Workshop Offers Insect Management Advice Under Low Crop Prices, Bt And Insecticide Resistance

 

Corn and soybean growers, and those who advise them, often have insect management questions for which the correct answer is, "It depends."

 

Insecticide resistant populations increase the difficulty of soybean aphid management decisions. Which insecticide group should be used? What about a pre or tank mix? Will seed treatments or earlier applications help? 

 

The current low crop prices have encouraged some growers to reduce input costs by minimizing rootworm and/or corn borer Bt traits. Sometimes these hybrid decisions are made with limited knowledge of risk of loss to corn yield or harvest-ability. Effective soybean aphid control and managing corn rootworms and corn borers without Bt means that the best decision can vary by geography, grower, farm, and even field.

 

To help with these complicated decisions, Dr. Bob Koch, Dr. Ken Ostlie and Bruce Potter will hold a workshop designed to help participants work through their corn and soybean insect management decisions. This workshop will use a question and answer and case-study approach. They will provide management dilemma scenarios and will also include your own "real world" examples.

 

The workshop will be held at the University of Minnesota SWROC near Lamberton, MN on Tuesday, February 28th from 1:00 to 4:00 to PM. They will be spending minimal time on lectures so bring your questions. There is no charge for the meeting, but please contact Bruce (bpotter@umn.edu) to register and if you have any questions.