Sweet Corn
European corn borer (ECB) adults are being captured with more frequency in the northern half of the state now, but overall, catches are low. Highest activity is now found in Cumberland and Morris counties with local hotspots elsewhere (see ECB map). The earliest sweet corn plantings are now the right size to support ECB larval infestations. Scouts have not reported seeing adults flying in plantings (a phenomenon that usually precedes larval infestations). However, within the next week or so we should begin to see feeding in the most advanced plantings. Be sure to begin monitoring the earliest plantings for ECB feeding while they are still in the whorl stage. Consider treating when the number of infested plants in a 50 plant sample exceeds 12%. Feeding in the whorl stage will appear as numerous small holes (called “shot-hole”) on leaves, with damage present on consecutively younger leaves. [Read more…]