|
Indianapolis, Indiana
August 20, 2003
The United States Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) recently accepted a registration amendment to Herculex™ I
Insect Protection to include western bean cutworm
protection. Herculex I is the only in-plant trait on the market
that protects corn against this potentially devastating pest.
“We’re pleased to add western bean cutworm protection to our
registration to offer growers a more cost-effective investment
that’s proven to pay off at harvest,” says Dan Johnson,
Mycogen Seeds agronomy
services manager. “We’ve seen positive protection against
western bean cutworm in Herculex I hybrids during extensive
field trials. The EPA’s decision should be a symbol to growers
that this trait provides excellent in-plant pest protection.”
Herculex I hybrids are resistant to over-the-top applications of
Liberty® herbicide, offering full-season protection against a
broad spectrum of pests. This next generation Bt trait provides
outstanding protection against economically significant pests,
including European corn borer, southwestern corn borer, black
cutworm, fall armyworm and western bean cutworm, plus
intermediate suppression of corn earworm. Currently, no other Bt
product claims to control, or even suppress, western bean
cutworm. Herculex I, now more than ever, provides the
broadest-spectrum, full-plant insect protection available.
“The western bean cutworm has caused extensive damage across the
Corn Belt,” says Johnson. “They are found primarily in
Nebraska,
Iowa and Colorado and are continually shifting to regions of
South Dakota,
Kansas and Minnesota. So far we’ve observed minimal damage in
surrounding states.”
Western bean cutworm moths emerge mid-July to early-August and
begin to lay eggs within weeks. Most moths deposit eggs during
the host plant’s late whorl stage, before tasseling. After five
to seven days, the eggs hatch and larvae feed on the plant
continuously until mid-September. They begin feeding on the
tassel, then the silks and finally on the developing kernels.
Larvae tend to infest nearby plants within six to ten feet of
the original egg mass. In the winter, larvae survive in
underground chambers in a prepupal stage.
Damage from the western bean cutworm can be extensive. One
cutworm per ear can cause a loss of four bushels per acre. And,
because the larvae feed directly on the corn kernels, there is a
very low treatment threshold. “Treatment is recommended when
western bean cutworm egg masses exist on just 8 percent of corn
plants. This number drops to 5 percent in corn-for-seed fields,”
says Mike Catangui,
South Dakota
State University entomologist. “The economic threshold of
western bean cutworm on corn can be expressed as a proportion of
corn plants infested, or as an average number of egg masses per
plant. Each egg mass may contain about 50 individual eggs.”
“Besides directly consuming corn kernels, western bean cutworm
larvae may also make corn ears susceptible to grain mold fungal
infections,” warns Catangui. “Damaged corn kernels are more
susceptible to fungal infections than whole kernels both on the
field and in storage after harvest.”
Mycogen Seeds will offer 11 Herculex I hybrids for the 2004
growing season. Several Herculex I hybrids are offered with
Cruiser® insecticide and Dynasty™ fungicide seed treatments
which protect germinating seed from damage and stand loss caused
by wireworms, seedcorn maggots and secondary pests. Contact your
Mycogen Seeds sales representative or agronomist for more
information. Or, see your Mycogen Seeds dealer for local
availability. Mycogen also offers a wide selection of
conventional and biotech hybrids and varieties. You can also
visit
www.herculex.net for more information.
Mycogen Seeds is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical
Company and is an affiliate of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Mycogen
Seeds is the leader in Silage-Specific™ corn, the largest
sunflower seed producer, and a leading producer of seed corn,
alfalfa, soybeans and sorghum. |
