Lexington, KY 40546

Online at: www.uky.edu/KPN

Number 1283
CORN -Resistance by Corn Rootworm to Bt Corn Reported in Parts of Iowa SOYBEAN -Corn Earworm Could Take a Big Bite Out of Your Soybeans WHEAT -Preplant Decisions Greatly Impact Disease Potential in Wheat

August 30, 2011

LAWN & TURF -Velvet Ants HOUSEHOLD -Fruit Flies INSECT TRAP COUNTS

CORN Resistance by Corn Rootworm to Bt Corn Reported in Parts of Iowa By Ric Bessin and Doug Johnson Last month Dr. Aaron Gassmann, Entomologist at Iowa State University, and coworkers reported in the Journal Plos One, that he found evidence of field-evolved resistance in western corn rootworm to one of the Bt toxins in corn (figure 1). In their study, rootworms were collected from fields in northeastern Iowa where growers had identified severe feeding on Bt rootworm corn (containing the Cry3Bb1 trait for rootworm control). Each of the problem fields had a history of raising continuous corn that contained the Cry3Bb1 gene for at least three consecutive years. The authors found a significant, positive correlation between the number of years a field had used Cry3Bb1 corn and the survival of western corn rootworm larvae collected from those fields developing on Cry3Bb1 corn. Rootworms collected from those problem fields did not appear to have resistance to the other commercially registered Bt rootworm trait, Cry34/35Ab1, so there did not appear to be cross resistance for these Bt toxins. Registration of Bt rootworm corn containing the Cry3Bb1 gene occurred in 2003 and use of corn containing this

trait has been widespread due to the threat posed by western corn rootworms in the Midwest.

Figure 1. Western corn rootworm larvae and their damage to corn roots.

The level of resistance observed in this study was incomplete, in that rootworms from the problems fields had lower survival on Cry3Bb1 corn than on non-Bt corn. But the problem remains; the study noted the survival of rootworms on Cry3Bb1 from problem fields was 3 times higher than with those from the control fields. What this means is that even in the problem fields, there is likely a mixture of resistant and susceptible western corn rootworms. The result for the growers is that they

are experiencing severe damage to some types of Bt rootworm corn. Dr Gassmann et al. notes several factors that may have contributed to the rapid development of field evolved resistance in northeastern Iowa. One factor is that the inheritance of the resistance does not appear to be recessive. This would mean that rootworm larvae produced from a mating of resistant and susceptible parents would have greater survival on the Cry3Bb1 corn. This greatly reduces the value of refuges deployed to delay resistance. Another factor is the relatively low level of compliance with the use of structured refuges on farms using Bt corn. Across the Midwest, compliance estimates have ranged from 50 to 70%. Our surveys at some growers meetings in Kentucky have estimated compliance below 60% among growers using Bt corn. The strategy used to delay/prevent resistance to Bt crops in the US has been the high dose-refuge strategy. Refuges are designed to allow enough pests that are susceptible to the Bt traits to survive so that they can dilute the smaller populations of resistant pests that may potentially develop from the Bt corn fields. While registered Bt corn events that target corn borers are considered high-dose events, whether Bt rootworm events represent a high dose strategy remains to be determined. So what can Kentucky corn growers do to prevent/delay resistance to western corn rootworm and other corn insect pests? Problems with corn rootworm in KY are isolated, while planting of corn with Bt rootworm traits is widespread. The Iowa study found the correlation with years of use of the traits and levels of resistance. Using Bt rootworm traits only in situations where it is needed would help to preserve a more susceptible population of western corn rootworms. In Kentucky where we do not have the soybean variant of the western corn rootworm, rotation remains the most effective and economical tool to manage the western corn rootworm. In Kentucky as in other parts of the Midwest, compliance with refuge requirements has been relatively low, so durability of Bt corn technologies can be increased by raising levels of refuge compliance. If and when Refuge in the Bag (RIB) is approved,

growers using RIB will not need to plant structured refuges. Otherwise growers using Bt corn need to plant a structured minimum of 5 or 20% refuge as required by the type of Bt corn. In our opinion, one of the most important benefits of IPM is the prevention and/or management of pest resistance. By using multiple approaches to manage insect populations we reduce the likelihood that a pest will develop resistance to any one tactic. Another way of looking at this is that by using only a single tactic to control a pest population over a long period of time, we increase the risk of developing resistant pest populations.

