Benefits of early scouting

Early scouting is important for flea beetle management, as described in the previous article. Early scouting also gives growers a chance to:

  • Take a plant stand count. If the stand is limited in some way, this can help you identify steps to improve for next year. Identify any issues with seed placement that may be the result of drill settings, calibration and opener performance. Identifying these issues now will help to improve drill performance for next year. Click here for an RTL article on how to troubleshoot for drill problems.
  • Have a baseline for crop emergence and condition of the stand. If frost or some other environmental or pest damage sets back the crop, knowing what was there before the event will help growers identify the extent of damage.
  • Identify weed size and number. Determine whether to hold up seeding for a pre-seed application and what rate is appropriate given the weed sizes and species.