July 2006

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Cereal Leaf Beetle Update By Diana Roberts, WSU Extension The cereal leaf beetle (CLB) has been causing concern for farmers this past week (mid-June), especially in Stevens, Kittitas, and Columbia Counties and in pockets of eastern Whitman and Spokane Counties. Infested cereal crops have white tips to the uppermost leaves, giving them a frosted appearance where the CLB larvae have eaten away the upper chlorophyll layer. In some grain varieties the primary damage is midway up the flag leaves that bend over in the middle. While this sight is understandably alarming to the grower, especially if it's a brand new phenomenon, applying insecticide as a first option may not be most beneficial in the long term. First, unless there are no spring cereals in the area, most winter wheat crops should not need spraying because CLB tends to move on to the younger, more lush grains once winter wheat leaves become a little tough. At this point in the season the spring crops are more vulnerable to the pest and you should monitor them carefully. Second, be sure that the infestation level of the pest is at an economic threshold. Prior to the boot stage this requires 3 eggs or larvae per plant. Past the boot stage 1 larva per flag leaf causes a yield loss of 5 to 6 bushels/acre. Use this figure with your estimated crop income and the cost of applying insecticides to pencil out the economics for your fields. While it is tempting to spray at the first signs of the pest, eradication it is not likely to be successful. The insect are very mobile, unlike new weed species, and there are plenty more where the first ones originated. CLB has an extremely wide host range and can survive on most species in the grass family, including corn, CRP, timothy hay, wild oats and cheat grass &endash; though it is unlikely to manage your weeds for you! Any time you use insecticides you will kill the target species plus beneficial insects such as ladybird beetles that feed on CLB. In some instances the pest may then cause worse infestations the following year because its natural enemies have been eliminated. Third, we are seeing some exciting success in our biocontrol project for CLB, WSU Extension is leading a multi-agency effort to establish insect biocontrols as CLB moves across the state. Our hope is to be proactive so that CLB never becomes an overwhelming pest in grain production. However, in order to realize this goal we need the active support and cooperation of all affected farmers. Since 2002 farmer cooperators at CLB hotspots have managed field insectaries to attract CLB into a 3-acre area so that when we release the biocontrols they have heavy host populations to parasitize. As biocontrols we are using 2 wasp species that are tiny and harmless to people, pets, livestock, and other plants and animals. They lay their eggs in the larvae or eggs of CLB and prevent further development of the pest. So far the wasp that parasitizes the larval stage of CLB has been the easiest to establish, meaning that it is able to survive over winter and multiply. The disadvantage of this species is that CLB larvae live on for a while after being stung and they are able to damage crop leaves. However, once they drop to the ground to pupate the wasp larvae devour them from the inside. The parasitized CLB larvae never become adults so they do not cause further damage or reproduce. Each parasitized larva supports an average of 5 wasps, though we have found up to 26 wasp larvae inside a single CLB! This year our insectaries at Colville (irrigated) and Peone Prairie (dryland) are showing parasitism levels in the CLB larvae of over 90%. This means that for every 10 CLB larvae in the field only 1 will survive to the adult stage and the other 9 will die in pupation and yield 45 wasps. We are also surveying growers' fields beyond the insectaries to determine how far the wasps have spread. At Peone Prairie spring wheat fields 2 and 3 miles southwest (into the wind) of the insectary were 97 % and 81% parasitized, respectively. In Stevens County we actually had better parasitism levels (57% and 68%) at Chewelah 25 miles south than we found in fields immediately adjacent to the insectary. It is likely that the wasps ride wind thermals and travel long distances that way. Last year we found this wasp parasitizing CLB larvae at a WSU test plot at Farmington, 18 or 44 miles from the nearest insectaries. How do farmers determine whether they have the wasp biocontrols in their fields? Contact Diana Roberts at WSU Spokane County Extension; phone 509-477-2167 or e-mail robertsd@wsu.edu and we will arrange for someone to come and collect a sample. Or you can collect a sample of 30 to 40 CLB larvae &endash; the bigger ones are easier to dissect &endash; by clipping off the leaves they are on. Put the larvae and leaves in a 2 lb yogurt or margarine container, poke some small holes in the lid and keep them in the refrigerator until we can arrange collection. We are eager to learn how well the wasps are dispersing, so we want to receive CLB samples from across eastern Washington. Currently we have field insectaries at Nine Mile Falls, Peone Prairie, Colville, Deep Creek, Warden, and Connell, plus a new one at Dayton. What level of parasitism should the wasp achieve so the farmer need not spray? That will depend on the infestation level of CLB in the field plus the ability of the farmer to bear some risk and balance the short term benefits of insecticides with the long term benefits of the wasp. The Peone Prairie farmer did not spray the field with 81% parasitism because the infestation level was well below the economic threshold. The field with 97% parasitism had suffered more damage but when we walked it the number