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SD on alert for corn and soybean pests

An agronomist says South Dakota farmers should be scouting for a few pests in corn and soybean fields.

Rick Swenson with Peterson Farms Seed says farmers with conventional corn should be monitoring for corn borer, an insect that burrows up through corn stalks and can feed on tassels and silk. South Dakota State University Extension says holes on the outside of a corn stalk can be a sign of the corn borer.

“Usually, we fight that the last week in July, but farmers should keep their eyes out for that.”

Swenson says he is getting reports of corn rootworm with corn-on-corn rotations, which can weaken a corn’s root development during an active root growing time and affecting yields.

He says farmers should also be ready to control soybean aphids in the next few weeks.

“We tend to spray aphids every year and we need to get a baseline on what’s out there for aphids, too.”

Swenson says conditions have been favorable for timely applications of insecticides this year and he is optimistic that will continue into July.