Show Jointworm Take Ten Percent Utah Wheat i I Wheat growers TS of or Utah have bave lost 10 per cent of this years year's crop orl or approximately bushels valued at not less than half a mil mu lion Ifon dollars because of oi injury d clone ne the crop during the growing seaRon sea sea- season son Ron by the wheat heat jointworm This sfa I Is the opinion of Dr Herbert J. J l j I a Pack entomologist of oC time the Utah Ex x Station who recently completed eted a survey suney of jointworm d damages in Cache Box Bos Elder bider Salt Sult Lake Tooele and Utah Uta counties Some fields visited in th these se counties counties coun coun- ties he reports probably are arc no not t f worth orth harvesting while others othora ar arc j damaged as much as 50 per rent Although he has b been En un unable ble to tn i b visit all counties of the state Dr Hr I Pack declares that reports In hand hina warrant the estimate of 10 per percent cent loss 1088 to the total wheat crop in fn Jointworm losses may bo ho avoided says saya this export through general adoption of ot the practice of plowing stubble land in the tho fall All An Anfield field fields should be plowed fall he lie urges because be be- because I be-I cause a slight infestation D majr ay become become be be- I be-I come a. a h heavy y a one if It the tho worms orm are permitted to winter in iii an unplowed d field leId If It the stubble is too too high to tobe tobe tobe be well covered by hy plowing it should be broken down by moans of or ofa ora a chain so placed as to ahead ad adoC of oC the plow Tho The Jointworm works In the Iho wheat stem and is seldom observed by tho the gro grower r who frequently tat attributes attributes at at- tributes Jointworm damage to some som e other cause The adults of oC the Dr Pack explains Ins are aro small black k wasp like insects They appear i ithe In Inthe Inthe n the spring a and nd deposit eggs egsa in th the e stems Merna of growing wheat d develop de de- clop into white or yellowish grub worms norms which eat out the tissue of oC tho the stem or cause enlargements In Continued on pago page 8 I I Jointworm Continued from tram page pago one It We Ve have at l least ast throe species s sor of or in Utah the wheat straw worm and tho the worm being the most abundant The lure wheat heat straw worms has two gener goner generations generations aleis a y year y ar The 1110 adults go goin In tho the spring from tho the old olds and lay eggs in growing wheat which usually destroys s 's the develop developing ing ins head or the entire stem stein The second genora generation lion of worms norms docs does not destroy tho the stem In they are found but hut reduces the yield of ot the wheat There Thera is but one ono generation of oC sheath worms a year Adults emerge emerge em em- erge orge from stubble in the spring and deposit their eggs in numbers inthe Inthe in inthe the leaf sheath The developing larvae cause the tho sheath to grow abnormally resulting in in ina a a. large hard gall This presses on the stem so 80 tightly that sap is prevent prevent- proy prevented mt- mt ed from flowing freely r resulting in a stunted plant with a small head Both the straw and the tho sheath worm norm pass bass the winter as immature forms In stubble If this tills stubble is plowed under in the fall the worms worms will die clip while buried during luring the tho winter However i if plowing is not done until spring the tho worms will successfully pass Ulie winter in iii the tho thoI thet t I j uncovered stubble and the adults will have emerged before the tiro land can be plowed It Is especially bad to allow wheat land to lie un- un unplowed unplowed plowed and to to grow a volunteer crop the following allowing year or to merely merely merely mere mere- ly drill the wheat in the old stub stubble e. e Under these conditions the emerging ing adults find wheat at once and I th the Infestation may mar bo ue per coat cent The Tho wheat in in these fields Is 15 lest harvest harvesting hardly hl enough to justify lug ins while the worms joint have been afforded Ideal breeding grounds s the tho Such fields are a menace to wheat industry and every effort should be made to ro reduce uce them to toa a is It is observed that Infestation usually heaviest in lat planted wheat Grain that is planted earl is 18 larger and stronger in the spring adults appear and is less when hen the liable Haule to attack and more moro able to withstand Infestation |