ROOTWORMS: ‘We hope to have better control’

ing this new trait and calling it “SmartStax Pro.”

“We have customers using the product this summer of 2023. We hope to see better control of corn rootworm larva than we are currently seeing on the market,” Hueftle said, “There should be two different modes of action with RNAi. It will limit the number of larvae in the current year; the following year it should decrease the population overall.”

There is no silver bullet in a treated seed or chemical spray that will allow the grower to produce a crop without an issue of insects. Over time, insects and weeds build up resistance to treated seeds and sprays, therefore causing the scientist to continue research.

Especially in Custer County with the high demand of corn production with the number of cattle on feed, finding a product that will allow back-to-back planting of corn is key.

Scott Dugan, a 20-year veteran agronomist for Pioneer, first saw the RNAi testing 10 years ago. “Technology is amazing. We respect Mother Nature to not disrupt the eco system,” he said. “Corn production has increased over the years and we are on the tip of the iceberg for crop production.”

Pioneer is in the final testing stages of their product for the RNAi technology. There will be a few fields locally in 2023 that will be able to plant the RNAi seed and, if all goes well, it will be in full production in the coming years.

Seed companies such as Pioneer and Dekalb are in the final stages of this technology. Insects, over time, will still find a way to become tolerant. For now though, RNAi should allow the corn growers to benefit with less infestation.

The visual of what RNAi can do for corn is not there since it all happens below the soil. For now, the stalks will stand straighter and, in turn, produce higher yields and ease at harvest.

Now when you hear about the RNAi trait in corn, you might just also see in your mind the white or variegated purple petunia. It is all about growing; that is what we are all about in the agriculture community.

Courtesy Both photos above are examples of rootworm feeding. This feeding opens the door for pathogens to infect the roots which inhibits growth both vertically and laterally, and therefore compromising the plant’s ability to pull water and nutrients and jeopardizes the plant’s ability to stand until harvest. At the center of the left photo, a rootworm is attached to corn roots. At right, roots on the right side of the stalk base are completely gone, destroyed by rootworms.