July 13, 2022 Issue, Page 4 of 8

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4- The Elk City News Agriculture July 13, 2022 OSU virtual fencing research advancing Bagworms with $1.4 million USDA grant David Hillock must be sprayed with broad-spectrum, contact in- Once again, bagworms secticides. Homeowners can By Alisa Boswell-Gore OSU research locations and Environmental Quality have “This virtual fencing system are popping up here and look for products containing one private ranch. Researchers shown poor grazing practic- is probably going to go com- there. They are commonly the active ingredients carba- STILLWATER, Okla. - hope to add a second private es are impacting lakes, rivers mercial within the three years found on juniper and arbor- ryl (Sevin) or malathion that Oklahoma State University ranch to the project this fall. and streams in Oklahoma,” we're doing this project,” Reu- vitae species, which seems are labeled for caterpillar researchers are taking their OSU's Department of Natural said Kevin Wagner, professor ter said. “There will be a lot of to be some of their favorite control on ornamental research on virtual fencing Resource Ecology and Manage- and director of the Oklahoma producers interested in apply- plants, though they can be plants. An arborist certified technology to the next level ment faculty have also been in- Water Resources Center, who ing it and who will have ques- found on several other spe- with the International So- this fall thanks to a $1.4 mil- volved with the project. is working on the project with tions about it, so we will likely cies as well. I even found sev- ciety of Arboriculture (ISA) lion grant from the U.S. De- “| am eager to see if the costs Reuter. “This technology will keep it as part of the manage- eral on a small potted bald should be hired to combat partment of Agriculture-Nat- and the analytics prove this improve the quality of grazing ment system at our research cypress on my back patio the bagworm infestations on ural Resources Conservation to be a viable tool for cow-calf lands, cattle production and ranch so we can answer ques- other day. large trees with tall canopies. Service. producers,” said Clay Burt- water quality as ground cover, tions producers have about it Bagworms are a species Contact your county exten- “We're looking at how man- rum, owner of Burtrum Cattle, and the amount of time cattle OSU Ag Research is Okla- of clear winged moths. The sion office for assistance aged grazing with virtual fenc- the private ranch participant. spend in critical areas will be homa's premier research and adult male develops into with locating an ISA-certi- ing can improve grazing dis- “Technology like this allows reduced.” technology development agen- the moth and the female are fied arborist in your area. tribution, pasture biodiversity me to move my herd from Other potential benefits of cy in agriculture, natural re- wingless, have no functional Remember, now is the and productivity, and wildlife wherever I am, and that could virtual fencing: sources and the life sciences. legs, eyes, or antennae, are time to control them by and pollinator habitat,” said be very beneficial to producers, Producers will have the abil- ‘This work is supported by almost maggot-like in ap- either hand picking or ap- Ryan Reuter, professor of especially if they are like me ity to implement grazing man- the Conservation Innovation pearance and will never leave plying an insecticide while range beef cattle nutrition in and have a day job in town in agement recommendations Grants program at USDA's Nat- the bag. The bags are quite the worms are small. If not the OSU Department of Ani- addition to managing a cattle more easily without building ural Resources Conservation tiny right now but will con- controlled, bagworms can mal and Food Sciences. operation.” physical fence. Service. tinue to grow as the larvae completely defoliate a plant, OSU researchers have spent ‘The next phase of research Depending on a producer's ‘This project has been fund- add fragments of the host which usually kills a host the last year studying the graz- with USDA-NRCS funding be- stocking rates, the system ed by the U.S, Environmen- plant foliage while they feed. plant like juniper. Broadleaf ing patterns of cattle through gins this fall and will involve could be more cost effective tal Protection Agency un- ‘The larvae remain in the bag, plants are not killed but may GPS-enabled collars as part of Reuter and his fellow scientists than building and maintain- der assistance agreement moving the bag across the be weakened leaving them an $800,000 Environmental using the collars to manage the ing physical fence. The cost of MX-02D00721-0 to Oklahoma twig as they feed and grow. more susceptible to attack Protection Agency grant. The grazing patterns of cattle. The technology declines over time, State University. The contents Now is the time to con- from other pests. collars allow producers to not grant also funds conducting so virtual fencing has the po- of this document do not nec- trol them. Hand picking and only see where their cattle are the same research in upland ar- tential to be even more cost essarily