Abilene Reporter-News from Abilene, Texas • Page 74

AGRI-VOICE By J.I. Smith IPM Can Help Farmers and Environment Have you heard of IPM? It slands for "Integrated pest management" something which should be of particular Interest to peanut producers in the Big Country. IPM represents a joint effort of peanut farmers teaming willi the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station to develop an insect control system that cuts crop losses and insccli- cide cosls bul is actually beneficial lo the overall environment. Instead of shotgunning a peaiwl field with regular and massive spraying in an attempt lo get all insecls, farmers may now take precise aim at two of the most serious economic pests. Other bugs are left to natural control by predators, diseases and parasites.

J.W.- Smith peanut insect specialist, said chemical over-use and weather conditions paved the way for a perfect environment for population outbreaks of certain secondary or occasional pests. An example was the insecticide resistance developed by the spider mite populations by 1970 which increased to epidemic stages. Also on the bandwagon were corn car- worms, arniyworins, and cutworms all in huge numbers. Smith said the insecticide nils-use had created insect problems of greater' scope than the original ones. SMITH AND HIS associates discovered that of 35 potential peanut pesls, two actually reached frouWesome economic rank the cornstalk borer and the burrowing bug.

Others were normally kept in check by natural biological control. "So without insecticides to upset the balance of nature," Smith said, "it was possible to reduce the pest species to just two." Of course those two can't remain uncontrolled. Is where IPJI comes, in. Smith said that since most of the pests were found in peanut foliage, and the corn borer and burrowing bug live in the noil, the scientist found methods to apply Insecticides only to the ground. In irrigated peanuts, granular insecticide is applied.

The particles sift through Iho leaves and fall lo the ground and are there, activated by irrigation water. How about dryland peanuts? In this case, one may use liquid insecticide sprayed with special apparatus inat aims the chemical at the ground around the plant. "Spraying the insecticide under the foliage onto the soil ilocs not obliterate natural control of foliage feeders," Smith said. "Also, lower insecticide dosages could be used since there was little loss as compared to spraying over the row whore the foliage acted as an umbrella." RESULTS IN Frio Counly were very'good. Smith said the burrowing bug had been a terror there.

Farmers, wilh the help of the Experiment Station and Extension Service, set up a scouting program that gives them an (tfca of pest densities. Insecticides are now applied in that county only (lie burrowing bug builds up to a parlicular estimated population Instead of routine spraying which had been done In previous years, more Smith said that using 1970 as a base, the producers averaged $17 return for each dollar invested in 1971 and $20 return in 1972. Another good result was that use of insecticides was reduced 35 per cent in 1971 and another 26 per cent in 1972. The cornstalk borer is the big culprit in the West Cross Timbers area here, "IPM results have also been very effective. farm Conservation Program Gets Funds WASHINGTON (AP) The Agriculture Department responded on Monday to court orders and reinstated a full million 'allocation to'a 1973 Farm Conservation program once terminated by the Nixon administration.

Under the plan called The Rural Environmental Assistance Program of REAP, farmers can gel federal assistance for carrying out approved projects on their land. The department initially announced REAP spending in 1973 at J140 million although Congress had.set the figure at 5225.5 million. Biit a few months later, in December USDA suspended the program entirely after an esli- mated $12, to 515 million had' been spent or committed. A U.S. District Court late! last year, acting on a petition seeking restoration of funds, reversed the termination.

Last month department officials indicated Ihey probably would restore only the original 5140 million for HEAP in 1973. Officials said. Monday, however, the court order had been interpreted as meaning the full amount authorized by- Congress. Thus, an additional million will be.available to.help fanners pay for projects under the 1973 program. Save now on Great American Lead Crystal by Fostoria Special Special limited time savings on assorted giffware items during this gtft giving season.

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9.00 Sale 7.20 Sef of 4 Salf Dips reg 9.00 Safe 7.20 6" Footed Vase reg 8 .00 Sale 6.40 See them today in pur collection of Fostoria, 2iO ClTWiS Poflc Free North 3rd Pine esm LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) Coyotes roaming around and in this atomic hill city are bolder with humans tfian coy- olcs arc supposed to be, Police see them on city in early morning hours. "They'll come, rjght to the car, just like a pel dog. They aren't afraid of people at all," said Police Sgt. J.R.

