Check Your Roots

In 2015, many growers expected early-season rainfall across the Midwest to drown corn rootworm (CRW) larvae, leading to higher anticipated corn yields. In fact, reports throughout the season indicated that CRW pressure was lower than normal, except in a few areas. But as the season comes to a close, recent scouting of corn roots in Monticello, Illinois, indicates the CRW pressure may have been higher than expected.

Corn-on-corn acres can be a breeding ground for CRW because their required host, corn, is always available. Also, CRW-traited hybrids are sometimes not sufficient to protect corn against CRW in high-pressure situations. However, an insecticide combined with a CRW-traited hybrid is one of the most effective ways to deliver consistent control of CRW when pressure is high.

“It is so important for growers to scout their fields during the season to determine whether CRW is present,” says Meade MacDonald, insecticide product lead at Syngenta. “Often, you cannot truly see the difference in corn that is treated with a soil-applied insecticide until you dig up the roots. And by that time, it is too late.”

While it’s true saturated soils can reduce larval populations, overwintering rootworm eggs don’t require much oxygen and are very resistant to flooding. Barry Soliday, agronomy service representative at Syngenta, advises growers to make CRW management a top priority for 2016, even though they may think wet conditions wiped out CRW populations in 2015. Like MacDonald, he too, notes the important role a soil-applied insecticide, such as Force^®, can play.

“Besides CRW control, insecticides like Force deliver improved root growth and nutrient uptake, plus protection against pathogens and disease for optimal plant standability,” Soliday says.

Force insecticide effectively controls corn rootworm and other early-season pests. With its unique chemistry, which can be applied on traited or conventional corn acres, Force is a market leader in soil-applied insecticides, offering growers application flexibility, a low-use rate and no adverse herbicide interactions.