SOYBEAN Corn Earworm Could Take a Big Bite Out of Your Soybeans By Doug Johnson Capture of corn earworm moths in the UK-IPM pheromone baited traps have increased significantly this week. This is rather typical as these late season moths are produced from caterpillars that have been feeding on our corn crop. The newly formed moths will mate and begin looking for a good place to lay their eggs. For most of the season one would expect them to lay their eggs on corn silks and other food sources. However, at this time of year, as corn matures and no fresh silks are available, the pods currently filling on our soybean crop could become home for many of these eggs. Corn earworm, also called soybean podworm in Kentucky, can be a devastating pest due to two major factors. First, they feed directly on the pods and thus directly on the yield (figure 2). This is much more destructive than the mainly leaf feeding pests we see most of the season. Second, corn earworm feeds very little on the leaves, thus does not produce an easily observed symptom like the leaf feeders. You must look carefully at your plants for this pest, for your view of the crops

from a distance will look no different whether or not the pest is present.

WHEAT Preplant Decisions Greatly Impact Disease Potential in Wheat By Don Hershman How Pre-plant Decisions Affect Diseases Kentucky wheat producers have a majority of their disease management program in place once the seed is in the ground. By that time, decisions have been made regarding the length of time since the last wheat crop (crop sequence), tillage method and seedbed preparation, variety selection (maturity, disease package, yield potential, etc.), seed quality (germination, vigor), seed treatment, planting date, seeding rate, seeding method, and fall fertility. Individually and collectively, these decisions play an important role in determining which diseases might develop, their severity, and their potential impact on crop yield, test weight, and grain quality. Because pre-plant and planting decisions are so important in the management of wheat diseases, you need to understand how they influence disease development. Variety Selection Decisions relating to variety selection are, perhaps, the most important decisions you can make in managing diseases. Every commercially available wheat variety has a unique disease package and this information is generally available for most soft red winter wheat varieties grown in Kentucky. For sure, excellent resistance is not available to manage some diseases, and it is hard to find highyielding varieties that have decent resistance to all major disease threats. Nonetheless, which and how many varieties are planted on your farm will determine the potential for certain diseases to develop. Failure to consider the ramifications of variety selection in managing diseases is a costly mistake made by many producers. It is best to select two or three high-yielding varieties with the greatest level of available resistance to the most common diseases on your farm. To do this, you must have some idea about the disease history of your farm. If you dont have access to historical disease information for your farm, talk with your county Extension agent, farm supply dealers, local crop consultant, and/or neighbors. This information may not be as good as actual records

Figure 2. Corn earworm feeds directly on the pod and seed. They may also chew through the petiole.

Infestation risk is increased in late planted soybeans, soybeans that do not produce a closed canopy and beans planed in wide rows, and beans planted near maturing corn fields. Adults are buff to light green moths with a wingspan at rest of about at rest. Eggs are white to pink and are laid singly. Larvae (worms) are small to 1 in length when full grown. They are usually tan to pale green with several stripes down the back. However, color may be quite variable, with some individuals almost black. In wide row beans sample using the shake cloth method, the economic threshold is an average of 2 worms per row-ft. If using a sweep net, especially in narrow rows, treatment is suggested if on average more than 9 larvae are captured in 25 sweeps. In both cases, take several reprehensive samples over the entire field, and average your counts. Should insecticide application be necessary you may find a list of approved products in Ent-13, Insecticide Recommendations for Soybean which may be found on the web at: http://pest.ca.uky.edu/EXT/Recs/welcomerecs.htm l, or from our County Extension office.

