Southern rust dominated the conversation during the 2025 growing season in Iowa, forcing growers to react quickly to unexpected disease pressure. But while disease grabbed most of the attention, other problems were quietly developing in the field. Insects and weeds continued to threaten yield and grain quality, often without drawing the same level of attention.
Todd Cogdill with FMC says insect pressure in particular, expanded in parts of Iowa during the 2025 season.
Western bean cutworm has been a growing concern in recent years, but its impact increased in western and southwest Iowa last season. Cogdill says timing played a critical role in whether growers were able to successfully manage the pest.
That narrow window for control meant the consequences often showed up later in the season, not always when insects were first noticed. In many cases, the damage became apparent only after larvae had already moved into the ear.
And western bean cutworm was not the only insect issue growers faced in 2025.
Beyond insects, variable weather also complicated weed control across much of Iowa. Wet conditions made it difficult for some growers to make timely applications early in the season, allowing competition to establish before post emerge passes could be completed. That early pressure added another layer of stress in a year when multiple threats were already stacking up.
Looking back, Cogdill says the lesson from 2025 is that while disease pressure may dominate the headlines, insects and weeds can quietly take bushels if they are overlooked. For many growers, the season reinforced that even when one issue grabs the spotlight, the smaller problems still demand attention to protect both yield and grain quality.
