shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com October 30, 2018 • Page 5 Palmer Amaranth: A Growing Concern In South Dakota BROOKINGS, S.D. - Although Palmer Amaranth can be found in South Dakota, it is currently not wide spread. SDSU Extension staff say it may be possible to limit the scope and economic burden this weed could cause if South Dakota producers and agronomists are vigilant throughout harvest and into 2019 growing season. "If producers come across a patch of Palmer Amaranth in their fields during harvest, they should consider bypassing those areas," said Ruth Beck, SDSU Extension Agronomy Field Specialist. Beck explained that combining mature Palmer Amaranth or other pigweeds is not recommended. "However, if combine harvest cannot be avoided, leaving those areas till last will help keep from moving these weeds to other fields or spreading them further in the field where they are found," Beck said. Before leaving the infested area, harvest equipment should be thoroughly cleaned. And, to improve control measures in 2019, Beck encourages producers to make note of infested areas. "Those areas will need to be treated with a strong preplant/preemerge herbicide program and a follow-up post emerge application next year," said Paul O. Johnson, SDSU Extension Weed Science Coordinator. Using herbicides with long residuals and multiple modes of action is recommended. Field management practices to control Palmer Amaranth If Palmer Amaranth is found in a field this fall, Beck outlined some best management practices to help control the weed. No-till: Managing infested areas of the field with no-till will keep seeds on the surface where they are exposed to weather extremes and predation from birds and insects. Whereas, shallow tillage favors germination. Crop rotation: Crop rotations that include wheat, corn and milo will give producers more control options. Zero tolerance: It is recommended that producers employ a zero tolerance approach to controlling this weed. This may include hand removal of escapees. "Keeping the field clean until the crop canopies will help with control of this weed," Beck said. "Emergence will drop significantly after crop canopy." Palmer Amaranth ID tips Palmer Amaranth was introduced to South Dakota through seed, equipment, feed and manure. It is a versatile weed whose male and female parts exist on different plants, so, it needs to cross pollinate to produce seed, explained Johnson. "The process of cross pollination increases the plants genetic diversity and its ability to develop plant types that are resistant to herbicides," Johnson said. A prolific seed producer, Palmer Amaranth has the ability to germinate for an extended period during the summer, grow quickly and compete aggressively with crops for nutrients, light and moisture. It is difficult to identify Palmer Amaranth from other pigweed species when the plants are small. However, Palmer does have some unique features and these will become more obvious as the plant ages, said Gared Shaffer, SDSU Extension Weeds Field Specialist. Stem: The stem of Palmer is smooth, where other pigweeds, such as redroot pigweed has hairs. Leaves: Although waterhemp also has a smooth stem, its leaves usually have a narrow lanceolate shape versus Palmer Amaranth which has leaves that are more diamond shaped or broader across. Petiole: Another feature unique to Palmer Amaranth is a long petiole. Spiny bract: Palmer amaranth can have a spiny bract where the petiole attaches to the main stem. This spiny bract is not common in redroot pigweed or in waterhemp. "Once Palmer Amaranth develops a seed head it becomes easier to distinguish, as the terminal seed head is usually very long," Shaffer said. Krista Ehlert Is New SDSU CFR Provides Free Extension Range Specialist Class For Home Buyers BROOKINGS, S.D. - Krista Ehlert will be serving South Dakotans as the new SDSU Extension Range Specialist. "Krista's research experience will serve as valuable background when helping South Dakota's livestock producers control invasive plant species and maximize rangeland production," said Alvaro Garcia, SDSU Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Program Director & Professor. In her role as an Assistant Professor and SDSU Extension Range Specialist, Ehlert will work with other faculty and SDSU Extension staff to develop and execute programming that will contribute to sustainability of rangelands and contiguous ecosystems throughout South Dakota and beyond. Ehlert will work with stakeholders throughout the state to improve conservation and natural resource management. "Ninety percent of South Dakota was once rangeland. Today, it's down to 40 to 60 percent. We are losing a key part of what makes South Dakota, South Dakota," Ehlert explained. "I want to help find ways to increase sustainability of rangeland in South Dakota. One out of every five jobs in the state is in the agriculture industry. When you talk about rangeland management, it is integral to the state's agriculture industry." More about Krista Ehlert Krista Ehlert attributes her passion for range management to graduate research she worked on while pursuing a Master's and Ph.D. at Montana State University, which focused on ecologically based invasive plant management. "What I love about range science is it is a handson, applied science," said Ehlert, whose research projects focused on enhancing efficacy of herbicides to control cheatgrass on