This spring has been a good one for almost all crops, but it has also been a good one for weeds and other pests, University of Idaho Extension researchers note.

As a result, UI is holding its annual Snake River Pest Management Tour June 24-25 at Kimberly and Aberdeen to focus on pest management strategies.

The tour will be offered on both days beginning at 8 a.m. at the UI College of Agricultural and Life Sciences research and extension centers in Aberdeen on the 24th and Kimberly on the 25th.

The tours will focus on the most important crops in each region, and for pest control advisors, there will be credits for certified professionals.

At Aberdeen, tour topics include:

Many segments of Idaho agriculture will be discussed during UI's Snake River tours in Aberdeen and Kimberly later this month.

•Use of Linex tank mixtures for broad-spectrum weed control in potatoes and fallow crops after Linex herbicide applications.

•Weed control and potato crop safety with Zidua herbicide.

•Results of tests with other herbicides, including TriCor, pendimethalin, Reflex, Boundary, Dual Magnum and others.

•Simulated glyphosate drift and granddaughter shepody tubers

•Litchi tomato as a trap crop for pale cyst nematodes

•Disease and insect management in cereals and potatoes update

•Weed management in sugar beets and cereals update

•At Kimberly, tour topics include:

•Sugar beet growing strategies including tillage irrigation and fertility rate on weeds and other pests.

•Coordinating  soil-active herbicides with irrigation, glyphosate application timing, and tank-mixing Betamix to control weeds in beets.

•Pre and post emergence herbicides for weed control in furrow and sprinkler irrigated dry beans.

•Using dry bean rows spacing for weed control in furrow and sprinkler irrigated crops

•Aphid and potato leaf roll virus response to potato varieties

•Interaction of hairy nightshade, green peach aphids and potato virus y in potatoes

•Updates for potato growers  about export use of CIPC, variety response  to early storage management and zebra chip

•Wireworm biology and ecology in small grains and other crops

•Comparisons of 2,4-D and dicamba formulations for broadleaf weeds and crop safety in     spring wheat

•Weed management in other crops including alfalfa and field corn.

For more information contact Aberdeen Research and Extension Center weed specialist Pam Hutchinson at [email protected] or (208) 397-4182; Kimberly Research and Extension Center superintendent Don Morishta at [email protected], or (208) 433-6616.