If you farm in the Midwest, you probably dealt with some corn rootworm pressure this season — a result of large beetle populations (and overwintering of their eggs) in recent seasons. The Agrisure® Duracade trait from NK Seeds was created to help farmers safeguard their hybrids from the impact of corn rootworm. But just how effective is it in protecting corn from these damaging pests? The NK Seeds agronomy team recently conducted a series of root digs across the Midwest to see for themselves.
Roots from seven trial locations across Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska were washed and scored based on data compiled at the Syngenta Seeds research facility in Slater, Iowa, to compare hybrids with the Agrisure Duracade trait to non-treated and other rootworm-treated hybrids. Using Iowa State University’s 0 to 3 Node-Injury Scare, the Agrisure Duracade-treated plants had 0.35 damaged nodes, compared to 1.5 damaged nodes on the untreated plant; Qrome® and SmartStax® trait stacks rated similarly across locations.
Check (left), Agrisure Duracade (middle left), Qrome (middle right), SmartStax (right)
While the root dig’s results showed hybrids with the Agrisure Duracade trait demonstrated more effective corn rootworm control, effective and long-term corn rootworm management requires a multi-year, whole-farm approach, including:
- For heavy corn rootworm pressure, you’ll want to consider rotating to a non-host crop, such as soybeans, which provides the best opportunity to break the reproductive cycle of corn rootworm.
- Look at plant hybrids with multiple corn rootworm traits, including Agrisure Duracade trait stacks and Agrisure 3122 E-Z Refuge.
- Scout and evaluate the need for adult beetle control with a foliar insecticide like Warrior II with Zeon Technology®.
- If history indicates that high corn rootworm pressure may occur, consider using a multiple corn rootworm-traited hybrid and a soil-applied insecticide like Force® 6.5G.
Want to learn more about controlling corn rootworm pressure? Download a step-by-step brochure to Take Control of Corn Rootworm Management.
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