Summer has arrived, bringing with it the possibility of a range of insects, ready to eat away at your crop's yield. We've reached the time of year where it seems like there is always something. Here are a few things to consider when using insecticide to protect your crop's yields from insects:
- What are you up against? A good scouting plan is critical in order to identify pests before they start chomping away at yields. It is important to not only observe the top of the crop, but to also do sweeps through the canopy. This will ensure you get a more complete picture of your insect population and will help you determine if an insecticide application in economically necessary. It is also good practice to scout early mornings or evenings as they generally feed in cooler temps.
- Be proactive. Begin scouting for soybean pod worm early. Pod worms often start to affect soybeans around R2 when they move from mature corn fields to soybeans. We've seen pod worms do severe damage to soybean crops in recent years. Timely foliar insecticide applications are key.
- Determine the threshold. We understand it can be hard to decide when to pull the trigger on bug control. It is important to work with your nearest Mid-West Fertilizer location or agronomist to determine optimal application timing to maximize control. Our team can help you select the right product at the right price point to make the best economic decision for your operation.
- Kill two pests with one pass. The need for both insecticide and fungicide products doesn't mean you'll need to make two separate passes. The two products mix well, eliminating the need for multiple passes and minimizing application costs.
- Don’t sell yourself short.
You can use the most expensive insecticide on the market,but it won’t work where it can’t reach. Insects typically feed in the lower, cooler, and more humid sections within the canopy, and adding an adjuvant can help increase the effectiveness of your insecticide applications. MasterLock® by WinField® United combines InterLock® and DropTight™ technologies in one crop-based adjuvant to enhance spray coverage. InterLock® in the mix, helpsensure that droplets are the right size, which reduces the number of fine particles in the spray pattern and helps drive droplets deeper into the canopy for better deposition.DropTight™technology, unique to MasterLock® adjuvant, helps droplets stick to the target: theplant you are trying to protect. Together, these technologies give you a one-plus-one-equals-three benefit. They enable deposition to help insecticides stay on target, reach the pest, and optimize performance.
- Choose the right insecticide! Apply an insecticide that covers a broad spectrum of pests with long lasting residual power. We recommend Hero® or Elevest™ insecticides from FMC or Baythroid® XL from Bayer. Contact your MWF agronomist to discuss the best option for your acres.
Need help evaluating your fields and making the best decision for your operation? Call your nearest Mid-West Fertilizer location or agronomist today if you need help determining a need for insecticide! It is critical to stop insects early, so don't hesitate, call now!