Keane. They've feven been known to attack ducks on tlio city pond around which World War II scientists gathered to put together the world's first atomic bomb. "They (coyotes) have really gotten quite bold the last year or so," Keane said. Now they've gotten too bold, and some residents are angry. Two girls in sleeping bags in the front yard of one of fteir homes on the outskirts of the city were attacked this past weekend and are undergoing a painful series of rabies test shots.

One, Chris Conn, 12, was bitten on the shoulder and hand. Marie Springer, 12, received multiple bite cuts. "I can name incident after Incident of people and animals attacked by coyotes here lately," one of the James R. Conn, who is an engineer at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. are run into tfteir houses" by coyotes, he said.

The menace puzzled animal experts. George Anderson of the state Game and Fish Department said ttiat In 34 year's with the department he had never heard of a coyote attacking a human before. "1 can't figure out what's happening," Anderson said. He theorized the behavior might be attributed to (he en- croachment of humans into the former habitats of animals, hack of predator food, and the government's predator control laws that restrict the methods available lo kill coyotes. fs'ew Mexico ranchers have been complaining for s-t time that they're being overrun by coyotes since the gov- District Conservationist Assigned to Snycfer Office SNVDER-Erwin A.

Pavlik, who served as district conservationist for the Soil Conservation In Columbus since 1968 has been promoted to district for the Snyd'er Field Office. Assisting the Upper Colorado Soil and Water Conservation District. Pavlik was an SCS soil conservationist on the Edna Field Office staff from 1961 to 1968. Prior to working for the Soil Conservation Service, Pavlik taught school at Scbulenbwg and Nazareth. A jiative of Weimar, Pavlik is a 1957 graduate of Texas AM University, where he majored in agricultural education.

He is a member of the Soil Conservation Society of America, was president-elect chairman for the Texas Ihe Mid-Gulf Coast Chapter cil-SCSA. annual photography of the SCSA, and is stale competition. eminent' made them stop using poisons as part of Iheir control program. Conn described (lie attack. on bis daughter and her companion, the daughter of Mr.

and Mrs. Thomas E. "The girls were in Ihe bags In the Springers' front yard. The parents' bedroom is in the back part of the house. "Chris said (he girls 'were awakened by the coyote creeping around them.

She told Marie just to get down inside her sleeping bag and cover up until he left. "But even though Maria wis covered up, the animal started ripping and tearing at the bag and biting "Chris got out of her big and tried to fighl off the animal, but it would just bite at her and come hack and attack Maria more. She had biles on her head, neck, back, arms and legs. The givis screaming and finally a neighbor, heard their- yells and came running" outside to see what was happening. "The neighbor said the coyote backed off when it saw him.

But it just walked cut into the middle of the street and calmly stood there, just watching to see what would happen." Pecan Meeting Slated in K-City KNOX CITY-A'pecan'and'' peach production meeting is slated at the Knox City High School vocational agriculture a at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, according to County Extension Agent Herman 11. Collier. Emory P. Boring, area ext i entomologist from Vcrnoti, will present i lion on insect control.

George McEachern, extension horlicullurisl from Col Jege Station, will discuss pe-" can and peach tree establishment and management, and: conduct a method demonstration on pecan grafting and; budding. 8-A THE ABILENE REPORTER-NEWS Abilene, Texas, Tuesday Morning, April 9, 1974 ERWIN A. PAVUK district conservationist TERMITES? tester Manp6rty PEST CtWROL StRViCt It's good to know that when you sign The other name says "First National" What are you looking for in a checking account? Convenience? At'First National Bank, you can checking account deposits and even order checks twenty-four hours a day, every day, with our night other conveniences. Service? At First National, you have a host of helpful people ready to give you every assistance. Low Cost? First National offers four different ways to save money on your checking account.

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