St. Louis, Missouri, USA
August 6, 2010
Advanced corn technology offered by Stewart Seeds has demonstrated an impressive defense in southern Indiana against corn earworm, a pest that is extremely difficult to control with traditional insecticides.
Stewart Seeds agronomist Brian Denning conducted a test plot in Vanderburgh County this season that experienced heavy corn earworm infestation. Stewart Seeds corn hybrids containing Monsanto’s Genuity® VT Triple PRO™ and Genuity® VT Double PRO™ trait technologies with in-plant corn earworm protection showed little to no earworm feeding. In contrast, Bt corn without in-plant corn earworm protection had significant feeding on the corn ears.
“The difference was striking,” said Denning. “The kernels on the corn with Genuity® corn traits were fully developed without damage, compared to significant feeding and kernel damage on the other corn ears.”
Multiple generations of corn earworm can invade corn fields from spring through September, causing the most damage when they synchronize with the corn silking. Female moths lay their eggs on corn silks or green leaf tissue near the ear. When the larvae hatch, they move rapidly down the silk channel to feed on the ear tips or midsection of the ear. Just three damaged kernels per ear can add up to a yield loss of about one bushel per acre.
Based in Greensburg, Indiana, Stewart Seeds is a regional seed company marketing corn, soybean and wheat in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. The company offers farmers all three Genuity® corn traits – Genuity® SmartStax™, Genuity® VT Double PRO and Genuity® VT Triple PRO – that provide multiple modes of action to control a broad spectrum of insect pests, including corn earworm.
Genuity® SmartStax and Genuity® VT Double PRO also offer the first reduced refuge in the Corn Belt – from 20 percent to 5 percent – giving farmers the opportunity to increase their whole farm yield potential.
For more information, visit www.genuity.com and http://www.stewartseeds.com.
Photo: Stewart Seeds agronomist Brian Denning compares a Genuity VT Double PRO corn ear (right) with no corn earworm feeding to that of a leading competitor brand (left) that shows significant earworm kernel damage.
Topics
Species
