Greetings, I have received 5 surveys to date. Additional information: 2011-crop-year-pdf
Category Archives: Field Corn
Avipel re-certification: slightly modified survey
Mr. Brown (EPA) informed Mr. Raub (VDACS) recently about the need for more data. Specifically, your answer to this question: How has the loss of lindane impacted your yields in relationship to bird depredation? I have added this question to the lower left side of attached survey. Additional information: 2011-crop-year-pdf
Avipel Section 18 for VA: re-certification with data
I have re-sent the survey instrument as a PDF document. My apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused you. Additional information: 2011-crop-year-pdf
Avipel Section 18 for VA: re-certification with data
Micah Raub (VDACS) received an email recently from Mr. Howard (EPA). Mr. Howard said,…”the Avipel Section 18 is eligible for re-certification with data.” 2010 data from grower testimonials on bird injury to their corn seed and seedlings, carried the day for approval of our 2011 Section 18 for Avipel use in Virginia. This is where you come in. Attached is the same survey instrument about bird injury used on 2010 acres, with 1 difference. Its requesting data for your 2011 corn fields that suffered from bird injury. Hopefully, we will receive re-certification of our Section 18 in time for you to use it on more than 12,600 acres in Virginia.
Additional information: 2011-crop-year-docx
Corn earworm moth trap captures for the week ending Sep. 22, 2011
Average nightly black light trap captures of corn earworm moths were as follows: Warsaw (18.7), Petersburg (6.6), Prince George (2.9), Suffolk (7.4). Pheromone traps in Virginia Beach captured a weekly total of 19 corn earworm moths at the Baker farm and 4 at the Henley farm. Additional information: blacklight-table-11-pdf
Handy Bt Trait Table: Midwest corn hybrids
This came across my desk the other day, and I hope you find it as useful as I have. The “Handy Bt Trait Table”, by Chris DiFonzo, Michigan State University, and Eileen Cullen, University of Wisconsin, has a great summary table for MidWest hybrids. The table lists the traits currently available (last updated Feb. 2011), insects controlled, and refuge size per trait. The table does not address refuge information for corn planted in cotton designated counties. That information can be obtained by checking with your supplier and/or reviewing the product use guide. Additional information: cornbttraittable-difonzo-and-cullen-2011-pdf
Results of the 2011 corn earworm moth field corn survey
Please click “More” to see Ames Herbert’s annual field corn survey for predicting corn earworm activity in other crops. Additional information: cewsurvey2011-pdf
Stink bugs in field corn
Recent reports of stink bugs feeding in the whorl of field corn have come to my attention. There was no word on what species of stink bug they were, or how extensive the damage is, but whichever stink bug it is, their piercing-sucking mouthparts can reach the growing tip of young corn plants. Insecticides labeled to control stink bugs in field corn are available and can be accessed from Virginia Tech’s Cooperative Extension Pest Management Guide for field crops. Disclosure, I don’t have any efficacy data on stink bug control in field corn. This is largely due to the sporadic nature of these pests over the years.This picture has changed with the recent invasion of the brown marmorated stink bug in Virginia. That said, I tend to lean toward FMC products Hero 15EC and Stallion 15EC, which combine two insecticides. Hero contains two pyrethroids: bifenthrin and zeta-cypermethrin and Stallion contains one pyrethriod and one organophosate: zeta-cypermethrin and chlorpyrifos. One note of caution, if you’re going to use either of these products, I recommend using the high rates, because brown marmorated stink bugs have the tendency to re-invade. Also, the next potential threat to field corn from brown marmorated, or other stink bugs, is when corn begins to enter the reproductive stage. Contact: Rod Youngman, youngman@vt.edu, 540-231-9118 (office), 540-357-2558 (cell).
Section 18 for Avipel use in Virginia – APPROVED by EPA
It’s official. EPA has approved the Section 18 for Avipel use on field and sweet corn planted in Virginia. Recall that birds need to feed on a few Avipel treated seeds before they will move on. Avipel does not kill birds. As always, if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me. Rod Youngman: youngman@vt.edu; office 540-231-9118; cell 540-357-2558; FAX 540-231-9131.
Section 18 for Avipel use in Virginia – down but not out
Greetings,
In an email I received yesterday from Micah Raub at VDACS, he said the Section 18 for use of Avipel in Virginia was returned for lack of sufficient economic justification. One of the benchmarks for EPA approval is documentation of 20% loss, which we don’t have. However, in lieu of that, grower testimonials for 2010, as many as possible, will go a long way in swaying the argument. So, I need you to fax me (540-231-9131) ASAP your full name and address including County where bird-damaged field(s) was located; field size (ac); unit cost/bag; full name of seed used; row spacing; plant population density (i.e., # seeds planted/ac); and finally, and most important — out of a ?? acre field, the number of acres that were replanted? For example, 3 of 10 ac were replanted 2 times or 10 of 10 acres were replanted 1 time, etc.. NOTE: If you don’t have all the data I’m requesting, provide what you can, and estimate to the best of your ability the rest. Remember, some data is better than no data at all.
Also, if you sustained bird losses to corn in 2010, but did not replant, please send the number of acres/field, acres damaged/field, and estimates such as what it would have cost to replant and/or yield loss costs associated with the bird-damaged acres.
The sooner I receive this information, the sooner I can send it off to Micah Raubb, who will quickly review it, and then forward on to EPA. So I encourage you to do your part in this important matter.
Thank you,
Rod