of CLB larvae had dropped markedly &endash; either they were washed off the plants by heavy rain or they were dropping naturally to pupate. The flag leaves in some areas of the field were showing white tips, but the farmer decided not to spray because the damage was already done and there were too few larvae remaining on the plants. We will survey these fields closely next year to determine what happens to the beetle populations and the parasitism levels. A farmer at Deep Creek had a spring wheat field where the CLB larvae were 50% parasitized. He did not want to incur the current season loss from half these larvae surviving to adulthood and causing crop damage. He decided to apply 2 to 3 passes of insecticide at the edge of the field adjacent to winter wheat where the infestation was worst. Further into the field the CLB numbers dropped off considerably and he decided spraying was unnecessary. Next year that field will be in potatoes, but we will track CLB and wasp levels in neighboring fields. Regardless of wasp parasitism levels we recommend that you scout the fields carefully for CLB. If you decide to spray for CLB, treat only the worst affected areas so that parasitic wasps and other beneficial insects survive in the rest of the field. How can farmers obtain the wasps? If you are relatively near an insectary they will probably arrive on their own, but your management decisions will affect their survival. In some areas we are at the point where farmers with wasps could collect and sell parasitized larvae. It sounds like an excellent project for enterprising farm youth or FFA and 4-H clubs! If you have further questions contact Diana Roberts. For pictures, further information on CLB and chemical management, go to www.spokane-county.wsu.edu/smallfarms/index.htm and click on the Integrated Pest Management button on the left. Watch For Brown Rot Blossom, Twig Blight Infection By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University Brown rot blossom and twig blight is a fungal disease on tree fruits including cherries, peaches, plums and prunes and their ornamental cousins. The disease causes fruit to deteriorate rapidly after picking the fruit. A brown rot blossom and twig blight-infected tree shows symptoms much earlier than harvest. You may notice the infection during bloom, explained Ross Penhallegon, horticulturist with the Oregon State University Extension Service. The petals often turn a light brown, with a water-soaked, frozen appearance sometimes mistaken for frost injury. Caused by the fungi Monilinia fructicola and M. laxa, an infected tree may show not only blossom blight, but also a twig and branch dieback. Infection continues throughout the growing season as the fruit is maturing. At harvest time, when the fruit has ripened, the disease can suddenly destroy fruit that seemed of good quality, sometimes very quickly. Surviving year to year on infected twigs, branches, old flower parts or old, dried fruit, the fungal spores are spread by wind and rain. When infected parts of the tree fall and are covered with earth, over the autumn and winter, the fungus may produce mushroom-like growths that liberate the spores in the spring. The best way to keep this disease in control is to practice good sanitation in your home orchard. If you have fruit trees, Penhallegon recommends the following list of tasks, to avoid the disease. Pick up all the old "mummy" fruit from your trees and from the ground in the fall. On peach trees, cut the badly damaged wood from the tree and burn it. During the wet seasons, after a thorough clean up, spraying might be necessary. The first application of the year is a "popcorn" spray, when the blossoms look like kernels of popcorn. The second is the open cut-off spray followed very shortly by a petal fall spray. More detailed information can be obtained in OSU Extension's online Guide to Plant Disease Control: http://plant-disease.ippc.orst.edu/intro.cfm To learn more about control measures, contact local county offices of the OSU Extension Service. To find contact information for the office nearest you, go to: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/locations.php. On the map of Oregon, click on your county. Benefits Of Eating Seafood Far Outweigh The Risks By Marlene Fritz, University of Idaho Two servings of fish a week&emdash;8 ounces raw or 6 ounces cooked&emdash;are what the American Heart Association recommends that Americans eat for optimum health. But Americans aren't eating 8 ounces of fish each week. Instead, the most recently available consumption figures indicate that Americans averaged just 5.11 edible ounces of fish per week&emdash;or 16.6 pounds per year&emdash;in 2004. At the University of Idaho, Extension educators Gary Fornshell and Rhea Lanting are angling to raise that number. Fornshell, who specializes in aquaculture, and Lanting, who emphasizes nutrition, are co-authoring a Cooperative Extension curriculum they plan to circulate to nutrition educators nationwide next year. Called "Seafood at Its Best," it examines the benefits and risks of eating fish and tells consumers how to buy, store and cook it. "Americans are not eating sufficient amounts of seafood to derive the health benefits from consuming it&emdash;and these benefits far outweigh the risks," Fornshell says. Fornshell eats salmon lox on a bagel for breakfast, tuna-fish sandwiches for lunch and trout, tilapia or sturgeon for dinner, so he knows he's not holding back those per-capita consumption figures. But he says a joint advisory on mercury and seafood issued by the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency in March 2004 left many consumers perplexed. The advisory cautioned that pregnant women, women who may become pregnant, nursing mothers and young