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The western corn rootworm is a major pest of continuous corn in Nebraska and has adapted to overcome many of the management strategies used against it. Because of this, we are partnering with Corteva Agriscience, the Nebraska Corn Board, and farmers Don Batie, Mark Allen, and Will Fellers to test out some alternative control strategies.
During the studies, we've applied insect-killing nematodes through center pivots or ground sprayers to 5 fields, with interseeded cover crops also planted in some fields. We are testing whether the presence of these nematodes and/or cover crops can reduce populations of corn rootworm and reduce root-feeding injury, while also increasing the number of beneficial insect predators.
#growingresults #onfarmresearch