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Don’t let corn rootworm steal your yield: Bayer launches The Watch 2025 - Free scouting tools and expert guidance help farmers tackle one of corn’s costliest pests
St. Louis, Missouri, USA Corn rootworm remains one of the most damaging pests in U.S. corn production, causing an estimated $1 billion in losses each year. To help farmers get ahead of this underground threat, Bayer is launching its eighth year of The Watch, a farmer-first program that offers free tools, education and expert support to monitor corn rootworm pressure and make proactive management decisions. “Corn rootworm is a yield-robbing pest that attacks at every stage of its life cycle — from larvae feeding on roots underground to adult beetles above ground,” said Safeer Hassan, Bayer technical product lead for corn traits. “When root systems are compromised, the plant’s ability to take up water and nutrients suffers, leading to reduced yield potential and increased vulnerability to other stresses.” Often, corn rootworm damage goes unnoticed until it’s too late. “There’s no reliable in-season rescue treatment once larvae are feeding below ground or adult beetles are present, so proactive monitoring is critical,” Hassan added. “Farmers need to understand their corn rootworm pressure so they can adjust their management practices to achieve the best yield potential. If you don’t know your pest pressure from last year, you’re at greater risk.” What The Watch Offers By joining The Watch in 2025, farmers can gain a deeper understanding of corn rootworm life cycles and how to manage pressure through the season and beyond. The program delivers timely updates, expert insights and proven scouting methods like sticky trap placement. A key feature is the free* Corn Rootworm Pressure Starter Kit, available now through July 7, which includes sticky traps to monitor beetle activity and gather valuable data to inform future trait and treatment decisions. “It’s critical that we help raise awareness around corn rootworm and empower farmers to act early,” Hassan said. “The Watch is about equipping farmers with what they need to help make informed decisions, protect their fields and maximize their yield potential — not just this season but for years to come.” Join the #RootwormWatch Social Media Contest This year, Bayer is also launching the #RootwormWatch social media contest, giving participating farmers a chance to win a premium portable electric cooler. After receiving their free kit and setting up sticky traps, farmers can enter by:
Key Dates for The Watch 2025
The Crop Science division of Bayer offers cutting-edge corn trait solutions to help manage corn rootworm. SmartStax® PRO with RNAi Technology is an industry leader for high-pressure environments, delivering more than double the root protection compared to competitor products** in medium to very high corn rootworm pressure environments. For farmers facing low to moderate corn rootworm pressure or additional threats like corn earworm or western bean cutworm, VT4PRO™ with RNAi Technology provides another powerful option. Don’t wait until it’s too late — know your pressure and protect your yield potential. Join The Watch, request your free starter kit and access tools to help defend your crop: traits.bayer.com/thewatch. *NoPurchNec. Ends 7/7/25. Open to U.S. commercial corn farmers, 21+. Full rules, eligibility, restrictions, and details at https://traits.bayer.com/thewatchofficialrules. **94 2021-2023 Bayer Trials in the corn belt (CO, KS, NE, IA, IL, OH, ND, SD, MN, WI & NM) in low to high CRW pressure environments (as shown by a Node Injury Score on 0-3 scale of 0.5-3.0 in the non-CRW traited check). Products tested were in the 95-115 RM range with comparable trait packages. More news from: Bayer CropScience LP (U.S.) Website: http://www.bayercropscience.us Published: May 6, 2025 |
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