Insecticides

Several factors converge making corn rootworm, black cutworm and true armyworm a high concern this season.

Farmers finding dead corn plants in their fields are texting pictures to Ken Ferrie, asking for help. Some of the culprits he’s found include wireworm, the carbon penalty, rootless corn syndrome and herbicide carryover.

Farmers in some states can expect BCW damage in corn by mid-May. One larva can ruin five corn plants in a 24-hour period. Rescue treatments are most effective and economical -- not seed treatments or Bt hybrids.

Cutworm and armyworm moths are on the move, looking to lay eggs. Wireworms, grubs, flea beetles, gophers and voles are also looking to take up residence in your fields. Act now to stop them.

With nitrogen prices increasing, growers have their minds squarely on fertilizer costs. But perhaps a better consideration for growers is how to maximize the efficiency of the nitrogen they do put down.

A new pest ID app designed by Iowa State University is the first of its kind for not only insect detection, but also suggested management practices that can help farmers rid their fields of unwanted pests.

With a warmer winter across much of the U.S., winter wheat might be greening up sooner than typical. As it greens up, so do dormant weeds or newly sprouting weeds and some insect pests.

Arkansas farmer Matt Miles has seen how planting dates can not only help improve yield but also his battle against pests. Staying ahead of potential pest problems has proven to be the best line of defense.

With farmers across several states enduring drought conditions, it’s prime time for spider mites to make their move.

Slugs are an accepted part of the bill for many agriculture operations, but as numbers rise, particularly in the Midwest, producers are reckoning with a new level of damage. A mild slug presence, sheltered by increasing no till acreage, can usher in a wave of replants, major yield loss and expensive bait control.