All offices are effective July 1. The Council also bid farewell to Paul Aasness. Aasness served the Council for nine years, including two years as Chairman. Paul, a former Representative in the Minnesota House, and his wife, Phyllis, farm near Fergus Falls with their son Peter. The rain also encourages fungi infections, which may spread quickly and knock out aphid populations in a matter of days.
Infected aphids appear fuzzy and gray in color.
U of M Entomologist Ian MacRae, based at the Northwest Experiment Station in Crookston, reminds growers that treatment thresholds are high. MacRae recommends treating only if at least 83 out of 100 tillers sampled are infested. Any tillers with aphids, keep in a bag. Toss out uninfested tillers. When you've inspected 100, count how many you have left in your bag.