Montana range, pasture and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP); and optimizing efficacy of Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass, downy brome) biological control in crops and rangelands. She added that while pursuing advanced degrees, her graduate mentors Be Careful Grazing The Green This Fall BROOKINGS, S.D. - This fall, South Dakota livestock producers need to be careful when grazing the fall green up of cool season grasses. "Some areas of South Dakota have been blessed with plenty of precipitation this year, making it tempting to heavily graze cool season grasses. But, extreme diligence must be taken not to overgraze during the fall green up of cool season grasses," said Sean Kelly, SDSU Extension Range Management Field Specialist. Kelly explained that during the fall green up, cool season grasses are storing their energy reserves to ensure health through the dormant season and vigor next spring when the growing season starts again (Figure 2). Whereas, warm season grasses grow later in the season during the summer and late summer and do not get another green up in the fall of the year. Leave 6 inches Cool season grasses have two growing seasons (Figure 1). "They grow in the spring and early summer and then get another growth spurt in the fall," Kelly said. "Tremendous damage to cool season grasses can happen if they are overgrazed during the fall green up and they are unable to build those root reserves." He explained that if overgrazed in the fall, cool season plants will have less vigor the following spring and may die out completely during the dormant season. To ensure cool season grasses are not overgrazed, a best management practice is to leave at least 6-inches. "Native cool season grasses should not be grazed shorter than 6 inches in plant height," Kelly said. There are yet other benefits to leaving sufficient plant height into the dormant season. "The soil surface will be protected from erosion and will optimize snow capture during the winter," Kelly said. instilled in her an appreciation for the impact that can be made through Extension programming. "I learned that if you want to understand and solve a range problem, it is important to first connect with the people directly impacted - livestock producers. Ranchers have a direct impact on the land and they want to manage the land in sustainable and regenerative ways," she said. She is also eager to connect with the next generation of South Dakota ranchers through her work with SDSU Extension. "Ranching is part of the legacy of South Dakota. We need to find ways to increase student interest in ranching and range science. I want to work with teachers to increase knowledge and awareness of the importance of protecting rangelands and what careers are available in range science." Before joining SDSU, Ehlert was a postdoctoral fellow at Trinity College in Connecticut where she taught undergraduates and conducted research. November’s free Saturday class will be November 3rd, 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM at the Downtown Library at 200 N Dakota Ave.. in Sioux Falls. Lunch will be provided for in-person participants. Those interested can register through the calendar at www. LssSD.org or by calling 888-258-2227. Video conference is available for those unable to attend in person. To attend by video conference, you must register at least 24 hours in advance. The Center for Financial Resources’ (CFR) free Homebuyer Express class is open to anyone considering a home purchase or already in the purchase process. Topics include: personal money management; credit history review; mortgage financing and the loan process; shopping for a home; homeowner responsibilities; and predatory lending awareness. Those who have attended in the past report a higher level of confidence and comfort in moving forward with the purchase process and a reduction in anxiety over the purchase process. Attendees are welcome at any point in the purchase process. Homebuyer Express is free and open to the public. The LSS Center for Financial Resources’ Homebuyer Express series is made possible through a grant from the SDHDA Homeownership Education Resource Organization (H.E.R.O.). H.E.R.O. Why pay more? 2015 Ford Explorer XLT 4x4 Certificates of Completion are issued to participants after attending both parts 1 and 2. Required for some loan types and down payment assistance programs, the certificate may also qualify individuals for closing cost credits. The H.E.R.O certificate does not expire, so attendees can attend early in the buying process. Lutheran Social Services is a private non-profit social service agency. Last year, 61,144 lives were touched through a variety of services offered through LSS statewide. Core services offered by LSS include adoption, pregnancy counseling, foster care, kinship services, childcare & education, disaster response, mental health counseling, re-entry services, Center for Financial Resources, residential services for children & youth, alternatives to detention, independent living services for young adults, mentoring, Better Together and Center for New Americans. LSS serves people of all ages, races, faiths and economic levels with professional, confidential and affordable services. LSS services are licensed by the State of South Dakota and accredited by the Council on Accreditation. LSS is a United Way agency. 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