Corn across Nebraska

Corn across Nebraska is tasseling or will begin to tassel in the next few days. Applying a fungicide at VT-R1 is always a good investment. Adding an insecticide, such as Fastac® CS, with the fungicide application will help in controlling western bean cutworm larvae.

Western bean cutworm moths will lay their eggs on the upper part of the corn leaves or in the whorl. Egg laying is usually timed with tasseling and pollinating of the plant. Western bean cutworm larvae have a survival time of 48-60 hours to find a food source or they will die. Pollen is their food source. Once larvae hatch, they seek out pollen. Larvae will feed for a short time on the plant then drop to the silks. Once on the silks, the larvae will burrow under the husks, making them near impossible to kill.

Time your fungicide and insecticide application when 50-75% of tassels have emerged from the corn. This will give to a good chance at killing the eggs and hatched larvae, greatly reducing larvae ear damage.