reflect the views and destroying each little bag For more information grazing but also manage where eas (land at a higher elevation). effective in the future. policies of the EPA, nor does is the most effective way contact Greg Hartman Beck- they graze. The collars emit “We'll have an exclusion Virtual fencing gives pro- the EPA endorse trade names to manage them if you can ham County Extension at two stages of auditory ques be- zone around the riparian area ducers the ability to exercise or recommend the use of com- reach them. If they are out of 580-928-2139 fore the final prompt of a small so they can’t get down in the grazing management in areas mercial products mentioned in reach, several pesticides are electrical stimulus. creek, and we will do some where it would be difficult to this document. labeled for control and are Oklahoma State University, A pilot project in 2019 in- rotational grazing where we build physical fence due to the Oklahoma State University, as quite effective at this very in compliance with Title VI and troduced the technology to ob- move cattle around the pas- terrain or soil type. an equal opportunity employer, young stage of the insects’ VII of the Civil Rights Act of tain initial results, Reuter said. ture to control their grazing For producers less able to do complies with all applicable federal life. If you wait until they get 1964, Executive Order 11246 Researchers observed where a patterns,” Reuter said. “We're the physical work, the technol- and state laws regarding non-dis- more mature the insecticides as amended, Title IX of the Ed- group of cattle liked to congre- going to look at whether the ogy saves them from having to crimination and affirmative ac- used will be less effective. gate for two weeks before im- water runoff quality improves build fence and manage cattle tion. Oklahoma State University Bacillus thuringiensis ucation Amendments of 1972, plementing a virtual fence and when we do that.” grazing as often in person. is committed to a policy of equal var. kurstaki (B.t.), a bacte- Americans with Disabilities Act exclusion zone on that spot for of 1990, and other federal laws ‘The team hopes to learn how Producers with outdated opportunity for all individuals and rial insecticide, is reported about 10 days. The experiment much time the cattle spend in fencing that cattle can easily does not discriminate based on to provide good control of and regulations, does not dis- resulted in a 99% success rate areas preferred by researchers get through could use virtual race, religion, age, sex, color, na- young bagworms. Also ef- criminate on the basis of race, at keeping cattle out of that versus how often they move fencing as a backup to their tional origin, marital status, sex- fective are products that color, national origin, sex, age, zone. physical fencing. into areas researchers want ual orientation, gender identity/ contain the active ingredient religion, disability, or status as ‘Through the EPA grant, Re- them to avoid. The study will It allows producers to know expression, disability, or veteran Spinosad. These insecticides a veteran in any of its policies, uter’s team studied the graz- also show how virtual fencing where all their cattle are in status with regard to employment, must be ingested by the cat- practices or procedures. This in- ing habits of cattle in riparian improves the grasslands envi- real time, which can alert pro- educational programs and activi- erpillars to achieve kill, so be cludes but is not limited to ad- zones (areas bordering bodies ronment where cattle graze. ducers to problems with their ties, and/or admissions. For more patient as it will take some missions, employment, financial of surface water). The GPS col- “Water quality reports from cattle whether they are onsite information, visit https:///eeo.ok- time to see results. Repeat aid, and educational services. lars were put into place at two the Oklahoma Department of or not. state.edu, applications may be needed References within this publica- later in the summer to keep tion to any specific commercial susceptible plants free of product, process, or service by Increase Flowers with a Bit of Deadheading bagworms. trade name, trademark, service Late in the season, large, mark, manufacturer, or other- older larvae are not as sus- wise does not constitute or im- ceptible to B.t. and spinosad. ply endorsement by Oklahoma Thus, bagworms Cooperative Extension Service. Submitting an SBA Application May Lead to Additional Disaster Assistance A US. Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loan isn’t just for businesses. Applying may offer many benefits for Oklahoma survivors who are seeking assistance. After you applied for disaster assistance from FEMA, you may have been contacted by the SBA. If you were asked to ap- ply for a low-interest SBA loan, you are encouraged to do so, even if you don’t currently need a loan. Applying with the SBA assures that all available disaster assistance options remain open to you. In fact, the SBA application may be the basis of referrals to other grant programs. ‘The SBA can help renters and homeowners replace household contents (e.g., clothing, furniture and appliances) and vehi- cles, referred to as personal property. Homeowners and rent- ers are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged By Melinda Myers ering perennial. leus to promote more compact growth. or destroyed personal property, and homeowners can apply Plants like daylilies and balloon flowers re- Late blooming, flowerless varieties and for up to $200,000 to repair or replace damage to their per- Keep your garden looking its best with a self-branching coleus hybrids reduce or quire a bit different care for a tidier look. sonal residence. If you apply for, but are denied SBA assis- bit of deadheading. Removing faded flow- Remove the individual blooms as they eliminate time spent on this task. tance, FEMA may be able to offer additional grant assistance. ers can promote repeat bloom on some fade. Once bloomed out, you can cut the Consider skipping the deadheading of late However, you must first apply for an SBA loan to be consid- plants, encourage fuller, more compact flower stem back at the base. Allowing the blooming perennials. ‘This allows them to ered for personal property assistance from FEMA. growth, and tidy up the garden. faded flowers to hang on the stem until it prepare for winter and form seedpods for If SBA determines you are eligible for a loan, you do not have Use a bypass pruner or deadheading snips is all bloomed out won't hurt the plant, it a bit of winter interest. to accept it. Nor does qualifying for an SBA loan mean you to remove faded flowers. These tools have just detracts from the plant's overall beau- are ineligible for FEMA assistance. Similarly, if the SBA de- two sharp blades like scissors. This results ty. Improve the appearance of leggy plants nies your loan application, you still may be referred to FEMA in a clean cut that closes quickly, leaving Removing fading flowers of fuchsia and with long stems and few leaves with a bit for additional grant assistance to meet your disaster-related your plant looking its best. lantana will prevent the plants from go- of pruning. Cut back further into the leafy needs ‘The type of flower will influence how and ing to seed and encourage more blooms. stem when deadheading to encourage full- SBA loans can help survivors who are uninsured or underin- where to make the cut. In general, remove Remove any berries that do form to keep er growth as well as more flowers. sured, For example, you may discover that you were under- the stem of faded blooms back to the first these plants flowering. Make deadheading part of your regu- insured for work required to repair or replace your home. An set of healthy leaves or nearby flower buds. Some plants like impatiens, cuphea and lar garden maintenance. Investing time SBA low-interest disaster loan may bridge the gap between Deadhead flowers like salvia, veronica, calibrachoas are self-cleaning. Old blos- throughout the season will help keep your your recovery costs and the settlement amount. and snapdragons by removing faded flow- soms fall off the plants as new flowers garden looking its best. With SBA disaster loans, there’s no pre-pay penalty, no cost to ers to encourage more blooms. Make cuts form, eliminating the need for deadhead- Melinda Myers has written more than 20 apply, and a grace period of up to five months before you have below the faded flower and above a set of ing. gardening books, including the recently to start paying back the loan. The bottom line is that there is healthy leaves or new flower stems. Deadhead heavy seeders like columbine to released Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, no obligation for applying for an SBA loan, only potential ben- Encourage additional blossoms and im- reduce the number of seedlings and con- 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. efits. It's important you apply as soon as possible. prove Shasta daisy's appearance by remov- tain the spread. Or allow some seeds to Survivors can contact an SBA customer service representative ing faded flowers. Prune back just above a develop if you have space to fill or want She hosts The Great Courses “How to via email at [email protected] or by phone at set of healthy leaves. lots of seedlings to transplant to new gar- Grow Anything” DVD instant video series 800-659-2955 for help applying. Survivors can also apply on- Cut the flowers of Armeria, coral bells and den beds, and the nationally syndicated Melinda's line at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov. other flowers back to the base of the flow- Allow seedheads to develop on coneflow- Garden Moment TV & radio program. My- For the latest information on the Oklahoma severe storms, er stems that arise from the foliage. This ers, rudbeckias, and other plants that pro- ers is a columnist and contributing editor tornadoes and flooding, visit fema.gov/disaster/4657. Follow improves the appearance and encourages for Birds & Blooms magazine and her web- vide winter interest and food for the birds. us on Twitter at twitter.com/FEMARegion6 and like us on more blooms on some of this type of flow- Remove flowers as they appear on co- site is www.MelindaMyers.com. Facebook at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/.