Scouting for Insects, Diseases & Weeds
Insects
Black Cutworms and Fall Armyworms have created some problems this year, especially in fields planted with cover crops ahead of corn. Continue to scout your fields with greater concern paid to weedy areas or late planted corn. Adding an insecticide to a spray program may be cost effective, especially in continuous corn. It also is worth doing some root digs to determine root damage from Corn Rootworm (CRW). Miller Hybrids has some adult corn rootworm traps to allow you to see the corn rootworm pressure you may have in rotated fields. Contact us at 319-656-2532 or shoot us an email at info@millerhybrids.com if you would like to participate in this monitoring program.
Diseases
The many windy days we have experienced may have brought disease spores from the South, and disease spores are also prevalent in decaying tissue. Be sure to continue to scout and monitor disease favoring conditions. Fungicide costs are a great investment, especially if the crop is in good condition and has a high yield potential. It also adds an extra level of drought tolerance. Many of our top producers have seen a nice return on investment by using fungicides. This is especially true in high yielding fields that are either corn-on-corn or which are planted to conventional corn. Low lying fields are more vulnerable as well as fields planted to less disease susceptible varieties with high top-end yield potential. Insecticides can be mixed with fungicides, but it is important to follow the correct protocol for fields near bee hives.
Weeds
Carefully monitor weed pressure and try to spray corn for weeds before they exceed 4” tall, as weed pressure can have a dramatic impact on potential corn and soybean yield. If using Liberty® herbicide, use drops if corn is above knee high. A good herbicide with residual control of water hemp is recommended. Miller Hybrids is one of only a few companies that continue to carry elite Liberty Link corn including 2 new varieties with corn borer and rootworm genes, plus a Liberty only refuge variety.
We now have multiple soybean herbicide options to control Waterhemp and other troublesome weeds which often tolerate Roundup®. Our feature herbicide tolerant soybean platforms are Enlist® E3 and LibertyLink® GT27® and we will also offer Xtend® beans in 2020. The use of safened 2,4-D products Enlist One® or Enlist Duo® with Colex D® technology worked very well for weed control this year and impressive new genetics are now available for Enlist E3 soybeans. The Liberty Link GT27 platform has proven high yielding varieties that can be sprayed with Roundup® and Liberty®. It carries tolerance to a new HPPD/Group 27 herbicide (once approved) that can be used as burndown and pre-emergence applications for extended, early-season and broad-spectrum weed control with residual activity. Approval in IL, IA and NE is likely this year.
-Bob Miller
President/Owner