European corn borer (ECB) feeds on all above-ground parts of the corn plant. It can produce one, two or multiple generations in a single season. First-generation ECB cases whorl damage, while second-generation ECB tunnels through the stalk.
Black cutworm (BCW) is the most damaging cutworm species in corn. Larvae sever plants near the soil line, reducing stands and lowering yields. Damage from BCW is often most evident in no-till or weedy fields, especially in poorly drained areas. Storm systems carry adult BCW moths to the Corn Belt from the southern United States in April and May each year where they lay their eggs in green fields.
Western bean cutworm (WBCW) feeds on developing ears, directly impacting yield. WBCW is not cannibalistic. Multiple larvae can infest each ear. An infestation of several larvae per ear can reduce yields by 30 percent to 40 percent.
Fall armyworm (FAW) overwinters in the Southern United States and migrates north in the summer. Early generations of FAW feed on young corn, from emergence to waist high or approximately V8, and can destroy entire plants. Controlling FAW with traditional pesticides is difficult and often not economical.
Corn rootworm (CRW) causes $1 billion in lost revenue each year —$800 million in yield loss and $200 million in treatment costs — according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, making it the costliest corn insect pest. Herculex XTRA has shown consistent control of CRW over several years.
Herculex ® Insect Protection offers outstanding protection against corn insects for maximum yield potential from high-yielding hybrids. Herculex XTRA provides cost-effective, season-long control of a broad spectrum of above- and below-ground insects. Herculex I provides the same consistent control of above-ground insects for areas with minimal rootworm pressure. Advanced corn trait technology, such as SmartStax® technology, is built on the Herculex family of traits.