We have been seeing the CRW pressure increase over the last couple of years but it sure seems to be blowing up this year. Many reasons for this would include:
1. Reduction in SS traits with below ground protection.
2. Continuous corn operations.
3. Environment, two years where we have not had sufficient rains to drown these pests out.
Good news is we are identifying the problem early as the beetles are just starting to emerge from the soil.
* See Corn Rootworm Egg Hatch – Dekalb for more information on lifecycles, scouting, and identification
Call to action:
1. Immediately start scouting corn/corn acres for beetle pressure. Goal right now is to protect the silks on the plant as we are entering pollination.
* Economic threshold where an application is needed is 0.7 -1.0 beetles per plant and 10% females are ready to deposit eggs.
* See Corn Rootworm Complex – Dekalb for more information of scouting and application thresholds
2. Corn/corn acres that do not have below ground protection need to be top priority.
3. Secondary we still need to scout SS or below ground protected acres if there has been several years of continues corn/corn.