A Detailed Guide to the Latest Control Methods for Corn Cutworms
The cutworm, also known as the soil silkworm or soil worm, is a common underground pest and an important pest during the seedling stage of various crops in China, among which corn suffers greatly, and it causes tremendous damage to cutworm growth. So how should corn cutworms be controlled? Let's find out together.
1. Symptoms of cutworm damage
After spring corn is sown, it is exactly the period when adult cutworms seek hosts to lay eggs, and at this time, in addition to corn, they will also choose other vegetables and weeds. Before corn is sown, weeds are the breeding grounds for cutworms. Before corn is sown and emerges, the larvae feed in the heart leaves of weeds, and after corn emerges they transfer to the heart leaves of corn to cause damage, at which point many semi-transparent spots also appear on the corn. When the larvae grow a little larger, they move from above ground to below ground to cause damage, hiding during the day and feeding at night, biting through the base of the stem. Cutworms also have the habit of moving between seedlings to cause damage, that is, after the damaged seedling dies, they transfer to other seedlings to continue causing damage.
2. Agricultural control
Before sowing, the soil should be deeply plowed, weeds eliminated, the number of cutworm eggs laid reduced, and newly hatched larvae killed. Adults can be trapped and killed using insecticidal lamps, black light lamps, and sugar-vinegar water. Intercropping multiple crops is recommended to increase the variety of companion plants, maintain ecological diversity, and protect the natural enemies of cutworms. The main natural enemies of cutworms are parasitic wasps, ground beetles, tiger beetles, and so on. When cutworms begin to bore into stems, or when the larvae hide during the day, manual control works better: search the field for dead-heart seedlings and wilting seedlings, dig away the surrounding soil, and a large number of larvae can be dug out and killed.
3. Chemical control
In the early stage of cutworm damage to corn, poisoned soil, poisoned bait, and sprayed powder and liquid can be applied to the ground for control. Early detection and early control are the key to controlling cutworm damage. In the early stage of cutworm damage, the pests are not only small in size but also active on the ground both day and night, which is exactly the best time to apply chemicals. When the damage rate of seedling heart leaves reaches 5%, spraying chemicals at this time gives the best effect; not only should it be sprayed on the corn, but also on the weeds. Poisoned soil and poisoned bait can also be spread for control, applied along the rows near the seedlings in the evening to poison the larvae. Green, low-toxicity, high-efficiency chemicals are recommended, such as phoxim, trichlorfon, beta-cyhalothrin, and so on.
The above is an introduction to the control methods for corn cutworms. We hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please follow us.