On February 20, 2014, a webinar was presented by five land grant entomologists (see below) concerning western corn rootworm management challenges and recommendations. As we move forward this year, there remain many lingering concerns regarding the root protection performance of some Bt hybrids in light of the evolving resistance to certain traits. The live webinar was well received (over 300 participants); however, for those unable to take part in this session, you can now view the recorded session. This project was supported by a USDA-NIFA North Central IPM Program grant. The entomologists who took part in this program included:
Corn Rootworm Management in the Transgenic Era
- Rootworm biology and behavior; Dr. Joe Spencer, Illinois Natural History Survey
- Resistance evolution and IRM for rootworm; Dr. Aaron Gassmann, Iowa State University
- Adult management options: Dr. Lance Meinke, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Larval management options: Dr. Bob Wright, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Decision tree for grower management options; Dr. Ken Ostlie, University of Minnesota
I encourage the readers of this Bulletin to take advantage of this educational opportunity. The feedback from those who took part in the live session has been very favorable.
Source: University of Illinois Department of Crop Sciences