Session’s Purpose?

1. Session’s Purpose? • There are two goals to this session. • Evaluate your current practices. • Learn what changes you can easily make. • This is a self assessment. • The worksheet will not be collected. • Be honest with your answers. • Ask questions as we go along.

2. ? ? ? ? Four areas of assessment • General Crop Management • Weed Management • Insect Management • Disease Management

3. Assessment Worksheet Diagram of worksheet here. Explanation of how to fill it out.

4. Insect Management • What is Your Insect Management Philosophy • Complete Insect Control??? • Control costs < damage • Don’t control insects at all??? • Could suffer economic loss • Same insecticide treatments each year??? • Insect populations fluctuate • Keep populations below economic thresholds • Most economically and environmentally sound

5. Insect Management • Improper Identification • Can increase control costs • Can increase amount of insect damage • Can kill beneficial insects • Can lead to insecticide resistance

6. Cooperative Pest Survey Bulletin • Free from WI Dept. of Ag. • Weekly assessment of insects and diseases • Doesn’t take the place of scouting • Does remind you to scout

7. Insect Management • Scouting Records • Helps identify fields, which overtime, might need preventive controls or special treatment • Wireworm • White grub • Stalk borer • Hop vine borer

8. Insect Management • Why scout seedling corn for white grub, wireworm and seed corn maggot if rescue treatments aren’t available? • Develop field histories for preventive control measures • Identifies actual problem if you have reduced plant stands

9. Insect Management • Black cutworm scouting • Start scouting at emergence • Most susceptible fields • Corn after soybeans • Low areas of field • Weedy field • Scout at weekly intervals until V4-V5

10. Insect Management • First Generation European corn borer • Use Pest Survey Bulletin to schedule first visit • Early planted fields most susceptible • Scout at weekly intervals until threat is over • Look for “shotholing” in new leaves • Pull whorl leaves & count larvae (5% loss/larvae) • Monitor Bt corn for resistance

11. Insect Management • Second Generation European Corn Borer • Use Pest Survey Bulletin to schedule first visit • Late planted fields most susceptible • Scout at weekly intervals until threat is over • Count egg masses • Monitor Bt corn for resistance

12. Insect Management • Using European corn borer scouting information to schedule harvests • Protect against harvest losses caused by • Stalk tunneling • Stalk rots • Use information from first and second generation • Harvest heavily damaged fields first (if you have a choice)

13. Insect Management • Scouting for corn rootworm beetles can predict next years damage potential • Scout during egg laying period (mid-August to early-September) • 1-3 visits are necessary • Treat or rotate if you average > 0.75 beetles/plant

14. Insect Management • Granular Insecticides for first year corn?? • In Wisconsin, Female corn rootworms lay eggs in corn (some exceptions in IL, IN, MI)

15. Insect Managment • Using below labeled rates of Counter, Force and Lorsban to control rootworms under light to moderate populations • Up to 25% rate reduction for rootworms • Scientific data from North Central Region is encouraging • Proper calibration is a must • No product “guarantee” from company

16. Insect Management • A benefit of weed control is improved insect management

17. Insect Management • Soil Insecticide Calibration • Calibration saves $ • Don’t use book values from operators manual or insecticide label • Calibrate each row of the planter • Company reps will (want to) help

18. Insect Management • Bt hybrid selection • Based on probability of damage on your farm • Scouting data from previous years • Follow up loss estimates • 5% loss/first generation larvae • 4% loss/second generation larvae

19. Insect Management • Insect Resistance Management for European corn borer • Real concern • 20% Non-Bt Refuge, No hybrid restrictions • Refuge must be within 1/2 mile of Bt corn, 1/4 mile if you want to maintain option to spray refuge • Refuge can be treated if economically justified. If refuge areas are to be treated for corn borers, microbial Bt foliar sprays are not to be used. • IRM plant for rootworm resistant hybrids will be different

20. Disease Management

21. Disease Management • Northern Corn Leaf Blight • Anthracnose • Yellow Leaf Blight • Grey Leaf Spot

22. Disease Management • Northern Corn Leaf Blight • Anthracnose • Yellow Leaf Blight • Grey Leaf Spot

23. Where to get help for corn disease ID • County Extension Agents • UW Plant Disease Clinic & Web site http://www.plantpath.wisc.edu/pddc/ • Integrated crop and pest management website http://ipcm.wisc.edu • Cooperative Extension Publications • A3646 Pest Management In WI Field Crops • A7800603 Corn Disease I (Picture Sheet) • A7800604 Corn Disease II (Picture Sheet)

24. Disease Management

25. Seed Treatment is more than color Captan-Widely used borad spectrum contact fungicide, however, poor on pythium and very dusty. Metalaxyl-Narrow spectrum systemic fungicide with excellent activity against Pythium Fludioxonil-broad spectrum contact fungicide, very effective against Fusarium, but poor Pythium activity.

26. August Leaf diseases Insect feeding Hail injury Low soil fertility Compaction Etc. August/September High soil moisture Plant Stresses Increased Pythium Root Infection Premature plant death -rotting stalks -Lodged plants

28. Time to total your score. • Sum each category separately. • Sum each category. • Pass in your scores. DO NOT put your name on them.

29. Summary • You should have a good idea where you stand in the IPM continuum. • You should have an idea of what options you can use. • Remember to make small changes and evaluate the time, labor and profit.

30. Where to Get More Information • http://ipcm.wisc.edu/ • Wisconsin Crop Manager • Wisconsin Pest Survey Bulletin • Your local Cooperative Extension office • Consulting services, other sources

31. Insect Management

32. This program is an effort of the University of Wisconsin’s Integrated Pest and Crop Management Programswith funding provided by the Pesticide Use and Risk Reduction Project.