from your farm, but it is far better than basing decisions on no information. It is important to plant more than one variety for this key reason: it is common for a single disease to severely damage a single variety. However, when multiple varieties are planted, the risk that a disease will wreak havoc on all your wheat acres is significantly diminished. In addition, planting more than one variety, especially when different maturities are represented, can help with the logistics of harvesting and planting double-crop soybean. Planting varieties that are resistant to common foliar and head diseases, such as leaf rust and Fusarium head blight (FHB), can also have a significant impact on the need to apply foliar fungicides the following spring and/or the results achieved. For example, planting a variety that is resistant to leaf rust may make spraying a fungicide for rust control in late spring, unnecessary. Also, research and experience have shown that FHB is best controlled when conditions favor the disease by applying certain triazole fungicides (e.g., Prosaro or Caramba, to varieties that have some resistance to FHB. Under the same conditions, the same fungicides applied to a FHB-susceptible variety are likely to produce unacceptable results in terms of yield, seed quality and grain marketability. No immune varieties exist, but the number of high-yielding wheat varieties that have moderate resistance to FHB is increasing each year. More of these varieties need to be planted in Kentucky! For more information on wheat varieties and their disease resistance characteristics, check out the 2011 Kentucky Small Grain Performance Test available at: www.uky.edu/ag/WheatVarietyTest. Crop Rotation Few wheat producers in Kentucky give much thought to the influence of crop rotation on diseases. This is because our normal production systems rarely include planting wheat in the same field, in consecutive years. This is good in that planting wheat in alternate years (or even less often) helps in the management of wheat pathogens that survive between wheat crops in wheat residue and/or are short-lived in the soil in the absence of a host crop. One such disease is take-all. In fact, crop rotation is the only practical way to control take-all disease. Rotating crops

also can reduce infections by certain windborne foliar diseases, such as the diseases that make up the leaf blotch complex (speckled leaf blotch, Stagonospora leaf blotch, and tan spot). It should be noted, however, that the benefits of crop rotation on windborne diseases are frequently compromised, or even negated, by spores blowing into fields from neighboring fields or from fields that are many miles away. Most wheat in Kentucky is planted following corn. Actually, most wheat is now planted no-till behind corn. Corn is generally considered to be a good non-host crop to grow in rotation with wheat because the two crops have few diseases in common. However, there has been some concern that planting no-till wheat where corn was planted the previous season significantly increases the risk to Fusarium head blight (FHB; a.k.a. head scab). This is because the fungus that causes FHB also attacks corn (causes stalk and ear rot) and readily survives between seasons in corn stubble. This is not an unreasonable concern, but as it turns out, planting wheat behind corn does not significantly enhance the FHB threat. Results of multi-year research trials, disease surveys, plus many years of observations, all point to the same conclusion: weather, not local tillage regime, determines if FHB will be serious enough to reduce yields and grain quality or not. This is because when weather conditions favor FHB, so many FHB spores are produced and blow into fields from both local and distant sources that the role of in-field spore production is relatively unimportant. Most Kentucky wheat producers have found this out for themselves and that is why most farmers now plant no-till wheat. This said, under conditions favorable for FHB, disease severity (and levels of deoxynivalenol [DON] an undesirable mycotoxin usually associated with FHB) can be slightly elevated in no-till fields. Nonetheless, tillage regime will never be the factor that determines whether or not FHB will be severe in a particular field or not. Tillage In continuous wheat systems, such as are common in the Great Plains Region, tillage hastens the breakdown of residue that harbors certain wheat pathogens. This can help reduce levels of some soil-borne and foliar diseases caused by fungi.

