Aggressive early cash discounts, prime minus Partner Plan financing, Visa and MasterCard payment options – we work with our customers to meet their individual payment needs.
Western Bean Cutworm - Separate the Facts from the Fear
-
Posted on February 8, 2010 by Stephen
Western Bean Cutworm (WBC) is a new insect pest of corn that has just started to show up in Ontario.
A few moths were found in 2008 and some larvae feeding has been found in 2009. No counties in Ontario are yet showing infestation or feeding levels high enough to cause economic damage (Baute, 2009).
In Michigan, the pest has been around longer with a progression curve about two years ahead of Ontario (Baute, 2009). There were some fields in Western Michigan where there were infestation levels high enough to cause economic damage for the first time in 2009. If this trend were to continue, we might reasonably expect to start to see fields or small pockets of economic damage in Ontario in 2011 and beyond. Given this, there should be minimal concern in 2010 and Western bean cutworm should not be a major factor in hybrid selection as supported by comments made by Tracy Baute. Hybrid selection should be based on the major factors that determine crop productivity and profitability such as proven performance, maturity, drydown, stalk and root strength, spring vigour, etc. As well, on-going experience in the United States indicates that Western Bean Cutworm is a sporadic insect with varying infestation levels by season.
The figure below shows trap counts for 2009 with yellow shaded counties finding larvae and purple shaded counties (Michigan) showing economic loss. As supported by results in trial after trial across Eastern Canada this year our PRIDE G3 hybrids continue to show a yield advantage versus Herculex based hybrids. This supports the trap counts that indicates this insect is still of limited concern in most areas.
Figure 1. Distribution of Western Bean Cutworm in 2009. Trap counts indicated by number; yellow shaded counties found larvae; purple shaded counties found economic loss. Source: Baute, 2009.
In terms of control, Herculex traits provide a good level but not 100% control of Western bean cutworm. PRIDE G8 hybrids that feature Genuity™ SmartStax™ provide not only superior control of the prevalent insect pests in Eastern Canada but also insects including earworm and Western bean cutworm with the advantage of only a 5% refuge requirement. PRIDE Seeds is well positioned with this platform if Western bean cutworm were to reach levels that could cause economic loss in future years. The primary and prevalent corn insects of concern in Eastern Canada are European Corn Borer and Corn Rootworm species, which should continue to be the focus of corn producers in their genetic choices as we head into 2010.
Sources:
Baute, T. 2009. Current Distribution of Western Bean Cutworm in the Great Lakes Region. http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/field/news/croppest/2009/18cpo09a3.htm Genuity™, Genuity and Design™, SmartStax™ SmartStax and Design are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. Used under licence.