children should not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish and should limit to 6 ounces per week their consumption of albacore or white tuna, but it also endorsed consumption of up to 12 ounces a week of shrimp, salmon, pollock, catfish, tilapia, rainbow trout and canned light tuna. Fornshell notes that the larger, longer-lived predatory fish in the first group accumulate more mercury in their flesh than the smaller, shorter-lived fish in the second group. For farm-raised rainbow trout from Idaho, Michigan, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, a North Carolina State University study documented mercury levels so low that a 160-pound person could eat up to 600 pounds a year without exceeding the EPA's stringent reference dose. "Most Americans don't understand the advisory or know for which population groups it was intended or which species are high or low in mercury," Fornshell says&emdash;and when they respond by simply reducing consumption of all seafood, they're likely making a nutritional mistake. Seafood offers a high-quality protein that contains all 9 essential amino acids, Fornshell and Lanting say. It's low in sodium and saturated fats and it's rich in vitamins, minerals and omega-3 fatty acids. "It contributes to a healthy heart and to the proper growth and development of children," Fornshell says. "It's an important part of a healthy diet." Indeed, the Harvard School of Public Health has estimated that 8 ounces of salmon each week would reduce heart-disease mortality by nearly 20,000 cases a year and incidence of stroke by 4,000 a year. Unfortunately, says Lanting, "the 'good-for-you' message doesn't command the amount of attention that food scares do." Lanting wants Americans to cast their hooks for better health and says teaching them how to cook fish&emdash;and particularly how not to overcook it&emdash;is essential. "If consumers don't know how to cook it, they're not buying it," she says. "It really takes only a few minutes for the fish to flake easily"&emdash;and when it flakes easily, it's done. Whether fish is baked, broiled, grilled or pan broiled, the 10-minute rule applies, Lanting says: for every inch of thickness, cook it at high heat for 10 minutes. Add an extra 5 minutes if it's wrapped in foil or covered in sauce. It's done when it turns opaque and flakes readily with a fork inserted into its thickest part. One of Lanting's favorite recipes is adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of olive oil and fresh or dried rosemary, oregano or dill to one foil-wrapped fillet of trout or salmon. There's not much faster food than that. Fornshell says time-saving products like fish fillets, jerkies, pates and oven- and microwave-ready fish are adding convenience for consumers, value for producers and optimism for the aquaculture industry. Because limited spring-flow supplies constrain production of Idaho's farm-raised seafood, the industry's growth depends not on producing more fish but on developing value-added products for which buyers are willing to spend more dollars. Currently, Idaho's aquaculture production and processing is valued at about $90 to $100 million in trout, tilapia, catfish, sturgeon and other seafood. Two important demographic trends should contribute to demand for seafood, Fornshell says: the U.S. is growing grayer and therefore more health-conscious, and Hispanic populations&emdash;which consume 24 percent more seafood than the national average&emdash;are increasing. "But how well the economy performs dictates to a large degree how much seafood is consumed, since most of it is consumed outside the home," he notes. "So, current gas and energy prices may have a significant impact on seafood consumption this year." Move Spring Flowering Bulbs While You Can Find Them From University of Idaho's HomeWise If your drifts or clumps of hardy, spring-flowering bulbs have grown too wide or dense&emdash;or if you simply want to relocate them to other parts of your garden&emdash;fall has traditionally been the recommended time to do that. But when Steve Love, University of Idaho Extension horticulturist, decides to transplant spring-blooming bulbs in his garden, he does it in late spring. "If you're like me, waiting until fall to reset spring-flowering bulbs results in a serious problem: I can't remember the location of the plants once the foliage has disappeared," Love says. Resetting bulbs just after&emdash;never before&emdash;their foliage has naturally browned and withered "has proven to be a very successful practice in my garden and does not seem to create any problems for the plants." When relocating bulbs, Love first angles his shovel carefully and deeply around the bulbs, lifting the entire clump and setting it down in a shady spot so it won't dry out while he works. Then, he divides the clump into single bulbs, selecting large, disease-free and undamaged bulbs for resetting in a new site. For best results, Love advises gardeners to choose new sites that are sunny, well-drained and irrigated. Generously amend the targeted area with manure, compost, peat moss or other organic matter. At the bottom of the planting hole, add some high-phosphorus fertilizer&emdash;such as 5-10-5 or bone meal&emdash;and cover it with a few inches of soil to keep it from touching the bulb. (Alternatively, mix the fertilizer with the soil you use to cover the bulbs.) Plant large bulbs&emdash;like tulips, daffodils and hyacinths&emdash;6 to 8 inches deep and small bulbs&emdash;like crocuses, squill and snowdrops&emdash;3 to 4 inches deep. Then water thoroughly. As you're resetting your bulbs, consider giving some to friends or family members who have long admired them. "Or, if your neighbor is resetting bulbs from a garden you envy, you might ask