It is amazing how a plant as sturdy and hearty as the corn plant can be toppled by such a tiny little bug. However, that is exactly what we are concerned with as corn rootworms are making their appearance in cornfields all around the country. To help combat this threat and keep farmers informed, Bayer has launched ?The Watch? for the second straight year.
Audio: Full Interview with Jody Gander of Bayer
Jody Gander is a Technology Development Manager at Bayer. He talks about the corn rootworm and the damage they do. Between control costs and damage, it can cost producers a billion dollars to fight off these little critters.
Gander says the key is all about being proactive. That means crop rotation, insecticides, or traited seeds. Nothing can halt the bug once rootworms have established. It is in that proactive spirit that Bayer is using ?The Watch? program. The program uses scouting and sticky traps to help farmers determine their plan.
Gander talks about how you can get involved with The Watch, and some incentives Bayer has for sharing your findings.
You may be asking what the thresholds are for these rootworms, and how much is too much? According to a plan developed by Iowa State University, you do not want to see more than two beetles per trap, per day in corn. In soybeans, that threshold drops to one and a half.
To learn more about The Watch, log on to the Bayer website.
