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Rootworm pressure to be determined
The coordinator of the Illinois Agricultural Pest Survey says it’s yet to be determined how significant western corn rootworm pressure will be this growing season.
Kelly Estes says projections are calling for this year’s rootworm hatch to occur towards the end of May.
“While numbers have been overall low across much of state for western corn rootworm,” she says, “it is something that still is really important to corn growers.”
She tells Brownfield rootworm populations can be impacted by spring weather.
“If we have that really wet, rainy, soggy soil during hatch, then we tend to see rootworm populations be lower.” She says, “So, as those larvae are underground, they really don’t get the oxygen they need, and they don’t survive that.”
Estes says winter weather conditions seem to have less impact on rootworm populations.
AUDIO: Kelly Estes – IL Ag Pest Survey
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