Clint Schroeder – OSU Extension

As both corn and soybeans have entered the reproductive phase of the crop cycle it is an important time to be scouting for disease and insect issues. One of the most important parts of integrated pest management (IPM) is crop scouting. When done properly it can help farmers obtain higher yields and increased profit per acre. When heading to the field don’t forget your copy of the Corn, Soybean, Wheat, and Forages Field Guide to help determine identification and threshold levels for each disease or pest. The field guide can be purchased at the extension office if you do not already have a copy.

Corn

OSU Extension conducts weekly monitoring of Western Bean Cutworm (WBC) pheromone traps throughout the state and published the data in the weekly in the C.O.R.N. Newsletter. Those results can be found here. Trap numbers have remained low for Allen County, but there has been an uptick in surrounding counties. Now is the time to scout for egg masses on the upper leaves. Select 20 consecutive plants in 5 locations of the field. If over 5% of those plants have egg masses an insecticide application is warranted. Continue reading →