However, in southern states, like Kentucky, where wheat is planted every second or third year in a field and soil conditions favor residue breakdown, most of the wheat residue is deteriorated by the time the next wheat crop is planted. Thus, local tillage regime has minimal impact on diseases that develop from one wheat crop to the next. Implementing community-wide or regional tillage programs might be beneficial, but this approach is impractical. (See the above section on crop rotation for a discussion on the limited impact of tillage on FHB.) Seed Quality, Seeding Rate, Seed Fungicides, and Planting Method Seed quality, seeding rate, and planting method can each affect stand establishment and development. To achieve the highest possible yields, you must have sufficient stands. To achieve the desired stands, you must have excellent seed germination, development of seedlings in the fall, and healthy plants capable of producing lots of tillers in the early spring. Using high-quality seed treated with a broad-spectrum fungicide(s) can help achieve these goals in fields that may have been planted under less than ideal conditions, or where conditions turn hostile to developing seedings. This, plus good planting techniques (especially depth), foster good stand establishment. Excess stands, however, encourage foliar and head diseases by reducing air circulation and light penetration into the canopy later in the season. Therefore, calibrating your equipment to achieve sufficient, but not excessive, stands is very important. Planting Date The trend in recent years has been to plant wheat earlier than is recommended for a given area. The desire to achieve high yields and the logistics of planting large acreages appear to be the main factors behind this trend. The problem is that early-planted wheat (defined as wheat planted prior to the Hessian fly-free planting date) is at greater risk of damage caused by barley yellow dwarf (BYD), wheat streak mosaic (WSM), takeall disease, and Hessian fly than is later-planted wheat. In addition, early planted wheat may also encourage leaf rust and stripe rust infection in the fall and this can increase the risk that one or both of these diseases will carry through a mild winter

and into the spring. If logistical considerations cause you to plant some of your wheat acres prior to the fly-free date for your area, make sure that volunteer corn (which is green bridge for WSM) in and around the field has been killed, and that you plant a variety that can tolerate some BYD. You might also target these acres for a seedapplied or fall foliar insecticide treatment to control the aphids that transmit the BYD virus to wheat. Finally, make sure you scout your earlyplanted acres for signs of leaf rust and/or stripe rust in the spring so as to not miss hotspots which could lead to a more general infection later in the season. Planting all your wheat acreage prior to the flyfree date is extremely risky and is not recommended under any circumstances. Nitrogen Fertility Too much nitrogen in the fall can encourage excessive fall growth that can increase your problems with BYD and most foliar diseases caused by fungi, but especially powdery mildew. Increased problems with BYD has to do with an extended period of aphid activity (aphids transmit BYD virus) when stands are dense in the fall. The same situation encourages infection and overwintering of foliar fungal diseases, such as leaf and stripe rust, powdery mildew, and leaf blotch complex. Excessive spring nitrogen results in lush stands that promote disease in a manner similar to that associated with excessive seeding rates.

LAWN & TURF Velvet Ants By Lee Townsend Velvet ants belong to a family of furry wasps that resemble ants. There are several species in Kentucky; the most striking is a large, bright red insect with black legs and a black band across the abdomen (figure 3). Several other species are orange-brown and black. These distinctive

warning patterns are backed up by long stingers with potent venoms.

Figure 4. Squirrel-damaged tomato provides ideal fruit fly breeding site.

Figure 3. Velvet ant known as a cow-killer.

Velvet ants can be found wandering across turf areas during late summer and early fall. These solitary wasps are not aggressive but will defend themselves if handled or stepped on accidentally. Usually, this happens only once. These free-living wasps wander in search of bumble bee nests or the burrows of other ground-dwelling insects that are hosts for their larvae. There is no concentration or nest to try to eliminate as with hornets or yellowjackets. The best course is to be aware of them to train children playing in areas where the wasps are present to leave them alone.

