Times Advocate, 1984-09-19, Page 14Page 2A
Times -Advocate, September 19,1984
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Huron farm and home news
Corn rootworm can be halted by crop rotation
By P. Lynch, Soils and Crops
Specialist
Brian Hall, Farm Manage-
ment specialist
Corn rootworm cooing
corn to lodge is a big problem
in Perth and Huron counties.
In fact, corn rootworm is pro-
bably causing a bigger yield
reduction in 1984 than any
other previous year.
Why is rootworm such a
problem in 1984? I can't pro-
ve it, but the following is one
possible explanation.
Corn rootworms over
winter in the soil as an egg. In
May and June when the soil
warms up, these eggs hatch.
May of 1984 was cold. The ac-
cumulated heat units on June
3, 1984 was 294. This corn -
pares to a normal heat unit
level of about 386.
Since May 1984 was colder
than most years, the root -
worm hatched later than
most years. The cold weather
probably delayed the hatch
by a week to 10 days.
In 1984 the weather was
cold but dry. This meant that
much of our corn in 1984 was
planted in early May. In
many cases fields were
planted one month earlier in
1984 than in 1983.
As well as the early plan-
ting and late hatch, we had
some heavy rains in early
June which probably leached
some insecticide.
All of this meant that when
we needed the insecticide in
1984 much of it had already
broken down. We did not have
a similar problem in 1983
because the corn was planted
later in 1983 than 1984.
The break down of
pesticides is a common occur-
rence. Many of our herbicides
only last 6 to 8 weeks. If you
apply an insecticide in early
May, 6 to 8 weeks elapse
before you really need it in
late June and early July. By
this time a lot of the insec-
ticide is broken down.
Another thing to remember
is that most years we may on-
ly control 40 to 60% of the
rooworms. This year with
our later hatch we may only
have been controlling 30 to
40% of the rootworm.
More rootworms in 1984
It also appears that in 1984
we had higher levels of root -
worms in corn fields. This can
be verified by the many
farmers who normally do not
treat second year corn fields.
This year those farmers are
really taking a beating. They
have a lot of lodged corn.
I•don't know why we have
so many more rootworm in
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f
1984. In 1983 we really did not
have a high number of adults.
One suggestion is that dur-
ing the spring of 1983 many of
the rootworms hatched and
died before they did damage.
Perhaps the wet soil induced
the eggs to rot and not hatch.
Or it is possible that there are
soil borne diseases that under
wet condition$ affect young
corn rootworrn. In any case it
appears that we had large
numbers of active rootworms
w
in the spring of 1984.
What about 1985?
To this point the reason for
our rootworm problem is,son-
jective. I can't prove any of
the possible reasons for oun
problem. However, there are
some definite things you can
do,for 1985.
Corn rootworm is not a pro-
blem on first year corn
ground. One year out of corn
is all that is needed to break
the cycle. This is just another
benefit of crop rotation. 1
would suggest that a target
for 1985 is to have half of your
corn on first year land. 1
would also suggest that by the
late '80s you should have all
your corn on first year corn
ground.
Since in 1985 you will have
to plant some second year
corn, I suggest you plant -your
first year corn first. Then
plant your continuous corn.
This wa there will be fewer
GETTING READY — Catherine Johns is among the area youths getting exhibits
ready for the Exeter fall fair this Saturday. She'll be among 13 entrants in the Ex-
eter feeder calf club. In addition to showing the animals, the members will then
sell those well -finished entries to the highest bidders in what has become one
of the highlights of the fair.
bne foot in the
furrow' b7iZA0
He sat across the table in
the run-down restaurant and
talked frankly about his at-
tempt to become a farmer.
Not yet 40, he had been forc-
ed to sell his stock and equip-
ment because he simply could
not afford the high interest
rates and the heavy input
costs.
"I was wogking part-time
just to keep food on the table
and trying to run the farm at
the same time," he said. "1
would be in the barn by six
o'clock, get the chores finish-
ed as quickly as possible and
then go to work. I would come
home after work and try to
get the chores done by 7 p.m.
By nine, I would fall asleep
while trying to listen to my
son's memory work."
}le did it for three years. In-
stead of taking a vacation, he
spent a week or two in the
spring and another week in
the fall doing the planting and
harvesting.
"If I could have made even
a little more money in beef, 1
might have been able to keep
going," he said. "I love farm-
ing. I love the land and I love
animals, especially the
('harolais-Hereford-cross.
Beautiful beasts!"
But the long hours, the hard
work and the vagaries of the
marketplace were too much.
"It finally came to the point
where my lady said I had to
do something or she would be
a young widow."
A cattle truck went down
the street in front of the
restaurant. Ile looked at it
wistfully and it was there in
his eyes: the love of farming.
But he is no longer a
farmer. Ile could not hang in
long enough.
The average age of the
Canadian farmer, if you can
believe the last statistics I
have, is 52. It is an indictment
of government policies, real-
ly, that the average age is so
high. In the tough times of the
last five years, it is the
younger farmers who are be-
ing hit the hardest. They are
being forced out of business at
.an alarming rate. The
bankruptcies are appalling
but they only tell half the
story.
How many young farmers
have been forced into the
same position as my friend in
the restaurant? How many
have just packed it in by sell-
ing their stock and equipment
and left the business?
And what is going to happen
when the older men gradual-
ly quit or retire? There is
nobody coming up through
the ranks to take their place.
We will have a nation of non -
farmers. Goodness knows, we
have few enough people in
agriculture now, less than
five percent of the population.
Are there enough young
men coming along'.
Not enough is being done -
not enough incentive is being
offered - to encourage
younger farmers to stay on
the land. Some provincial
governments have offered
l.pe.s..e ,00'ec..7.1 by loo 1.077,, (IOW* Id Elm... Om 17717C7
bonuses to younger farmers
but the incentives, as usual,
have been too little too late.
It is tragic to talk to these
young men and women. They
have a story to tell that should
be of interest to every person
in Canada ; yet, no one seems
to be listening. Or, if they are
listening, little is being done.
The cries are being voiced
in the back forty right from
Vancouver Island to
Bonavista. Almost every sec-
tor of the farming communi-
ty is in trouble, especially the
red meat producers.
But they remain a voice
crying in the wilderness.
CO.OP
days for the insecticide to
break down.
Difference among Hybrids
and insecticides
There seems to be a dif-
ference among hybrids. It
may be hybrid's ability to
regrow roots after the root -
worm has done the initial
damage. Or it may be a
hybrid's ability to withstand
root rots after the initial infec-
tions. At any rate, wiatch
closely any hybrid trials that
are planted on land that had
corn in 1983. There will be
differences.
Finally, your choice of in-
secticides may make a dif-
ference. There probably is a
difference among insec-
ticides. Some are probably
more effective than others.
At the present time there is
no public funded research in
Canada comparing the effec-
tiveness of different insec-
ticides. This means that you
will have to compare insec-
ticides yourself - (this is just
a temporary measure until all
of your corn is first year
corn.)
1 suggest that next year you
use at least two insecticides
whenever you use rootworm
insecticides. Hun your own
comparisons.
Suppose your main insec-
ticide is Counter, but you also
want to try some Lorsban. If
you have a four row planter
then put Counter in three of
the hoppers and Lorsban in
the other hopper. Do this in all
fields for all hybrids. This will
give you a comparison of two
insecticides under different
field and planting conditions
and with different hybrids.
Then compare notes with
your neighbours.
I wish 1 could be more
helpful in offering suggestions
for our corn rootworm pro-
blem. However, this year
when your patience is being
tried by lodged corn, why not
make a resolve to have all
first year•in the very near
future.
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