Corn Borer Infestations Moving "Down Stalk"

Last week Latham’s Corn Product Specialist Nick Benson posted a video, urging farmers to walk their fields as Corn Borer infestations were spotted in Northeast Iowa.  Today he focuses again on European Corn Borer as  infestations have risen well over economic thresholds for many producers in the area.  His follow-up video further explains why it’s important to catch these pests before they move down the corn stalk.  

Click the video link for tips on how to scout beyond the whorl.  Make sure you catch your fields before pests move down the plant and “past the point of no return” for foliar-applied control methods.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEygH0vJ_HY[/youtube]

With foliar-applied insecticides, growers are able to acheive nearly an 80% kill rate.  However, when corn borers burrow into the stalk, foliar applications are no longer affective.  Growers are then left to rely merely on careful harvest and season management approaches to fight against stalk lodging, ear drop and repeat infestations.  

Post-infestation management procedures for harvest and for next season are also included in today’s video by Nick Benson.  For more information on scouting for and managing European Corn Borer, contact Latham’s Corn Product Specialist on Twitter @lathamcornguy or contact us directly at this link.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOJd0exvyVQ[/youtube]