for leftovers after the job is complete," Love says. Because they're fresh, healthy and proven performers, reset bulbs "will often be in as good, or better, shape than those you can purchase." Watch For Brown Rot Blossom, Twig Blight Infection By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University Brown rot blossom and twig blight is a fungal disease on tree fruits including cherries, peaches, plums and prunes and their ornamental cousins. The disease causes fruit to deteriorate rapidly after picking the fruit. A brown rot blossom and twig blight-infected tree shows symptoms much earlier than harvest. You may notice the infection during bloom, explained Ross Penhallegon, horticulturist with the Oregon State University Extension Service. The petals often turn a light brown, with a water-soaked, frozen appearance sometimes mistaken for frost injury. Caused by the fungi Monilinia fructicola and M. laxa, an infected tree may show not only blossom blight, but also a twig and branch dieback. Infection continues throughout the growing season as the fruit is maturing. At harvest time, when the fruit has ripened, the disease can suddenly destroy fruit that seemed of good quality, sometimes very quickly. Surviving year to year on infected twigs, branches, old flower parts or old, dried fruit, the fungal spores are spread by wind and rain. When infected parts of the tree fall and are covered with earth, over the autumn and winter, the fungus may produce mushroom-like growths that liberate the spores in the spring. The best way to keep this disease in control is to practice good sanitation in your home orchard. If you have fruit trees, Penhallegon recommends the following list of tasks, to avoid the disease. Pick up all the old "mummy" fruit from your trees and from the ground in the fall. On peach trees, cut the badly damaged wood from the tree and burn it. During the wet seasons, after a thorough clean up, spraying might be necessary. The first application of the year is a "popcorn" spray, when the blossoms look like kernels of popcorn. The second is the open cut-off spray followed very shortly by a petal fall spray. More detailed information can be obtained in OSU Extension's online Guide to Plant Disease Control: http://plant-disease.ippc.orst.edu/intro.cfm To learn more about control measures, contact local county offices of the OSU Extension Service. To find contact information for the office nearest you, go to: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/locations.php. On the map of Oregon, click on your county. Tree Fruit Drop Often Nature's Way To Reduce Heavy Fruit Load By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University Home gardeners shouldn't worry if their fruit trees commonly "drop" or shed premature fruit. It is often nature's way of reducing a heavy fruit load, explained Ross Penhallegon, horticulturist with the Oregon State University Extension Service. Apples have several periods when fruit drop occurs. The first drop is right after the flower petals fall off and the fruit is tiny, and it may last two to three weeks. The dropping fruits are the ones that didn't get pollinated or the sperm cells from the pollen didn't make it to the ovary. Most fruit varieties need to be cross-pollinated by bees. Lack of pollination may be caused by cold or wet weather or honeybee decline. Also, if the flower buds are exposed to freezing weather, more fruit drop may occur. A second drop occurs once apples and pears are about the size of marbles, occurring in Oregon in late May or June, sometimes known as "June drop." Apples and pears are particularly prone to this second drop, thought to be a result of competition between fruits for resources. Underdeveloped cherries may not drop as readily as apples and pears and may stay on the tree longer before they drop. With a cool wet weather, the June drop can be very large and last a longer period of time, said Penhallegon. A mid-summer fruit drop occurs mostly in Italian-type prunes (plums). In apples, pears and cherries, mid-summer fruit drop is more unusual, unless there is a pest or disease infestation. Thinning apples and pears will prevent much of mid-summer drop. Pre-harvest drop occurs when fruit is infested with wormy pests that may cause premature ripening and fruit fall. Even though your fruit trees may drop fruit at several points during the growing season, you may still need to thin more fruit after the June drop. To get large, high quality fruits at harvest and prevent limb breakage, Penhallegon recommends thinning apples to one per cluster, about six weeks after full bloom. Each apple should be at least four to six inches from its nearest neighbor. Other tree fruits except cherries may need some additional thinning as well. As soon as some mature fruit has fallen, it is a sign that the picking season is near. Quick Summer Meals Can Mean Healthier Eating From University of Idaho's HomeWise Marnie Spencer, co-author of a University of Idaho Extension curriculum called "Meal Time in Less Time" and a registered dietitian, loves to see summer coming. With fruits and vegetables stacked high in grocers' bins and at farmers' markets, summer is the easiest&emdash;and least expensive&emdash;time for people to eat healthfully. Not counting some advance menu-planning, refrigerator stocking and food preparation, Spencer says she always has dinner on the table in 20 to 30 minutes. "It's not more time-consuming to make a weekday meal than it is to run to the fast-food restaurant&emdash;and it's certainly much less expensive," she says. "But you need to have a plan." Spencer's family&emdash;like many other Idahoans&emdash;likes to grill in the summertime. She stocks up on lean meats, poultry and fish, then marinades them in low-fat Italian