Increased Corn Rootworm Pressure Expected in 2023

EPA’s 2023 corn rootworm pressure forecast

Significant corn rootworm pressure could emerge this season throughout the Midwest according to the Corn Rootworm IPM Regional Working Group. The group monitored beetle populations last summer to “forecast” for this year. Comprised of at least 12 U.S. states, the group consists of university, industry and government personnel. Iowa, northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, Minnesota and Nebraska have seen the worst of the rootworm problems in fields with mostly corn-on-corn production.

The U.S. EPA has also chimed in, offering a “red zone” for corn rootworm problems this spring, largely over northern Iowa, southern Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin and Illinois. EPA cites fields with heavy use of the same biotechnology traits year-after-year and regular corn rootworm infestations signal heavier pressure in 2023.

Read more on corn rootworm here.