It’s January once again, and that means it’s time for the Peanut Grower’s Pesticide Guide. The guide continues to include sections on identifying common diseases, insects and weeds found in peanuts. Pest management begins with correct identification of the problem. This information is reviewed and updated by experts in their fields.
Peanut Grower Editor
As farmers, you know who to go to for good, accurate information. We hope Peanut Grower is part of the mix that includes Extension agents, state Extension specialists and your crop consultants.
I was reminded recently of where not to get accurate information: Facebook. A lady posted a picture of a bug on a window screen and asked what kind of bug it was. The answers that came flooding in were so astonishingly wrong.
I knew exactly what insect was perched on the screen. It was a leaffooted plant bug. My credentials for this answer? State winning FFA Vegetable Judging Team from, well, some years ago now.
My knowledgeable response was lost in the cacophony of answers ranging from assassin bug to the most popular answer: stink bug. It was painful to watch the absurdity unfold.
Eventually, I recommended that the next time the Facebook poster needed a pest identified, she should contact the Extension office or one of our local Extension Master Gardeners because there were many more wrong answers than correct ones. Before I could finish posting this advice, another vote for “stink bug” popped up. Bless their hearts.
As this peanut season gets underway, here’s hoping 2020 will be a great year on your farm with good weather, few pests and correct answers when you need them.