dressing overnight so they're ready to hit the grill. She even marinades the vegetables that she'll toss into the grill basket. For warm-weather eating that puts on smiles and takes off pounds, Spencer offers these tips: • Cook once and eat twice&emdash;or thrice: Use leftover grilled chicken, beef or pork for fajitas, main-dish salads or sandwiches later in the week. • Make whole-grain sandwiches of lean meats and vegetables flavored with vinegar and spices. Add low-fat cheese and a little dab of mayonnaise or butter. • To help meet the goal of two cups of fruit and two-and-a-half cups of vegetables per day, wash produce as soon as you get it home&emdash;or out of the garden&emdash;so that it's always ready to eat. Pre-slice carrots, watermelons and other produce that will keep in the fridge. • Use your crockpot for ribs or roast but set it out on the deck to keep it from heating up the house. • Make a weekend sandwich bar or salad bar from leftovers. • Drink plenty of water jazzed up with a squeeze of lemon or lime. Or, choose low-fat milk. • Once the tomatoes start coming, serve them on toast with olive oil, garlic and basil or as a side to meat. Spencer notes that summer's warmer temperatures mean consumers have just one hour&emdash;not two&emdash;to get the leftovers off the table and into the refrigerator. Spencer wrote the "Meal Time in Less Time" curriculum with colleagues Laura Sant and Rhea Lanting. It's been distributed to Extension educators in 20 states and will be presented at the Society for Nutrition Education meeting in California in July.

Leafcutter Bees Aren't As Harmful As You Think From University of Idaho's HomeWise The holes along the edges of your rose leaves are perfectly circular or perfectly crescent-shaped and you are perfectly dismayed. Leafcutter bees are once again making their acquaintance with your rose bushes, wielding their razor-sharp, jaw-like mandibles and leaving behind their signature carvings. "It almost looks like someone took a pair of scissors and neatly trimmed out those holes," says Ed Bechinski, University of Idaho Extension integrated pest management specialist. He advises gardeners to "take a deep breath and know that these are simply beneficial insects that are causing inconsequential aesthetic damage to the plants and that there is absolutely nothing that legally can be used as a spray to either kill or repel them." Leafcutter bees pollinate alfalfa and other Idaho seed crops. As such, you're more likely to encounter their damage if you live near agricultural fields than if you don't. Because they also pollinate wild plants, they frequent gardens adjacent to wild lands as well. "There's not a county in Idaho where you won't find them," Bechinski says. Although leafcutter bee damage is most noticeable on roses, you'll also see it on peonies, lilacs, Virginia creeper and other plants with similarly structured and textured leaves. Fuzzy, gray and solitary, leafcutter bees airlift the leaf disks to the pencil-thick nests they build in opportune places, such as holes in fenceposts, cracks in home exteriors, pithy interiors of large-diameter plant stems&emdash;including rose canes&emdash;and the squat, tube-filled sheds-on-wheels that alfalfa seed producers provide for them. The liberated leaf pieces become the ceilings, floors and walls of the multi-decker nests the leafcutter bees build as they lay their eggs on top of one another&emdash;one egg per story&emdash;and provision each leaf-lined cell with nectar and pollen. So, while you may regret that those circles and crescents are very obviously missing from your rose leaves, you can take comfort in the exceptional good they're doing for this exceptionally good insect. "Leafcutter bee damage is more stressful to the homeowner than it is to the plant," says Bechinski. "I have never seen a case where there was so much leafcutting that it was stressful to the plant." Avian Influenza Testing & Diagnostics This fact sheet provides definitions and a description of the tests used to diagnose avian influenza (AI) in U.S. bird populations. Sample Collection Testing for the presence of AI requires that samples be taken from live birds, dead birds or the environment birds inhabit. Samples are routinely collected from wild birds, domestic flocks, live bird markets and quarantined birds. Testing Process Initial AI screening tests are performed by one of more than 45 USDA approved laboratories in the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). In the case of wild bird samples, the U.S. Department of the Interior's National Wildlife Health Center also performs initial screening tests. These labs will determine if AI virus is present and whether it is an H5 or H7 subtype. Because of the potential for H5 or H7 subtypes to mutate into highly pathogenic strains, those samples are forwarded to USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) for confirmatory testing. NVSL then conducts additional screening tests and confirmatory tests, with research assistance from USDA's Southeast Poultry Research Lab. This USDA laboratory in Ames, Iowa, is the only AI reference laboratory in the United States recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health, known as the OIE. Although there is a network of laboratories across the nation approved to conduct AI screening tests, confirmatory testing in the United States is conducted only at NVSL. Stages Of USDA Testing I. Rapid screening tests A series of AI rapid screening tests are performed that cannot differentiate between HPAI and LPAI viruses. Varieties of this test can screen for the presence of all strains of AI virus, specifically for H5 or H7 subtypes and the N1 subtype. NVSL conducts the following rapid screening tests: 1) Matrix test &endash; used to screen for AI viruses 2) H5 test &endash; used to screen for H5 subtype 3) H7 test &endash; used to screen for H7 subtype 4) N1 test &endash; used to screen for N1 subtype These results can be expected within 4-7 hours after receipt by NVSL. II. Confirmatory tests 1. Virus isolation test and H/N subtyping tests Virus isolation is the gold standard test used to diagnose AI virus infections. The virus is isolated in embryos inside chicken eggs. A series of tests follow to specifically identify H and N subtypes of the AI virus. These tests cannot determine pathogenicity. 