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Vegetable grower Steve Mong
of Stow, Mass., uses a newly patented Zea-later to apply corn
oil and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to the top of an ear to
control corn earworms.
Photo by Ruth Hazzard. |
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Geographic Range: Northeastern U.S.
The methods presented in this fact sheet were developed in the Northeastern
U.S.; however, they can be used anywhere in North America where these
pests are a problem. The mix of caterpillar pests and the timing of
their infestation in corn depend upon geographic location, requiring
the use of localized IPM scouting for each pest. This method has not
been extensively tested in southern regions where corn earworm over-winters
and pressure may be greater than in the Northeast.
Introduction
When customers flock to markets in search of sweet corn, they want
it to be of the highest quality -- sweet, fresh and worm-free. Yet,
in ecological or organic production of sweet corn, achieving worm-free
corn is one of the most difficult challenges. In the Northeast,
three major caterpillar pests -- corn earworm, European corn borer,
and fall armyworm -- invade ears and cause ugly feeding damage.
Without effective controls, it is impossible to produce high quality
corn throughout the season.
This fact sheet discusses an integrated strategy for controlling
these three caterpillar species using methods that meet current
organic certification standards. Any grower interested in methods
that are safe for the applicator and the environment may be interested
in this approach. The components of this strategy are 1) monitoring
to determine pest pressure and need for treatment and, if necessary,
2) a direct treatment of each ear with a microbial or botanical
insecticide carried in vegetable oil to control corn earworm, 3)
Trichogramma releases and/or foliar applications of Bacillus thuringiensis
(Bt) or spinosad to control European corn borer and/or 4) foliar
applications of Bt or spinosad for fall armyworm control.
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