Wallaces Farmer

Offering sticky trap starter kits, Bayer launches second year of effort to help farmers track corn pest.

June 4, 2020

3 Min Read
Roots of corn with corn rootworm
BILLION-DOLLAR BUG: Farmers are encouraged to evaluate corn rootworm pressure to manage the pest in their fields. Farm Progress

The best defense against corn rootworm is vigilance. That’s the message Bayer is sharing while launching the second year of The Watch, a program to educate farmers and encourage them to evaluate their corn rootworm pressure and management practices. Corn rootworm is one of the top groups of insects threatening corn yields across the Corn Belt, and this program can help farmers track the pest in 2020.

“Farmers have a number of choices in corn rootworm management, but ignoring them should not be one of them,” says Jody Gander, technology development manager at Bayer. “This pest costs growers more than $1 billion annually in crop damage and increased control costs. While some areas have seen lighter pressure in recent years, corn rootworm is highly variable and now isn’t the time to relax on management. We’re challenging farmers to monitor and share their corn rootworm pressure this season as a way to showcase the very real threat in their fields.”

Plan control strategy

As corn rootworm feeds on roots belowground, it can impact yield potential and make the plants more susceptible to root lodging. While corn rootworm pressure isn’t visible early in the season, farmers can still be proactive in the months ahead through several methods.

First, planting corn hybrids with SmartStax trait technology helps control rootworm larvae, creating the first line of defense through two proven effective modes of action against both northern and western corn rootworm.

Farmers can also prepare for scouting now by requesting sticky traps via traits.bayer.com/thewatch, a resource created to help refresh corn rootworm scouting knowledge and drive action toward managing the pest. You’ll receive four sticky traps that will enable you to scout for adult corn rootworm beetles. The yellow traps are an easy way to estimate future corn rootworm populations in your fields. This kind of information will inform your trait decision, which will ultimately help you protect your fields.

Sticky trap starter kit available

Bayer is providing a sticky trap starter kit for farmers to not only track pressure in their own fields but also share information with neighbors. Through a social media contest using the hashtags #RootwormWatch and #sweepstakes, Bayer hopes to keep this potentially destructive pest top of mind for farmers all season long.

Those participating in The Watch will also have an opportunity to win prizes, including trail and outdoor cameras, monoculars, and smart watches. Farmers are encouraged to visit and request their starter kit today.

“Corn rootworm is still very prevalent and highly variable throughout the region. We want farmers to use all the resources at hand regardless of their management practices,” Gander says. “While we can’t easily see corn rootworm when it’s doing damage belowground, we can definitely track it aboveground, and we should all be diligent in doing so.”

Finally, farmers should also be tracking corn rootworm pressure throughout the season digitally via insectforecast.com. This site is dedicated to tracking hatches and beetle movement throughout the Corn Belt, helping farmers understand current and future pressures. Farmers can also track other key pests as well.

Source: Bayer, which is solely responsible for information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.

 

 

 

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