2. Genetic sequencing test This test involves identifying the genetic sequence of the virus grown and comparing it to known AI genetic sequences. These known sequences, such as that of the highly pathogenic H5N1 AI virus, are stored in databanks. If the genetic sequence matches that of a known highly pathogenic AI virus, the sample is considered to be highly pathogenic. 3. Chicken pathogenicity test This test involves the inoculation of 4- to 8-week old disease-free chickens and observation for signs of AI for 10 days. According to the USDA and OIE, highly pathogenic AI is defined as any AI virus that is lethal for 6 or more of 8 chickens (75% mortality). Confirmatory AI test results can be expected within 5-10 days. Terminology Avian influenza (AI)&emdash;the bird flu&emdash;is a virus that infects wild birds (such as ducks, gulls, and shorebirds) and domestic poultry (such as chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese). There is flu for birds just as there is for humans and, as with people, some forms of the flu in birds are worse than others. AI viruses are classified by a combination of two groups of proteins: the hemagglutinin or H proteins, of which there are 16 (H1-H16), and neuraminidase or N proteins, of which there are 9 (N1-N9). Pathogenicity: the ability of the virus to produce disease. AI strains also are divided into two groups based upon the ability of the virus to produce disease: low pathogenic (LP) and highly pathogenic (HP). Low Pathogenic or "low path" avian influenza (LPAI): LPAI occurs naturally in wild birds and can spread to domestic birds. In most cases it causes no signs of infection or only minor symptoms in birds. These strains of the disease pose little significant threat to human health. These strains are common in the U.S. and around the world. Highly Pathogenic or "high path" avian influenza (HPAI): HPAI is often fatal in chickens and turkeys. HPAI spreads rapidly and has a high death rate in birds than LPAI. HPAI has been detected and eradicated three times in U.S. domestic poultry. HPAI H5N1 is the subtype rapidly spreading in some parts of the world. Genetic Sequence: the process of determining the individual elements that make up a specific gene. This could be equated to finding the "blueprint" of the gene. UI Publication On Freezing Seafood From University of Idaho's HomeWise With luck, you'll have the opportunity to bait a lot of hooks, catch a lot of fish or dig a lot of clams this summer, but will you reel in their delicate, fresh flavor when you actually sit down to eat them? Much depends on how you freeze and store that seafood after it's been caught. To help consumers preserve both the fish they've snared themselves and the ones they've snagged at the grocer's, the three Pacific Northwest land-grant universities&emdash;Washington State University, Oregon State University and the University of Idaho&emdash;have jointly released a publication called "Home Freezing of Seafood." Available for $1, plus shipping and handling, or downloadable for free from the Web, the publication covers preparation, packaging and freezing of fish, shrimp, crab, clams and oysters. It explains how to combat undesirable flavor and color changes, prevent freezer burn and extend the shelf life of seafood. It also describes how to freeze fish rapidly in your home freezer and how to safely thaw it. Salmon and crab can be stored for up to three months for optimal quality, the authors say, and most other home-frozen seafood can be stored for up to six months. But they add: "For really good eating, store seafood one to two months&emdash;no more. These foods deserve to be eaten at the peak of their quality." For a copy of "Home Freezing of Seafood," click on http://info.ag.uidaho.edu and select first catalog, then CALS publishing catalog. You can also order a copy by calling (208) 885-7982 or writing: calspubs@uidaho.edu. Web-Based Irrigation Calculator Tool Is Part Of Overall Energy Strategy On June 12, 2006, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced the release of USDA's "Energy Estimator for Irrigation," a Web-based calculator tool designed to help producers manage their irrigation water resources more efficiently. The tool is available at http://www.usda.gov/energytools. "Today we are providing yet another tool farmers and ranchers can use to achieve significant energy savings by modifying their irrigation systems," said Johanns. "The Energy Estimators provide real energy and cost saving solutions that support the long-term goals of President Bush's Advanced Energy Initiative and help to reduce the impact of high energy costs for farmers and ranchers." As more than 55 million acres of agricultural land are irrigated nationwide, according to USDA's 2002 Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey, proper irrigation management can result in significant energy savings for producers individually and collectively. For instance, a producer can move from a high-pressure irrigation system to a low-pressure system and save up to $66 per acre based on spring 2006 prices. Improving water efficiency by just 10 percent could reduce diesel consumption by 27 million gallons and save farmers