INSECT MANAGEMENT OF CORN

Insect Management Of Corn

Insect management of corn in the Midwest United States

Introduction

Field corn in Midwest United States is subject to attack by many different kinds of insect pests. Some of these bugs are adept of completely decimating a maize crop. However, there is no key insect pest of corn in Midwest United Statescausing serious damage in most fields every year.

Corn is perceptive to vegetation population. As little as a 10% loss in stand will reduce yield potential. Consequently, bug administration in maize focuses more on seedling bug pests initating stand decrease than in other crops. Once maize plants are established and past the seedling stage (6+ leaf stage), maize is rather tolerant of bug injury. Corn can endure substantial leaf defoliation and some ear and kernel impairment before significant yield loss occurs. Therefore, insecticide use in field corn in Midwest United Stateshistorically has been limited and aimed mostly at soil and seedling pests.

Insect pest management in area maize consists of two approaches: (1) avoidance of bug damage by crop administration and preventive insecticide use in high-risk positions and (2) normal monitoring of the insect-pest infestations and treatment on a field by field cornerstone as required after plants have emerged. Historically low commodity prices for corn made routine preventive use of insecticides in Midwest United States a questionable practice. However, recent robust kernel charges and accessibility of reduced cost kernel treatments make active pest administration with insecticides more beneficial.

Certain crop management practices can help to minimize or prevent damage by some insects in field corn.

Good dirt situation: Good fertility, optimum dirt pH, good field drainage, irrigation and other agronomic practices that promote fast stand establishment and vigorous plant development are significant in minimizing losses from bug injury.

Crop Rotation: In general, rotation of corn with other summer plantings assists prevent the buildup of maize pests from year to year. Most maize insect pests are highly mobile and thus are not influenced by rotation. However, billbug and western corn rootworm can be controlled by crop rotation.

Plant at the suggested time: Plantings of area maize at the suggested time often get away grave damage by most insects.

Control Certain Weeds: Nutsedge, bahiagrass, and johnsongrass may enhance infestations by certain insects.

Tillage: Reduced-tillage production, previous-crop residue, sod, winter cover crop and/or heavy weed populations increases the risk of damage by soil insects. Soil insects attacking seedlings usually are worse in reduced, strip-till and no-tillage production, where residue from previous crops, cover crops or weeds remains on the soil surface. Conventionally-tilled fields following winter cover crops or winter weeds should be fallowed for at least 2 weeks before planting.

Hybrid Selection. Avigorous well-adapted hybrid will help corn tolerate injury by insects. Since 1998, hybrids encompassing the toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have been available. Different types of Bt traits are now available for control of either larvae of certain moth species or mid-season corn rootworms.

YieldGard Corn borer (YGCB), Agrisure CB can contain the same gene (Cry1Ab) with either ...