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IPM Practices for Corn
Several important disease, insect, and weed problems can affect profitability of field corn production in New York. The most important pests are seed corn maggots, cutworms, armyworm, European corn borer, western and northern corn rootworms, ear molds, foliage and stalk diseases, and weeds. Some additional pests may occasionally cause economic losses. Integrated pest management (IPM) methods can be used to help minimize or avoid pest damage.
See the tables below for suggestions on IPM activities and common pests by crop growth stage and seasonal occurrence.
Related Publications: Field Corn Scouting Procedures, NYS IPM
| FIELD CORN PESTS AND CROP MONITOTING ACTIVITIES |
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Routine |
Occasional |
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Early Season (emergence to sixth leaf stage) |
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Population counts (establishment problems, seed and seedling pests), weeds, cutworm, seedling diseases, damping off; seed corn maggot, watch for “occasional” pests |
White grubs, common armyworm, slugs, common stalk borer, maize, billbug, stink bug, corn flea beetle, foliar disease, nutrient deficiencies, environmental stress (e.g., cold weather, excessive moisture drought), birds, deer, hail |
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Mid-Season (sixth leaf stage through early silk stage) |
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Presidedress nitrogen sampling; watch for “occasional” pests |
Weed escapes, common armyworm, European corn borer, foliar blights, anthracnose, common stalk borer, potato stem borer, hopvine borer, vertebrate pests, nutrient deficiencies, environmental stress, hail |
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Pollination (throughout silking and early grain fill stages) |
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Corn rootworm; watch for “occasional” pests |
European corn borer, foliar blights, stalk rots, vertebrate pests, nutrient deficiencies, environmental stress, hail |
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Late Season (harvest and postharvest) |
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Yield checks, weed inventory survey, soil sampling |
European corn borer, foliar blights, stalk rots, ear molds, vertebrate pests, environmental stresses, lodging assessment |
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FIELD CORN IPM SCOUTING CALENDAR |
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March |
April |
May |
June |
July |
August |
September |
October |
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Weeds |
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stand count |
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weed survey |
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weed survey |
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Diseases |
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seedling diseases |
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leaf blights |
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stalk and root diseases |
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tassel and ear diseases |
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Insects |
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seed corn maggot/wireworm/white grubs |
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cutworm/slugs |
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armyworm |
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1st gen European borer |
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2d gen. European borer |
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western and northern corn rootworm larvae |
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western and northern corn
rootworm adults |
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March |
April |
May |
June |
July |
August |
September |
October |
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Key: |
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Preferred |
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May vary with season |
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(Tables above adapted from the Cornell Guide for Integrated Field Crop Management)
Related Links: New York State IPM Program Top of Page
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