and ranchers $55 million annually. The "Energy Estimator for Irrigation" evaluates opportunities to save on energy costs and improve efficiency of irrigation management. It allows producers to estimate the energy cost of pumping water for irrigation on their farm. Producers can select their irrigation system and their power source. Followed by well lift, pressure and price-per-unit of energy and select whether they use a flow meter, irrigation scheduling or a maintenance program. They must also select a crop from a list of commonly irrigated crops for their state, their irrigated acres and their gross application of irrigation water. Once this criteria has been entered, the producer receives an analysis of current water use, the reduced water use associated with various treatment options, as well as the energy costs and savings of these treatment options. The analysis also identifies potential energy savings that can result from carrying out the recommendations of a pump plant evaluation. USDA intends for producers to use the "Energy Estimator for Irrigation" for guidance rather than as a sole source for decision-making on irrigation water management. USDA recommends that producers take their irrigation analysis to their local USDA Service Center, extension office, irrigation or water district, or pump or utility companies for more field-specific assistance. This is the third tool USDA has developed as part of its overall energy strategy to reduce the impacts of high energy costs and develop long-term solutions for agricultural producers. On December 7, 2005, USDA released its first Web-based tool-the "Energy Estimator for Tillage"-to help farmers and ranchers calculate diesel fuel use and costs associated with various tillage practices. The "Energy Estimator for Nitrogen Fertilizer," released Feb. 24, 2006, estimates savings in nitrogen fertilizer applications and use. Since launched in December 2005 through the present, the "Energy Estimators for Tillage and Nitrogen Fertilizer" have received more than 160,000 page views from 38,000 U.S. and international visitors. The "Energy Estimator for Tillage" has received the most page views-more than 105,000 from nearly 27,000 visitors since its release. The "Energy Estimator for Nitrogen Fertilizer" has received more than 55,000 page views from nearly 11,000 visitors. Additional information about USDA's "Energy Estimator for Irrigation" can be found at http://ipat.sc.egov.usda.gov/. Additional information about the USDA Energy Initiative, including the other two estimators, can be found at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/energy. Start Next Year's Perennial, Biennial Flower Seeds In Early Summer By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University Late June and early July is the best time to start next summer's biennials and perennials from seed, advises Barb Fick, home horticulturist with the Oregon State University Extension Service. Plants including coreopsis, delphiniums, foxgloves, gaillardias, lupines, campanulas, hollyhocks, Shasta daisies, pansies, sweet Williams and dianthus all fall into this category. Starting these flowering plants from seed will save money and get you a great start on next summer's garden. By spending a dollar or two for each packet of seeds, you can produce many more plants than buying a tray of starts next spring. The plants will normally survive the winter in most Oregon climate zones, said Fick. They will resume growth in the early spring and bloom a few months later. Many of these species can be self sowing, coming up the next year from their own seeds, if gardeners let them set and disperse their seed naturally. Safe Salsa Recipes For Home Canning By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University Since most salsa recipes include a mixture of low-acid foods, such as onions and peppers, plus more acidic foods, such as tomatoes, only laboratory-tested recipes should be used to make home-canned salsa. The Oregon State University Extension Service offers a 16-page booklet, "Salsa Recipes for Canning," (PNW 395) full of tasty, safe and tested recipes for green salsa, red salsa, tomato and green chili salsa and straight chili salsa, plus taco sauce. In all the recipes, red tomatoes, green tomatoes and tomatillos may be used interchangeably and safely. Consider ordering "Salsa Recipes for Canning" off the OSU Extension Service's website. Persons may now access educational materials through a new online publications and multimedia catalog &endash; and use a credit card to order publications and have them delivered to their homes within a week. OSU Extension Service offers "Salsa Recipes" at: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/abstract.php?seriesno=PNW+395 OSU Extension offers hundreds more publications on food preservation, gardening, health, natural resources and more. To see the entire OSU Extension Service new online catalog, go to: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/. For those without internet access, request a printed catalog via the mail by calling 1-800-561-6719. Home canners can get answers to questions by calling the OSU Extension Food Safety/Preservation hotline from July 17 to Oct. 13 at 1-800-354-7319, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (except holidays). OSU Extension Family Food Education volunteers and Extension faculty and staff run the hotline. Tips For Growning Ornamental Grasses From University of Idaho's HomeWise Their intriguing motion, distinctive textures, pleasing colors and exceptional winter-time beauty have made ornamental grasses fundamental elements in Idaho landscapes, says Steve Love, University of Idaho Extension horticulturist at Aberdeen. Easily maintained, these perennial plants can be clustered