Syngenta encourages change in corn rootworm management

Date:06-28-2013

If you grow corn in the Midwest, you have probably spent some time thinking about your corn rootworm management strategy and asked yourself some of these questions:

• What is the efficacy of my Bt traited corn?
• Will my current pest management strategy (continue to) work?
• Is my management strategy maximizing my return on investment?

Syngenta has been researching the answers to those questions plus a few more in an effort to help farmers grow more corn.
 
“Managing corn rootworm is a common goal for everyone in agriculture and certainly a top priority for us,” said Bruce Battles, an Iowa-based solutions development manager with Syngenta. “But it has to start with a change in how we view corn rootworm management. Oftentimes we react to what we saw in the field the previous year, but we need to take a step back and start to think about a more proactive, long-term approach to corn rootworm management.”
 
As a leader in corn insect control, Syngenta wants to help farmers develop multi-year, whole-farm strategies for corn rootworm and pest management, taking into account current and historical pest pressures in each field.
 
“Delivering strategic recommendations that are solidly based on technology preservation and the principles of integrated pest management (IPM) is important,” explained Miloud Araba, Ph.D., Syngenta technical product lead for corn traits. “We recognize that a lasting corn rootworm management strategy will require more than traits or any singular technology, but rather the integration of multiple technologies and control measures.”
 
Recently, Bt trait technology efficacy concerns in Western corn rootworm have reignited worries over agriculture’s most destructive pest. Reports from labs and cornfields alike have captured the entire industry’s attention.
 
“Corn rootworm is a complex and resilient pest that has a proven ability to overcome traditional farming methods and technology over time,” said Caydee Savinelli, Ph.D., Syngenta technical product lead and member of the Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC). “What is evident is that to maximize our customers’ crop productivity, we need to focus on successfully managing corn rootworm.”
 
With corn farmers in mind, Syngenta invested significant resources to research best practices for corn rootworm management, incorporating expertise, input and data from both internal and external sources. As a result, Syngenta has developed a practical set of corn rootworm management recommendations to help farmers successfully control the pest and grow more corn.
 
“There is no one-size-fits-all solution for corn rootworm,” Battles noted. “Long-term management will require integrated solutions that incorporate multiple modes of action and product stewardship. At Syngenta, we’re proud to offer our customers the industry’s most comprehensive portfolio of rootworm control technologies and a commitment to responsible and effective pest management.”