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It's Time to Check Whether Corn Rootworm Management Worked

June 26, 2023
Accumulated soil degree days map.

Corn rootworm egg hatch in Iowa typically occurs from late May to the middle of June, with an average peak hatching date of June 6 in central Iowa. Development is driven by soil temperature and measured by growing degree days (GDDs). Research suggests about 50% of egg hatch occurs between 684-767 accumulated GDDs (since January 1; base 52°F, soil). Most areas within Iowa have reached peak egg hatch for corn rootworm (Figure 1), and we have heard several reports of folks finding larvae by digging roots in cornfields.

Crop: 

Join the Corn Rootworm Adult Monitoring Network in 2023

May 19, 2023 11:03 AM
Blog Post

Western and northern corn rootworms are serious corn pests in Iowa and the Corn Belt. These pests readily adapt to management tactics, especially in continuous corn production. The larvae consume corn roots, thereby reducing nutrient and water uptake, and cause stalk lodging. The adults may also feed on above-ground parts of the plant, including silks and pollen, which may interfere with pollination.

2022 Regional Corn Rootworm Monitoring Network Report Available Online

January 13, 2023 8:23 AM
Blog Post

Last year was the second season of an organized, regional corn rootworm monitoring effort with the Corn Rootworm IPM working group. This working group was formed to address regional concerns as corn rootworm populations continue to overcome Bt corn hybrids and become more challenging to manage. The working group is composed of university, industry, and government personnel from 11 U.S. states and 5 provinces in Canada.

Use sticky traps to monitor corn rootworm beetles this summer

July 22, 2022 12:44 PM
Blog Post

Western and northern corn rootworms are serious pests of corn throughout the Corn Belt (Photo 1). We recommend that farmers scout every cornfield every year, regardless of the management tactic(s) used, to evaluate management decisions and prepare for next year. It is a good idea to scout for larvae early in the season, assess root injury when larval feeding wraps up, and monitor adults later in the season.

Assess roots now to evaluate corn rootworm management strategies

July 12, 2022 2:24 PM
Blog Post

Western and northern corn rootworm are serious pests of corn throughout the Corn Belt. We recommend that farmers scout every cornfield every year, regardless of the management tactic(s) used, to evaluate management decisions and prepare for next year. It is a good idea to scout for larvae early in the season, assess root injury when larval feeding wraps up, and monitor adults later in the season. Corn rootworm adults have started emerging throughout Iowa, which is an excellent time to evaluate root injury.

Corn Rootworm egg Hatch Behind Schedule this Year

June 21, 2022
Accumulated soil degree days in Iowa.

Corn rootworm egg hatch in Iowa typically occurs from late May to the middle of June, with an average peak hatching date of June 6 in central Iowa. Even with recent warm temperatures, hatching is a bit delayed this year due to cool spring temperatures. Development is driven by soil temperature and measured by growing degree days (GDDs). Research suggests about 50% of egg hatch occurs between 684-767 accumulated GDDs (since January 1; base 52°F, soil).

Crop: 

Join the Corn Rootworm Adult Monitoring Network in 2022

May 16, 2022 1:53 PM
Blog Post

Western and northern corn rootworms are serious corn pests in Iowa and the Corn Belt. These pests readily adapt to management tactics, especially in continuous corn production. The larvae consume corn roots, reducing nutrient and water uptake and causing stalk lodging. The adults may also feed on above-ground parts of the plant, including silks and pollen, which may interfere with pollination.

2021 regional corn rootworm monitoring network summary available

January 27, 2022 9:47 AM
Blog Post

In 2021, we initiated the first year of the regional corn rootworm monitoring network with the Corn Rootworm IPM working group. This working group was formed to address regional concerns as corn rootworm populations continue to overcome Bt corn hybrids and become more challenging to manage. The working group is composed of university, industry, and government personnel from at least 12 U.S. states and 5 provinces in Canada. We worked together last spring to develop a few shared objectives for the corn rootworm monitoring network:

Join the Corn Rootworm Adult Monitoring Network

May 20, 2021 1:49 PM
Blog Post

Western and northern corn rootworms are serious corn pests in Iowa and the Corn Belt, primarily due to their feeding habits but also because they can overcome nearly all management tactics available to farmers. The larvae tunnel into and consume corn roots, thereby reducing nutrient and water uptake and causing lodging. The adults may also feed on above-ground parts of the plant, including silks and pollen, which may interfere with pollination.

Don’t wait for your corn to go down

July 18, 2020 11:30 AM
Blog Post

With several severe weather events in Iowa this month, reports of lodged corn are coming our way. Often times, a small part of the field is flattened and would be difficult to see from the edge. I encourage you to get out into cornfields and see how your stands look this month. In some cases, using a UAV camera to scan large fields is helpful. Evaluating root injury and adult activity is helpful for determining future management decisions.

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