Trap-Corn to Control Corn Rootworms12

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Abstract
A study was conducted in Nebraska during 1972 and 1973 to determine whether a small area of late-planted “trap-corn” would attract females of the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera LeConte, and the northern corn rootworm, D. longicornis (Say), from a larger area of corn planted at the normal time (early-corn) and thus concentrate egg deposition and reduce the injury potential the following year to corn planted in the same field. Except for a 2.4-acre center strip, a 24.5-acre experimental field was planted to corn on May 22, 1972. On June 15, the center strip was planted to serve as “trap-corn.” On May 16, 1973, the entire field was planted to corn and ½ was strip-treated with a soil insecticide. In 1973, beetle populations, root ratings, lodging, and yields were determined for corn growing in the 1972 trap and early-corn areas. In the early-corn area, beetle populations were 21% lower, root ratings 47% higher, lodging 64% less, and corn yielded 26 bu/acre more than in the trap-corn area. These results suggest the injury potential in the early-corn area was reduced through the presence of trap-corn.

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