counties for cucurbit beetle (Diabrotica speciosa), black maize beetle (Heteronychus arator), old world bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera), late wilt of corn (Harpophora maydis), Java downy mildew (Peronosclerospora maydis), brown stripe downy mildew (Sclerophthora rayssiae var. zeae), southern corn rust (Puccinia polysora), and bacterial leaf streak (Xanthomonas vasicola)
  • Old world bollworm samples are being screened, all others were not found
• Small grains
  • 125 fields in 7 counties were surveyed for wheat blast (Magnaporthe oryzae), dwarf bunt (Tilletia controversa) and wheat flag smut (Urocystis agropyri) - none found
•  Soybean
  • 89 fields in 30 counties were surveyed for soybean rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi), bean bacterial wilt (Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens), brown marmorated stink bug, Japanese beetle and cucurbit beetle (Diabrotica speciosa) - none found

Brown marmorated stink bug monitoring during 2018

Minnesota Certified Firewood

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has certified eight firewood producers in the state of Minnesota for heat treatment of firewood. Look for the logo when purchasing firewood. It means the firewood is safe to move and is free of emerald ash borer. Certified firewood producers: Emily Forest Products JN Firewood   Minnesota Firewood LLC Paul's Fireplace Wood Inc. Price Firewood Sunset Firewood Company TSL Firewood Wood Chuckers Firewood LLC

Weed of the Month

The November Weed of the Month is "Local Control of Oriental Bittersweet". Click here to learn more at the MDA website.

Call us at 888-545-6684

Email us at arrest.the.pest@state.mn.us

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