Crop specialists are advising many com growers to consider using a soil insecticide at planting this spring to protect their crop from rootworms and other spil insect pests. One relatively new, but very serious pest for Pennsyl vania producers, and those in neighboring states, is the western com rootworm. According to Dr. Dennis Calvin, extension pest spe cialist and assistant professor of entomology at Penn State, the western com rootworm has been steadily advancing eastward over the last several yean and can now be found in many fields through out Pennsylvania. “In 1987 the western com root worm frontal line was through the central part of the state, and this year the pest pushed another one third of the way eastward,” Calvin said. “The projection is that by 1989 the frontal line will advance to the southeastern portion of Pen nsylvania, the state’s largest com growing region. Several fields in Lancaster County already have a high infestation of the western com rootworm.” Calvin added that the western rootworm can cause severe dam age to crops when populations are high, particularly if dry conditions occur after root pruning takes place. “The western com root worm is considered twice as damaging as the northern root worm for several reasons,” he stated. “Because the western com rootworm generally emerges ear lier in the spring they are able to feed on younger plants that have a less developed root system. They are more prolific than the northern species, and they also feed more vigorously, enabling them to clip more roots in a shorter period of time.” Soil Insecticide Treatments Dr. Joe McGahen, long-time leader of the Penn State com club and former com extension agro nomist at Penn State, noted that protecting fields from western com rootworm is critical. “Com growers should seriously consider using a soil insecticide to control pests,” he said. “Producers can expect to see a significant yield response from using a soil insecti cide at planting. This is especially true where rootworm is a key pest, particularly the western com root worm. Fields that have the highest potential for yield response from a soil insecticide are second or more years in com and those in the fron tal area where adult beetles were present the previous year. Over the last several years we’ve seen a yield response of more than 7 per cent in com club fields where insect pressure is prevalent.” When scouting for adult north ern com rootworm beetles during the summer months, Calvin says that an average of three to four beetles per plant warrants treat ment with a rootworm insecticide the following year. The threshold level for the western com root worm is an average of one and on half beetles per plant. Don Hartzler, manager of the Union Mill Soil Service in Mifflin County, Pa., notes that growers also should consider use of a soil insecticide for treatment of other insect pests besides rootworms. “An insecticide treatment pro vides extra protection against sev eral pests including seed com maggot, wireworms, symphylans and flea beetles,” he noted. “We also recommend that growers use an insecticide if they’ve had.prob lems with cutworms in the past.” Don Baldwin, technical service Specialists Cite Benefits From and development specialist for The Dow Chemical Company notes that when planting with a granular soil insecticide, such as LORSBAN* 15G, a T-band appli cation is preferred to control root worms and other soil insects. “For control of rootworms as well as other soil insect pests, we encourage growers to apply the insecticide in a T-band,” he said. “T-banding involves applying the insecticide ahead of the press wheel and over the furrow before it’s closed. A T-band has proven to be the most effective method to apply Lorsban ISG insecticide as well as other granular insecticides in both conventional and conser vation tillage situations. “Some of the granules will fall into the open furrow and some on either side of the furrow. This enables growers to get both above-ground and below-ground pests,” he continued. According to Mike Priola, of Helena Chemical in Sussex Coun ty, Del., many of the lop com pro ducers in his region rely on soil insecticides to achieve higher pro fits. “Out top growers from west ern Maryland to the Delmarva Peninsula have regularly increased yields by including a soil insecticide in their overall crop management program,” he commented. ‘Tor example, mem bers of the Talbott County, Md., corn club have consistently achieved an eight to 10 bushel per acre increase by using a soil insec ticide. At an average cost of only $lO to $l2 per acre for the pro duct, producers get a very good return on their money considering the increased yields.” Priola notes there are four key soil insect pests that threaten com in his region. “Wiretyorm and seed com maggot are the two pre dominant species here.” he said. SETTING THE TREND Penning 100% SOLID STEEL BOD CONSTRUCTION VIMWVTT CONFINEMENT SYSTEMS INC. QUALITY for LIFE LARGE SELECTION m STOCK For Your Convenience Soil Insecticides “We’ve also had cutworm out breaks on the eastern shore of Maryland and in our higher organ ic soils in the southeast section of Delaware. Lorsban ISG applied in a T-band at planting has given us excellent cutworm, seed com Bradford County Dairy Judging The Bradford County 4-H dairy cattle judging team placed second out of 20 teams at die Penn State University Spring Dairy Catde Judging Contest recendy held at State College. Out of 90 partici pants, Terri Packard placed eighth overall and Jim Jenkins, tenth. Other participants who contri buted to the team’s strong show ing included Mike Hulslander, Amy Packard and Jeremy Braund. These youth deserve much cre dit since in order to become a Farrowing Crate maggot and wireworm control on the eastern shore. Grubs continue to be a problem primarily because of the continuous no-till practices in com followed here. Applying a soil insecticide enables growers to efficiently reduce pest populations while increasing yields.” good dairy judge youth need to learn two special skills: decide how to best place the class and team to speak clearly when they present oral reasons in defense of their placings. Dairy judging helps teach youth how to make a deci sion, since each participant had to place eight classes with four cows per class. As part of the contest each youth presented two sets of oral reasons. When youth present oral reasons they increase their speaking ability and gain confi dence in themselves. 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