OSU Extension Williams County to Monitor Corn Pests and Pathogens
OSU Extension Williams County will be monitoring for Western Bean Cutworm (WBC) moths again during the 2022 growing season.
Moths are trapped by placing pheromone traps (see picture) at the edge of corn fields throughout the county, and checked on a weekly basis beginning late June and proceeding through August.
The WBC monitoring program is a state-led initiative to better understand insect populations, and develop management recommendations for growers. Each week, WBC numbers will be published in the C.O.R.N. newsletter. Williams County WBC numbers will also be published on this blog on a weekly basis. (Farm name and location is NOT shared with WBC numbers).
New this year, OSU Extension Williams County will also be collaborating with State Specialist Dr. Pierce Paul to monitor spore movement of the fungal pathogen that causes Tar spot in corn. Traps will be placed at the edge of corn fields and then analyzed by the corn pathology lab in Wooster to count the number of spores present. This will help answer the question of how this pathogen spreads and will improve Tar spot management strategies. Fields that have been affected by Tar spot in the past are preferred.
If you are interested in hosting a WBC bucket trap or Tar spot spore trap in one of your corn fields in 2022, please call ANR Educator Stephanie Karhoff at 419-636-5608 by April 1 with field location.