in mixed borders, massed in bountiful groups, featured as solo accents or scattered throughout naturalized gardens. "Different grasses are adapted to virtually every situation, soil type and climate in Idaho," Love says&emdash;from water-conserving landscapes to backyard water features. He offers these tips for ensuring their peak performance and picture perfection: • Surround your ornamental grasses with mulch to keep the soil cool, retain moisture and improve weed control. • Give them about one-and-a-half inches of water weekly, either all at once or&emdash;if your soils are sandy&emdash;divided into shorter, more frequent watering sessions. Water less often if your varieties are drought-tolerant or if the weather has been cool and rainy. • It won't hurt and can sometimes help to apply a high-nitrogen fertilizer in spring, but grasses often need no fertilizer at all. • Cut back flower spikes and dead leaves to a height of 3-4 inches. Do this in the late fall for grasses that shatter, break or collapse during the winter or do it in the early spring&emdash;just before new growth appears&emdash;for grasses that keep their looks through the cold weather. • Since grass-killing herbicides will damage ornamental grasses right along with grassy weeds, either dig out encroaching weeds manually or wipe their leaves with a sponge that's been dipped in an herbicide like Roundup. Love says ornamental grasses are plagued by very few pests. However, mealybugs&emdash;which deposit a cotton-like substance for protection&emdash;can stunt Miscanthus grasses and prompt their premature dormancy. Mealybugs can be controlled by direct streams of water, insecticidal soap or registered insecticides. Slugs and snails can also chew on grass blades, leaving glistening slime trails in their wake; they're not likely to damage ornamental grasses significantly but can take refuge in them, so you might want to set out pet-safe baits. Several fungi may also attack ornamental grasses, causing the upper surfaces of older leaves to turn prematurely yellow, orange or brown and the plant itself to eventually decline and die. To prevent flare-ups of these rust diseases, avoid planting ornamental grasses too densely and remove all dead plant material at the end of the growing season. If it's too late for prevention and your plants are already infected with rust, try a registered fungicide. "If properly placed and well cared for, ornamental grasses can add interest and texture to the landscape that no other plants offer," says Love. "They are a good addition to any landscape in any climate." Marriage Seminar While attending a Marriage Seminar dealing with communication, Tom and his wife Grace listened to the instructor, "It is essential that husbands and wives know each other's likes and dislikes." He addressed the man, "Can you name your wife's favorite flower?" Tom leaned over, touched his wife's arm gently and whispered, "It's Pillsbury, isn't it?" Wife Vs. Husband A couple drove down a country road for several miles, not saying a word. An earlier discussion had led to an argument and neither of them wanted to concede their position... As they passed a barnyard of mules, goats, and pigs, the husband asked sarcastically, "Relatives of yours?" "Yep," the wife replied, "in-laws." The Soldier It is the Soldier, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the Soldier, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It is the Soldier, not the politicians that ensures our right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. It is the Soldier who salutes the flag, who respects the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag. If you care to offer the smallest token of recognition and appreciation for the Military, please pass this on and pray for our men and women who have served and are currently serving our country and pray for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for freedom that you enjoy. These Colors Don't Run!! A Woman's Perfect Breakfast She's sitting at the table with her gourmet coffee. Her son is on the cover of the Wheaties box. Her daughter is on the cover of Business Week. Her boyfriend is on the cover of Playgirl. And her husband is on the back of the milk carton. One Woman's Revenge "Cash, check or charge?" I asked, after folding items the woman wished to purchase. As she fumbled for her wallet, I noticed a remote control for a television set in her purse. "So, do you always carry your TV remote?" I asked. "No," she replied, "but my husband refused to come shopping with me, and I figured this was the most evil thing I could do to him legally." A Winter Dilemma One winter morning a couple was listening to the radio over breakfast. They heard the announcer say, "We are going to have 8 to 10 inches of snow today. You must park your car on the even-numbered side of the street, so the snowplows can get through." Norman's wife goes out and moves her car. A week later while they are eating breakfast again! , the radio announcer says, "We are expecting 10 to 12 inches of snow today. You must park your car on the odd-numbered side of the street, so the snowplows can get through." Norman's wife goes out and moves her car again The next week they are again having breakfast, when the radio announcer says, "We are expecting 12 to 14 inches of snow today. You must park..." Then the power went out. Norman's wife is very upset, and with a worried look on her face she says, "Honey, I don't know what to do. Which side of the street do I need to park on so the snowplows can get through?" With the love and understanding in his voice that all men who are married to blondes exhibit, Norman says... "Why don't you just leave it in the garage this time?"

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