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A Visible Difference in Black Cutworm Control

Corn fields in the central and southern Corn Belt recently experienced a widespread occurrence of black cutworm damage, severe enough in many cases to meet or surpass the economic threshold for treatment. While growers were assessing damage, they also were able to see the difference between technologies. Plots were established to better understand the level of black cutworm protection growers may see with various seed technologies.

In a side-by-side comparison of triple-stacked corn hybrids in Peoria County, Illinois, there is a noticeable difference between Pioneer® brand hybrids stacked with Herculex® XTRA^ insect protection and other technologies.

The field was artificially infested with black cutworms in order to test corn hybrids with different technologies for black cutworm control.

Pioneer® brand hybrid 33D14 with Herculex® XTRA^ provided excellent protection against black cutworm pressure, while DeKalb DKC63-42 containing YieldGard® VT™ Triple did not protect the corn plant from black cutworms.

In this video, Ben Herrmann, corn grower and Pioneer sales representative in Edelstein, IL, shows the impact black cutworms had on two triple-stacked corn hybrids and compares the difference in technologies for black cutworm control.

Watch Video Watch (WMV | 8 MB | 4:12)

Click on any of the photos below for larger images.

Photo - Pioneer sales representative and corn grower Ben Herrmann assessing black cutworm damage

Pioneer sales representative and corn grower Ben Herrmann is assessing black cutworm damage and placing orange flags next to each cut plant of Dekalb DKC63-42 containing YieldGard® VT Triple. Visible damage surfaced in DKC63-42 approximately 12 hours following the infestation, with a wilted appearance in the leaves and plant damage just below the soil line.

Photo - black cutworms damage to corn stalk

The damage is apparent in fields that do not contain Herculex® XTRA insect protection. In this field in Peoria County, IL, black cutworms severed DeKalb DKC63-42 even though it was treated with Poncho® 250 insecticide.

After three days of infestation in side-by-side comparisons of two triple-stacked corn hybrids, orange flags show the plants that were damaged by black cutworms. To the right of the diagonal line is Pioneer® brand hybrid 33D14 with Herculex® XTRA. On the left side of the photo are rows of DeKalb DKC63-42 containing YieldGard® VT Triple which show heavy damage from black cutworms.

® YieldGard and YieldGard VT Triple™ are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC.

HXX

Herculex® XTRA Insect Protection technology by Dow AgroSciences and Pioneer Hi-Bred. ® Herculex and the HX logo are registered trademarks of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

® Poncho is a registered trademark of Bayer.

^ EXPORT APPROVAL NOTICE
Although fully approved in the United States, Canada and Japan, grain and certain grain by-products from THESE HYBRIDS MAY NOT BE APPROVED for all markets. Pioneer customers are advised to discuss trait acceptance policies with their local grain handler prior to delivering grain containing biotech traits.