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Corn borer survey complete
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By John
Fulton
[SEPT.
22, 2003]
The Logan County European
corn borer survey has been completed for this year. This survey
looks at the number of plants that were affected by second
generation ECB, how many larvae are still present and what size the
larvae are. Results were once again variable, but on the whole the
levels are reduced from the past year.
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About 28 percent of examined corn
stalks had evidence of damage this year. The average number of
larvae present in each stalk was 0.3 for both infected and
noninfected stalks. When all the numbers are "crunched," this would
mean yield losses were probably under two bushels per acre for Logan
County this year. This is less than half of last year's probable
yield loss. Each corn borer represents about a 3 percent yield loss.
The survey not only gives yield loss
estimates but also provides information on what type of pressure we
may have for next year's first generation and gives us an indication
of how well the corn stalks will stand in the field while awaiting
harvest this fall. Based on the survey, corn standability looks good
so far this fall.
The adult corn borer is a moth that has
a pinkish color to it. For those who aren't familiar with the moth,
they tend to really mess up your car windshield during the summer
moths when you drive after dark. Some farmers jokingly refer to this
as the "splatter survey." You simply see how many bug spots are on
the window and thereby assess the moth flight. This method does give
approximate times to begin scouting for the egg masses.
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Harvest notes
As of today, we can estimate harvest
about 10 percent complete. Both corn and soybean harvesting have
picked up in the last week. Of course, there are areas of the county
where harvest is progressing at a much quicker pace than others.
Yield reports have corn yields in the
excellent range. Many fields are in the 200 range at this time for
corn. For soybeans, a major disappointment is the best description.
Higher yields have been in the upper 40s and many around the 30
bushel range. Moisture levels in corn being harvested now are from
16 percent to 25 percent, and soybean moistures had dropped below 10
percent before the showers fell.
Many of the
soybean problems have been diseases, but we'll have to try to figure
out afterward whether the soybean aphids also contributed to yield
loss. There's a reason that soybean prices keep climbing during the
early harvest!
[John
Fulton]
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