Periodic crop rotation out of corn can greatly reduce rootworm populations. Some newer trait packages require a smaller refuge of nonbt corn. Role of 2,4dihydroxy7methoxy1,4benzoxazin3one dimboa in the resistance of maize to western corn rootworm, diabrotica virgifera virgifera leconte coleoptera. Read more regional news about agriculture and crop production on agweb. Western corn rootworm an overview sciencedirect topics. Apply in combination with 4 oz penncapm insecticide or other insecticides. However, epa believes that other parts of the corn belt, where corn rootworm infestations are common and the use of bt corn is high, are also at risk for resistance. May also be applied as a tband with incorporation into the top oneinch of soil.
Larval susceptibility of an insecticideresistant western corn rootworm coleoptera. These areas are known as the corn rootworm red zone and include portions of iowa, illinois, nebraska, western indiana, southwestern wisconsin, southern minnesota, and eastern. Adult control for the purpose of protecting a silking ear may not be the same as beetle control for future population. However, the evolution of resistance by the western corn rootworm could cut short the benefits of bt maize. Use invite with caution in areas where adult corn rootworm organophosphate op resistance has been documented. Increase the rate to control higher rootworm populations. Northern corn rootworm extend its egg diapause from one year to 15 years. The crw bt protein, on the other hand, is a low dose insecticidal protein. Managing suspected western corn rootworm resistance in bt corn keep crop rotation in your system. Fieldevolved resistance by western corn rootworm to.
The male rootworm from this type is usually smaller and darker. It takes a larger amount of feeding before corn rootworm larva is controlled. In the case of male wcr, the black stripes often merge to the point that the entire wing cover appears black. The development of resistance to bt traits in the western corn rootworm is an ongoing problem, with. Integrated pest management of corn rootworms in north. However, scouts and farmers have noticed rebounding populations of adult corn rootworm in the landscape now, especially noting root injury to firstyear corn by northern corn rootworm. However, continuous corn production in the same field increases the likelihood of western corn rootworm infestations. Western corn rootworm pyrethroid resistance confirmed by.
Western and northern corn rootworm adults page 53, corn. Western corn rootworm adults will be collected from various locations across nebraska and other midwestern states for use in lab bioassays and to document the degree of insecticide resistance across the region. Widespread planting of bt corn places intense selection pressure on target insects to develop resistance, and evolution of resistance threatens to erode benefits associated with bt corn, such as. Corn rootworm damages corn plants growing in the field by eating the roots. Nf99367 adult western corn rootworm insecticide resistance in nebraska. Corn rootworm management update integrated crop management. Dosagemortality curves and ld 50 values were determined for each insecticide. Insecticide recommendations for corn root worm cropwatch. In addition, an insecticide applied at planting may improve control and reduce the risk of economic root damage when insect pressure is very. Scientists have engineered the corn plant so that when the corn rootworm feeds on the plant. For use only with smartbox closed handling application system. Using multiple modes of action for crw control like genss, available as wyffels rib, provides more consistent control and reduces the chances of insect resistance developing. The northern corn rootworm, on the other hand, has a green to yellow body and the female is usually the one that is larger.
Until this past year bifenthrin insecticide has been used almost exclusively for both soil applications and beetle sprays. Corn rootworm management options using soil insecticides. Northern corn rootworm numbers jumped dramatically in illinois in 2018 based on the statewide survey for that insect, though they dropped considerably in 2019 table 2. Subsequent bioassays revealed cry3bb1 resistance in these. In parts of illinois, indiana, and ohio, the western corn rootworm developed a soybean biotype that leaves corn fields to lay its eggs in other crops, rendering crop rotation ineffective. This is due, in part, to exceptionally wet spring conditions in 2014. This publication summarizes integrated pest management of corn rootworms in field corn including identification, life cycle, crop damage, field scouting, thresholds, root injury ratings, cultural control, bt corn hybrids, biological and chemical control. Rotating corn hybrids that incorporate bt traits with nonbt corn treated with a soilapplied insecticide should be considered as a strategy to slow resistance evolution, especially in areas that are currently experiencing only moderate corn rootworm pressure. Framework to delay corn rootworm resistance regulation.
We have learned several important characteristics of western corn rootworm crw control from recent reports of severe rootworm feeding on bt hybrids. The northern corn rootworm has shown extended diapause, in which eggs remain viable in the soil for several years before hatching. These reports either show some crw resistance developing iowa report or at least severe root damage present on bt hybrids that are used to control feeding larva illinois report. In the western corn belt, wcr resistance evolution to rootwormactive bt traits has increased the importance of aeriallyapplied insecticides and crop rotation as. Objective to evaluate corn response to soil rootworm insecticides in a field following soybeans. Corn rootworm management recommendations monitoring corn fields for corn rootworm crw beetles can help determine crw pressure in the subsequent year. Resistance to bt corn by western corn rootworm coleoptera. Gauge next years crw larval threat based on this years beetle numbers. Crop rotation will almost always eliminate corn rootworm. Bt resistance is especially dangerous in the parts of the corn belt that have a population of western corn rootworm that survives crop rotation by laying eggs in soybean fields.
