Seedcorn Maggot in Late Planted Field Crops

Source- Ron Hammond, Andy Michel, Bruce Eisley

We have already received reports of corn and soybean fields having stand reductions because of seedcorn maggots. These have come from fields that either had a cover crop or manure tilled into the soil. Being that there are no curative treatments at this time, many growers are considering replanting. Additionally, because of the wet and cool conditions in some parts of Ohio that have prevented planting, we are reaching a situation in many unplanted fields where weeds are becoming larger.

Last week in the C.O.R.N. newsletter (http://corn.osu.edu/index.php?setissueID=228), Mark Loux discussed this latter situation and the need to apply herbicides in addition to tilling the soil. Tilling heavy weed growth can be similar to tilling a cover crop or manure in its ability to attract seedcorn maggot flies. Thus, the potential in these fields for seedcorn maggot problems is higher than if they had been tilled and planted earlier when weeds were small.

In these situations, growers should consider an insecticide seed treatment if not already on their seed. Whereas both Poncho (clothianidin; corn only) and Cruiser (thiamethoxam; both corn and soybean) do an excellent job at controlling seedcorn maggot, our studies have suggested that Gaucho (imidacloprid) does not offer acceptable seedcorn maggot control on soybean.

Ohio Farm Custom Rates- 2008

Barry Ward, Leader Production Business Management, OSU Extension and Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics (AEDE)

Click here for the PDF Version of Ohio Farm Custom Rates--2008
Many Ohio farmers hire custom farm work in their farm business or perform custom farm work for others. Custom farming rates traditionally have been arrived at by a series of calculations and negotiations. One of the most common ways custom farming providers and consumers arrive at an agreeable custom farming rate is to access University Extension summarized surveys. Ohio State University Extension and the Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics have historically published farm custom rates to assist farm businesses with this important task.

“Ohio Farm Custom Rates 2008” is based on survey results from 205 Ohio farmers, custom farmers and farm managers. The custom rates presented may differ from rates in your region depending on availability of custom operators & machinery, timeliness, operator skill, field size & shape, crop conditions, performance characteristics of the machine being used and demand for custom farming services.

Custom farming rate increases for 2008 include custom Corn Harvest at $25.45/acre, Conventional Corn Planting at $15.11/acre, Drilling No-Till Soybeans at $15.68/acre, and Spraying Chemicals (Self-Propelled Sprayer) at $6.36/acre. These represent increases of 6%, 5.7%, 10.4%, and 11.6% respectively over 2006 Ohio custom rates. Other operations show similar 4 year rate increases. Higher machinery, fuel and labor costs have contributed to custom farming rate increases over the past 2 years. For more information on custom farming rates and other Farm Management Topics see our Department Farm Management Website at:
http://aede.osu.edu/programs/FarmManagement/