Biotech Updates

OSU Recommends Bt Maize to Stop Spread of Corn Rootworm and Variant

October 26, 2007

According to Ohio State University (OSU) Extension entomologist Ron Hammond, there has been an increase in the populations of Western corn rootworm and its variant counterpart observed in the US state. He reports that preliminary data of the first year Western corn rootworm variant, shows that the number of rootworm beetles trapped per day are near or have exceeded the set threshold count.

Hammond said that preventive treatment on fields where the threshold numbers were reached should be done and among these includes management options to use Bt maize with single or stacked traits. Other alternatives include the use of insecticides and adopting crop rotation.

For the press release please visit http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/story.php?id=4337.