CORN BREEDERS
MAKE PROGRESS
IN ROOTWORM
TOLERANCE
Greg W. Roth
Penn State Agronomy
Assistant Professor
Occasionally, I have seen or
had reports of subtle hybrid dif
ferences in tolerance to com
root worm.
In one of our insecticide stu
dies, for example, we found
(hat yields of one hybrid were
increased by 10 bushels per
acre but another apparently
overcame the damage and did
not show any benefit to the
insecticide treatment. This
hybrid apparently had an
increased level of tolerance to
rootworm damage.
Although seed companies
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' Accurately check axle and
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don’t rale hybrids for rootworm
tolerance, we do know that
some subtle differences exist.
A recent study published in
Crop Science measured some
of the progress that com breed
ers have made since the 1960 s
in improving hybrid tolerance
to feeding from the western
com rootworm. The study was
conducted by Walter Riedel I
and Paul Evenson and was a
joint project between USDA
ARS and South Dakota State
University.
In this study, researchers
evaluated com hybrids from the
19605, the 19705, and the 1980 s
under three different com root
worm infestation levels: none.
2,200 eggsAneter of row, and
6,600 eggsAneter of row. They
also evaluated these treatments
at IS, 20, or 30 thousand plants
per acre. Studies were con
ducted during a two-year
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The researchers were able to
show no difference among
hybrids from the different eras
for root damage. This indicates
there was no antibiosis, or dif
ferences in resistance to com
rootworm feeding among the
hybrids.
They also mcasufed the root Agreement (NAFTA) will
pull resistance, which Is a mea- impact com exports to Mcx
sure of the rooting strength of ico,” said Leland Behnken,
the plants, and the lodging, of upon returning from the U.S.
the plants. They found that the ' Feed Grains Council’s Maiket
root pull resistance under root- Assessment Mission,
worm pressure has been ' Behnken represented the
increasing in the newer com Illinois Com Growers Associa
hybrids. The 1980 s com tion on the mission that
hybrids also had considerably traveled to Canada and Mexico
less lodging than the 1970 s and to study opportunities to
1960 s hybrids. This was parti- increase exports,
culariy true at higher plant
populations, where the 1960 s
hybrids had more than twice the
lodging of the 1970 s and 1980 s
hybrids
Based on the results of this
study, it appears that most of
the rootworm tolerance present
in modem com hybrids is asso
ciated with larger root systems
and reduced plant lodging.
According to the authors, there
appears to be little potential that
resistance to com rootworm
feeding (antibiosis) occurs in
commercial corn hybrids.
Apparently, this resistance
exists in exotic com germ
plasm, but recent surveys have
indicated that little exotic
germplasm has been incorpor
ated into commercial hybrids.
Another surprise; all thla
performance capability
For a scale system this economi
cal, you might expect J-STAR to
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look at all you get:
• Standard 7 ft. x 10 It. platform,
sized to easily accommodate
tandem axles.
• Two models to choose from,
with 40,000 pound or 50,000
pound capacities per tandem or
single axle.
• Rugged J-STAR weigh beams
with '/> of 1% accuracy
(99 5% accurate)
• Choice of accurate, reliable scale
indicators to match your weigh
ing needs and preferences
• Shock-resistant strain gauge load
cells for long-lasting, depend
able performance
• Engineered and constructed
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demanding use.
• Portable operation, if desired,
because of the system's 12-volt
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hitch lift attachment and de
tachable ramps (40,000 pound
model only); and low-profile,
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Rugged J-STAR Scale
V Systems are constructed ol
heavy gauge structural steel
years ol
Com TMc, UnotUr Farming, 9»turdoy, March 19, m4-ip»go is
11l
WASHINGTON, D.C.
“We saw first-hand how the
North American Free Trade
According to Behnken, “We
also learned that Mexico's new
domestic agricultural policies
will create opportunities for
increased com exports to this
growing market.
“Under the terms of NAF
TA, U.S. com producers will
export 2.S million metric tons
(mmt) (98.5 million bushels) of
com to Mexico next year,”
Behnken said. “We learned
that our com will be used pri
marily in the wet milling and
tortilla industries to provide
food to the Mexican people."
Mexico’s com wet million
industry uses approximately 1
to 1.5 mmt (39.4 to 59.1 mbu)
of imported com and the tortil
la industry about 1 mmt (39.4
All this plus J-STAR’t years of A choice that gives you a proven
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working, long-lasting equipment vital Information to help you con
makes a J-STAR Scale System the sistently make better business
logical choice for your operation. decisions. The “easy weigh.’’
• Detachable ramps.
■ 3-pomt tractor hitch lift
attachment (40,000 pound
model only).
• AC/DC power converter for
stationary operation.
• Indicator stand.
I
le weigl
■f
UIPMENT _ Bg
Dispatched IJIjSj
Trucks
Producer Observes
NAFTA Impact
mbu) annually.
“The feed industry will also
use imported com. but com
occupies almost a sacred place
in Mexico’s culture as a food
grain, so this will take a little
longer.
“Another major develop
ment is the revision of Mex
ico’s domestic agricultural pol
icy,” Behnken said. “Mexico
actually has a surplus of com
this year, due to policies that
encouraged over production of
com at the expense of other
crops, but PROCAMPO will
take care of that.”
PROCAMPO is Mexico’s
new agricultural policy that
will pay producers based on the
amount of owned acreage, not
the amount or type of crop pro
duced. Mexico’s old agricul
tural policy paid producers
double the world price for
com, encouraging its produc
tion at the expense of other
crops.
“Now producers can plant
the crops most suited to their
land and climate, not those that
receive the most government
benefits,” Behnken said.
“PROCAMPO will also put
some money in the small far
mers pockets, and this is
expected to spark rural deve
lopment in Mexico."
Options and weighing versatility
0^
7 ft. by 10 It. weighing platform easily handles tandem axles
Scale indicator can be mounted in an outside environment on a
nearby building or on the optional indicator stand
• Radio-controlled remote opera
tion (Model 15 only)
• Printer (or batch or other
weighing applications
(Model IS only).
• Computer interface capabilities
(Model 15 only).