Fruit flies are common in homes, restaurants, supermarkets and wherever else food is allowed to rot and ferment. Adults are about 1/8 inch long and usually have red eyes (figure 5). The front portion of the body is tan and the rear portion is black. Fruit flies lay their eggs near the surface of fermenting foods or other moist, organic materials. Upon emerging, the tiny larvae continue to feed near the surface of the fermenting mass. The surface feeding behavior of larvae is significant in that damaged or over-ripened portions of fruits and vegetables can be cut away without having to discard the remainder for fear of retaining any developing larvae.

HOUSEHOLD Fruit Flies By Mike Potter Fruit flies can be a problem year round but are especially common this time of year because they are attracted to ripened or fermenting fruits and vegetables (figure 4). Tomatoes, melons, squash, grapes and other perishable items brought in from the garden are often the cause of an infestation developing indoors. Fruit flies are also attracted to rotting bananas, potatoes, onions, and other unrefrigerated produce purchased at the grocery store.
Figure 5. Fruit fly.

The reproductive potential of fruit flies is enormous; given the opportunity, they will lay about 500 eggs. The entire life cycle (egg to adult) can be completed in about a week. Fruit flies are especially attracted to ripened fruits and vegetables in the kitchen. They also will breed in drains, garbage disposals, empty bottles and cans, trash containers, mops and cleaning rags. All that is needed for development is a moist film of fermenting material. Infestations can originate from over-ripened fruits or vegetables that were

previously infested and brought into the home. The adults can also fly in from outside through inadequately screened windows and doors. Fruit flies are primarily nuisance pests. However, they also have the potential to contaminate food with bacteria and other disease-producing organisms. Prevention is the best way to avoid problems with fruit flies is to eliminate sources of attraction. Produce that has ripened should be eaten, discarded or refrigerated. Cracked or damaged portions of fruits and vegetables should be cut away and discarded in the event that eggs or larvae are present in the wounded area. A single rotting potato or onion forgotten at the back of a closet, or fruit juice spillage under a refrigerator can breed thousands of fruit flies. So can a recycling bin in the basement that is never emptied or cleaned. People who process their own fruits and vegetables, or make wine, cider or beer should ensure that the containers are well sealed; otherwise, fruit flies will lay their eggs under the lid and the tiny larvae will enter the container upon hatching. Windows and doors should be equipped with tight-fitting (16 mesh) screens to help prevent adult fruit flies from entering from outdoors. Once a structure is infested with fruit flies, all potential breeding areas must be located and eliminated. Unless the breeding sites are removed or cleaned, the problem will continue no matter how often insecticides are applied to control the adults. Finding the source(s) of attraction and breeding can be very challenging, and will require persistence on the part of the client -- guided by your suggestions as to where these areas might be. Potential breeding sites that are inaccessible (e.g., garbage disposals and drains) can be inspected by taping a clear plastic food storage bag over the opening overnight. If flies are breeding in these areas, the adults will emerge and be caught in the bag. After the source of attraction/breeding is eliminated, a pyre thrum-based, aerosol insecticide may be used to kill any remaining adult flies in the area. A better approach, though, is to construct a trap by placing a paper funnel (rolled from a sheet of notebook paper) into a jar which is then baited

with a few ounces of cider vinegar or a slice of banana. This simple but effective trap will soon catch any remaining adults. Faster results can be achieved by installing additional traps. Since more fruit flies will be caught in traps closest to the breeding source, the technique can also help pinpoint the source of the problem.

INSECT TRAP COUNT August 19 - 26 Location Black cutworm Armyworm Corn earworm European corn borer Southwestern corn borer Fall armyworm Princeton, KY 26 42 492 4 125 18 Lexington, KY 11 118 16 3 0 1

Graphs of insect trap counts for the 2011 season are available on the IPM web site at http://www.uky.edu/Ag/IPM/ipm.htm. View trap counts for Fulton County, Kentucky at http://ces.ca.uky.edu/fulton/InsectTraps

Note: Trade names are used to simplify the information presented in this newsletter. No endorsement by the Cooperative Extension Service is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar products that are not named.