St. Louis, Missouri, USA
May 24, 2013
As farmers across the Corn Belt continue to battle above- and below-ground insect pests year after year, a comprehensive integrated pest management approach is key to maximizing yield potential, especially in corn-on-corn environments.
“Integrated pest management is about taking a comprehensive look at how you are managing yield-robbing pests in your field. Measuring insect pressure helps growers think forward, making more informed pest management decisions for the following year about their seed choice and agronomic practices,” says Monsanto Corn Insect Traits Manager Luke Samuel.
The Insect Forecast Tool can help farmers understand their current pest pressure and make more accurate predictions for the following year. Farmers can log on to www.insectforecast.com to learn when corn rootworm larvae are hatching, and to track the migration and moth flights of two damaging above-ground insects, corn earworm and western bean cutworm, throughout the growing season. With online and mobile access, this tool is useful to better understand when potential root damage may occur and to help farmers with their scouting efforts.
Samuel says the tool is both simple and effective, “Scouting and understanding pest pressure is critical to maximizing yield potential. Using the Insect Forecast tool is a convenient way for farmers to understand the insect pressure in their areas and help know when to scout their fields.” Samuel adds that scouting this year, can help maximize yield potential in next year’s crop, “Each field experiences different insect pressure, and to get more corn per acre, farmers need to have a solid understand of the level of pressure and type of pests they are dealing with in order to choose the best corn traits to address those challenges.”
Farmers in the Corn Belt can sign up at www.insectforecast.com to receive email alerts from May through September to learn when these insects pose a risk in their area. In 2012, more than 5,000 farmers visited the Insect Forecast site to identify when damage may occur to their corn crop and to make vital decisions for the following year.
Developed by climatologist and meteorologist Mike Sandstrom, the Insect Forecast tool analyzes moth trapping data and weather patterns to issue one, two and three-to-five day forecasts for corn earworm and western bean cutworm. The corn rootworm hatch is updated weekly and is based on soil temperature and Growing Degree Days across the Corn Belt. The Insect Forecast tool is being sponsored for the fourth year by Monsanto and offered to farmers by its Genuity® brand.
The Genuity® family of corn traits available to farmers in the Corn-Growing Area includes Genuity® SmartStax® RIB Complete® corn blend with multiple modes of action for protecting against above- and below-ground insects, including full-season corn rootworm control for corn-on-corn acres and other areas of high corn rootworm pressure; Genuity® VT Double PRO® RIB Complete® corn blend with dual modes of action for above-ground insect control, including maximum corn earworm protection; and Genuity® VT Triple PRO® RIB Complete® corn blend with dual modes of action for above-ground insects and a single mode of action for below-ground insect protection in areas that experience light to moderate corn rootworm pressure. All of these products offer the simplicity and convenience of a single bag option for refuge management in the Corn-Growing Area.
For more information on Genuity corn traits, farmers can contact their seed representative or visit www.genuity.com.
Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. This product has been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Biotechnology Industry Organization.
B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your Monsanto representative for the registration status in your state.
IMPORTANT IRM INFORMATION: RIB Complete® corn does not require the planting of a structured refuge except in the Cotton-Growing Area where corn earworm is a significant pest. Genuity® SmartStax® RIB Complete®, Genuity® VT Double PRO® RIB Complete® and Genuity® VT Triple PRO® RIB Complete® are blended seed corn products. See the IRM/Grower Guide for additional information. Always read and follow IRM requirements.
ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. DEKALB®, Asgrow®, Genuity and Design®, Genuity®, RIB Complete and Design®, RIB Complete®, Roundup Ready 2 Technology and Design®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup®, SmartStax®, VT Double PRO®, and VT Triple PRO® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design® are registered trademarks of Bayer. Herculex® is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Respect the Refuge and Corn Design® and Respect the Refuge® are registered trademarks of National Corn Growers Association. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2013 Monsanto Company.
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