I caught my first earworm (Figure 1) moth in a pheromone trap last week. Earworms are very polyphagous, meaning they will eat lots of different plants. I suspect that any females that are flying are laying their eggs on wild plants of some sort and not on the seedling stage sweet corn or dent corn that…Read more about Corn Earworm[Read More]
Sweet Corn
The relatively cool weather Indiana has experienced this summer may be responsible for more observations of northern corn leaf blight (NCLB) on sweet corn than normal. The primary symptom is the cigar shaped lesion that ranges from 1 to 7 inches in length (see Figure 1). The lesions may range from tan to gray in color….Read more about Northern Corn Leaf Blight[Read More]
Catches of corn earworm moths in pheromone traps are gradually increasing. I had 18 in my trap this morning (August 18). The gradual increase is indicative of the local population emerging. We can expect them to continue to gradually increase for most of the remainder of the season. What we have not had is the…Read more about Corn Earworm[Read More]
I have seen more green stink bugs this year than at any time in my career. I have no logical explanation for their abundance. It was thought that as the invasive brown marmorated stink bug became established, it might outcompete the native stink bugs such as the green stink bug, causing numbers to decrease. However,…Read more about Green Stink Bug[Read More]
Fall armyworms have completed their annual trek from the Gulf Coast to the Midwest. Fall armyworm larvae will feed on all aboveground parts of the sweet corn plant, during all stages of growth. The damage to the foliage is much more severe than with European corn borer. Larvae will feed from within the whorl of…Read more about Fall Armyworm[Read More]
Pheromone trap catches for corn earworms continue to be very low. Again, this is a time when growers can save a lot of money and time by monitoring their pheromone traps and not spraying. I harvested untreated sweet corn on Friday, July 31, and had over 98% clean ears and the few that were damaged…Read more about Corn Earworm[Read More]
Pinney Purdue Vegetable Field Day and Sweet Corn Sampler. Thursday, August 13, 2015. 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. CDT. Pinney Purdue Ag Center, 11402 S. County Line Rd., Wanatah, IN. Plot tours include soil health management and disease suppressive soils, tomatoes and peppers in high tunnels, and sweet corn varieties. Private Applicator Recertification (PARP) Credit…Read more about Upcoming Events[Read More]
Pinney Purdue Vegetable Field Day and Sweet Corn Sampler. Thursday, August 13, 2015. 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. CDT. Pinney Purdue Ag Center, 11402 S. County Line Rd., Wanatah, IN. Plot tours include soil health management and disease suppressive soils, tomatoes and peppers in high tunnels, and sweet corn varieties. To register, contact Lori Jolly-Brown,…Read more about Upcoming Events – Pinney Purdue Vegetable Field Day and Sweet Corn Sampler[Read More]
We are again seeing a lull in pheromone trap catches of corn earworms. However, I caution sweet corn growers to remain vigilant in checking their traps. Populations can increase rapidly, especially if carried north on storm fronts from the Gulf Coast. It is also important to watch the development of the field corn around your…Read more about Corn Earworm[Read More]
In years past, the European corn borer was the most important pest of sweet corn, as well as being a pest of peppers and other vegetables. Since the advent of Bt field corn, the overall population of corn borers has been dramatically suppressed, so far that we often forget about it being a pest of…Read more about European Corn Borer[Read More]