By Clint Thompson
Proper sanitation of fields will reduce insect infestations and disease pressure. That’s the message Ayanava Majumdar, Extension Professor in Entomology and Plant Pathology at Auburn University, wants Alabama producers to understand as they transition from one season to the next.
“The first thing for any grower or any crop is making sure farmers have cleaned up the summer crop and any residue. They need to start out with good sanitation practices which include cleaning up your crop residue so insects like vine borers and some of the others that stay in the soil don’t haunt them again,” Majumdar said. “Sanitation is very important. Weed control, it’ll be a good time to get control on the weeds. I know some places in Alabama may get frost after Nov. 15 or so, but if they already have weeds, the need to quickly control them. Weeds serve as a continuum for insects and diseases.”