How can corn ear worms be controlled?
Insecticides need to be applied to the silks within two days of silk emergence. Frequency of application depends upon insect pressure and market acceptance of damaged ears. Since there are generally only 2 to 3 weeks between silk emergence and harvest, the number of applications will seldom exceed 7 under normal insect pressure. The best control measure is to plant as early as possible to avoid having corn silking when the moths arrive to lay eggs.
News
Field corn is harvested after it has dried sufficiently, which means the husks are brown, not green like the husks of fresh sweet corn. (Photo by Kevin Hudson)
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Just as Good Friday signals the time to get the spring garden in the ground, August's heat is the indication that it's time to plant the fall garden.
By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center