Troubleshooting (Prostko)

Now that we are about to head into the busy planting season, extension agents will likely be spending more time in the field troubleshooting problems.  As an extension specialist, I am always more than happy to help with any problem. However, it can often be very frustrating for me (and other specialists) to get sent a picture(s) with no more information than "Do you think this is herbicide injury?"  Despite my ever whitening hair, there is still plenty that I do not know and the diagnosis of crop injury is often very complicated.  Thus, before sending me a text or e-mail (I prefer e-mail pics since they are easier to see), try to get as much information as possible about the problem.  For example:

Crop:
Variety/Hybrid:
Planting Date:
Herbicide Application Dates:
Previous Crop and Herbicides Applied (what and when):
Current Fertility Program:
Other Pesticides/Products Applied:

It would also be extremely beneficial for agents to collect soil fertility and nematode samples, since nutrient deficiencies and nematode injury can often resemble herbicide injury.  Often times, the best way to solve a problem is to rule out what it is not.  For the record, many "herbicide injury" problems that I have been involved in over the last 20 years turned out to be nematode or fertility problems.

Here are just a few good web-sites for help in diagnosing field problems:

Herbicide Injury Symptoms on Corn and Soybean (Purdue)
https://www.btny.purdue.edu/Extension/Weeds/HerbInj2/InjuryHerb1.html

Peanut Herbicide Injury Guide (TAMU)
http://publications.tamu.edu/PEANUTS/PUB_peanuts_Peanut%20Herbicide%20Injury%20Symptomology%20Guide.pdf
(Special Note: I co-wrote this publication earlier in my career and since that time, I have proven that shoot inhibitor herbicides (Dual Magnum, Warrant , Zidua) do not cause peanut  J-rooting (page 5).

Herbicide Injury Data Base (University of Arkansas)
https://plants.uaex.edu/herbicide/

Herbicide Damage to Cotton (TAMU)
http://cotton.tamu.edu/Photos/herbicide_injury/index.html

Nutrient Deficiencies and Application Injuries in Field Crops (Iowa State)
https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/files/article/nutrientdeficiency.pdf

Lastly, please remember that I have always and will always answer any phone call, text, or e-mail I receive from extension agents in a timely matter!