It is not too early to make management decisions for next. The use of diverse management tactics on a farm is the best strategy to manage rootworms. In parts of iowa and south dakota, the northern corn rootworm has. Strategies for managing corn rootworm problems in rotated. Diabrotica virgifera virgifera western corn rootworm. Managing western corn rootworm resistance to bt on the. Xie ys, arnason jt, philogene bjr, lambert jdh, atkinson j, morand p, 1990.
Control may not always be optimal in op resistance areas if invite is tankmixed with methyl parathion or carbaryl. Thus, it is crucial to develop a better insect resistance management irm strategy that will delay the rate of btresistance evolution and maintain the effectiveness of bt corn. Project methods laboratory bioassays will be developed to evaluate insecticide resistance in adult and larval western corn rootworm populations. Do not apply as a surface band behind the press wheel.
The treatment threshold that are used for the protection of corn silks and decreasing the potential amount of eggs laid may be different. The western corn rootworm, diabrotica virgifera virgifera, is one of the most devastating corn rootworm species in north america, especially in the midwestern corngrowing areas such as iowa. Evolution of resistance to bt corn by western corn. Corn rootworm management update cropwatch university. Corn rootworm management has become complex as the pests ability to evolve has made crop rotation ineffective in many areas. Having demonstrated the need for corn soil insecticides, amvac offers four products for growers depending on their individual needs. Also sample corn fields that were in other crops like soybean the previous season, if beetles were observed or suspected as being present in those crops the previous year. Rotation not only eliminates that rootworm population the following season, but it has many agronomic benefits. Transgenic bt corn hybrids that produce insecticidal proteins from the bacterium bacillus thuringiensis berliner have become the standard insect management tactic across the u.
Consider a foliar spray if adult populations feeding on silks exceed 10 per plant. When economic threshold levels are reached, adult management of corn rootworm beetles may help protect yield potential for the current crop as well as decrease the amount of eggs deposited. Lastly, the southern corn rootworm has a green body that is easy to distinguish because of the black spots on its back. The fieldevolved resistance to multiple bt traits by western corn rootworm has threatened the effectiveness of bt technology. Corn rootworm beetle management background the annual economic loss to corn belt farmers from corn rootworm crw activity has been estimated to be at least one. Adults feed on corn silk, leaves and pollen of numerous plants including corn.
Corn rootworm insecticide comparison ohio state university. Highlights from migration lecture university of arizona. Bruce eisley, integrated pest management research associate. Insecticide treatments for corn rootworm larvae in field. The soybean variant western corn rootworm has evolved to lay eggs in noncorn fields. Avoid repeated use of the same insecticide products and bt corn proteins to avoid development of resistance, and maintain efficacy of these important management tools. Resistance management guidelines for bt corn require a producer to plant a refuge of nonbt corn. Where continuous sweet corn is grown, or if sweet corn is planted after field corn, treat all seed with a rootworm insecticide. Alan sundermeier, agriculture and natural resources extension agent. Fieldevolved resistance to bt maize by western corn rootworm. Extension entomologists recommend the following procedure for monitoring wcr and ncr beetles. Invite ec contains cucurbitacin, a corn rootworm specific feeding stimulantarrestant. University extension entomologists report that fieldbased western corn rootworm crw resistance to the bt toxin cry3bb1 is now found in four states, with confirmation announced recently in. If soil applied insecticides have been used continuously when planting bt rootworm corn hybrids and spraying for beetles, the rootworms could also have developed resistance to the insecticides.
Growers are encouraged to monitor cornfields for wcr and ncr adults to determine the need for a soil insecticide the following year if corn will be planted again in the field. Only a small amount of feeding is required to control corn borer larva, so control is relatively consistent and effective. Western corn rootworm resistance to plant incorporated bt proteins gmo hybrids has refocused attention. In the case of smartstax pro, scientists harnessed rnai to create a pesticide that works by silencing or turningoff the activity of a gene critical to corn rootworm survival. Males may have a uniform black area on wing covers instead of lines. Corn rootworms pests corn integrated pest management. Western corn rootworm is a key pest of maize, and in continuous maize fields it is often managed through planting of bt maize. Sample those corn fields with suspected insecticide failures or fields in which a high adult rootworm population was observed, the previous julyaugust. For corn borer, only a nonbt insecticide may be used in the refuge if targeted insects reach. For a second year in a row, corn rootworm abundance is lower than expected in iowa. Pdf nf99367 adult western corn rootworm insecticide. Pros and cons of soil insecticide use for corn rootworm. Western corn rootworm leave corn field to lay eggs in soybean or other crop fields. If you plant continuous corn, make it a point to rotate fields on a schedule every 3 to 4 years.