If you got here via my Facebook post, then you already know what my following rant is about. If you got here the old fashioned way, then let me set the scene. Today, while at a meeting, I had to set through another conversation by industry representatives, who were trying to disguise themselves as leading experts in everything that goes on in your fields. Again today I was told just how bad Goss' Wilt was during the 2012 growing season when the facts are that the incidence of the disease was very light.
For some reason industry wants you to think that Goss' Wilt was as bad, or worse, than it was in 2011. It actually was barely to the levels of 2010. In terms of actual percentage of fields infected in 2011, the percentage was low. Yes, those that were, were sometimes devastated and the distribution of infestation was widespread in 2011, it was not "virtually in every field".
As growers, you need access to timely and accurate information about what is going on. Why are you continually bombarded with all of this BS? I think I figured it out about Goss' Wilt. It was one of two things: (1) there was a diagnosis of a production problem in your field that could not be identified and since you cannot field ID Goss' Wilt, it was used as a scapegoat for whatever the actual problem was, or (2) there was a diagnosis of a production problem in your field that someone doesn't want you to know about and since you cannot field ID Goss' Wilt, it was used as a scapegoat for whatever the actual problem was.
Am I telling you to not worry about this disease? No! The inocculum is out there and if infested, your fields could be greatly affected. Last season the environment simply was not conducive to wide spread manifestation of the disease. Will next year? I don't know. If your "expert" tells you that he has found it in your fields remember this: the actual experts (the ones who have the training, background and experience) misdiagnose Goss' about 50% of the time, as evidenced by the number of false lab results returned from the samples that they themselves sent in to confirm the infestation. Yet your industry expert can positively ID it all the time. I can tell you one thing, I cannot make a possitive field ID
Want to disprove me? Talk to the pathologists, the ones with the PhD's who have developed the procedures that have made your production as good as it is. I did. Yes, the experts did misdiagnose Goss' about half the time in the field. Yes, the disease is out there. No, it was not as big of a problem as you are led to believe in 2012. Yes, you will hear more this winter about how bad it was and yes, you will be asked to make some very expensive decisions based on some very bad and inaccurate information.
For some reason industry wants you to think that Goss' Wilt was as bad, or worse, than it was in 2011. It actually was barely to the levels of 2010. In terms of actual percentage of fields infected in 2011, the percentage was low. Yes, those that were, were sometimes devastated and the distribution of infestation was widespread in 2011, it was not "virtually in every field".
As growers, you need access to timely and accurate information about what is going on. Why are you continually bombarded with all of this BS? I think I figured it out about Goss' Wilt. It was one of two things: (1) there was a diagnosis of a production problem in your field that could not be identified and since you cannot field ID Goss' Wilt, it was used as a scapegoat for whatever the actual problem was, or (2) there was a diagnosis of a production problem in your field that someone doesn't want you to know about and since you cannot field ID Goss' Wilt, it was used as a scapegoat for whatever the actual problem was.
Am I telling you to not worry about this disease? No! The inocculum is out there and if infested, your fields could be greatly affected. Last season the environment simply was not conducive to wide spread manifestation of the disease. Will next year? I don't know. If your "expert" tells you that he has found it in your fields remember this: the actual experts (the ones who have the training, background and experience) misdiagnose Goss' about 50% of the time, as evidenced by the number of false lab results returned from the samples that they themselves sent in to confirm the infestation. Yet your industry expert can positively ID it all the time. I can tell you one thing, I cannot make a possitive field ID
Want to disprove me? Talk to the pathologists, the ones with the PhD's who have developed the procedures that have made your production as good as it is. I did. Yes, the experts did misdiagnose Goss' about half the time in the field. Yes, the disease is out there. No, it was not as big of a problem as you are led to believe in 2012. Yes, you will hear more this winter about how bad it was and yes, you will be asked to make some very expensive decisions based on some very bad and inaccurate information.
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