LITTLE ROCK — Farmers warned on early wheat planting
As winter wheat planting gets under way in Arkansas, farmers are being urged to avoid planting too early to minimize insect damage.
“This year, fall army worm numbers are extremely high across much of Arkansas,” Jason Kelley, a wheat and feed grains agronomist with the University of Arkansas System Agriculture Division, said in a news release Friday.
“I’ve gotten several calls about wheat in pastures and wildlife food plots that came up to good stands and then suddenly disappeared.”
Early-planted fields are also susceptible to Hessian fly infestations. The fly’s maggots feed on young wheat plants. Early-planted fields also risk barley yellow dwarf virus, which is transmitted by aphids.
Kelley said recommended planting dates for south Arkansas are Oct. 15-Nov.
- For central Arkansas, it’s Oct. 10-Nov. 10 and recommended planting in north Arkansas ranges from Monday through Nov. 1.
More information about wheat production is available by contacting county extension agents or online at uaex.edu or arkansascrops.com.
- Glen Chase
Entergy seeks OK for power-line sale
Entergy Arkansas filed a request Friday with the Arkansas Public Service Commission seeking approval to spin off its transmission business in the state to a subsidiary of ITC Holdings Corp.
Entergy Corp., the utility’s New Orleans-based parent, announced last December that it had agreed to sell its high-voltage power-line business in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas for $1.78 billion in assumed debt to Novi, Mich.-based ITC.
Entergy Corp. is spinning off 15,800 miles of transmission lines in the four states.
“This initiative lays the groundwork for the 21st century electric grid serving Arkansas and the region,” Hugh McDonald, president and chief executive officer of Entergy Arkansas, said Friday in a prepared statement.
- David Smith
Just 3 stocks in black as state index falls
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, fell 2.89 to 239.12 Friday.
All but three companies lost ground Friday, as the major indexes in New York also dropped.
P.A.M. Transportation Services, based in Tontitown, rose 3.1 percent in light trading.
Deltic Timber of El Dorado lost 4.9 percent in heavy trading.
For the week, 12 stocks advanced and four declined.
Fort Smith-based Arkansas Best rose 6.9 percent for the week.
First Federal Bancshares of Harrison dropped 9 percent for the week.
Index volume Friday was 18.6 million shares; the average is 23.6 million.
The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.
Business, Pages 31 on 09/29/2012