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Corn: Seedcorn Maggot (Delia platura)

Author: OMAFRA Staff
Creation Date: 28 June 2005
Last Reviewed: 28 July 2007
Pub 812: Field Crop Protection Guide > Chapter 2 : Corn > Seedcorn Maggot

Excerpt from Chapter 2, Field Crop Protection Guide, Order this publication

Table of Contents

  1. Description
  2. Integrated Pest Management Options
  3. Related links...

Description

The seedcorn maggot is a small, yellowish-white, headless, legless larva. The body tapers to the front with two small mouth hooks protracting. The maggots burrow into germinating seeds and the below-ground parts of emerging seedlings, producing weak seedlings. The adults resemble a small housefly that is slender, light grey and approximately 5 mm in length.

Image 1. Seedcorn maggots are small, headless, legless larvae that burrow into germinating seeds and weaken the seedling.
Image 1. Seedcorn maggots are small, headless, legless larvae that burrow into germinating seeds and weaken the seedling.

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Integrated Pest Management Options

Seedcorn maggot problems in corn are extremely rare in Ontario. Use seed treatments in high-risk fields where large amounts of manure, green manure or residue have been recently incorporated, in fields that are freshly tilled or when cool, backward emergence conditions exist.

Seed Treatment

For all seed treatments use full rate and ensure good coverage of seed.

diazinon + captan – Agrox B-2
Active ingredient diazinon + captan
Trade name Agrox B-2
Rate (product) 340 g per 100 kg seed

Comments
Available as 2 kg container that will treat 600 kg of corn seed. Do not use on seed already treated with an insecticide. Seed within 1 month of treatment.

diazinon + captan – Agrox CD
Active ingredient diazinon + captan
Trade name Agrox CD
Rate (product) 200 g per 100 kg seed

Comments
Available as a 600 g container that will treat 300 kg of corn seed. Use this product only on seed previously treated with captan or thiram.

clothianidin – Poncho 250
Active ingredient clothiandin
Trade name Poncho 250
Rate (product) 33.3 mL per 80,000 kernels

Comments
For use in commercial seed treaters only. Seed-applied insecticides can affect seed drop and final plant stands. Use talc or graphite according to planter recoommendations to ensure accuracy.

thiamethoxam – Cruiser 5 FS
Active ingredient clothiandin
Trade name Cruiser 5 FS
Rate (product) 16.7-33.3 mL per 80,000 kernels

Comments
For use in commercial seed treaters only. Use the higher rate for fields that have a history of moderate-to-severe pest pressure. Do not graze or feed livestock on treated areas for 45 days after planting.

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Soil-Applied at Planting Only

In-furrow application is safer to the applicator and non-target animals than T-band application.

tefluthrin – Force 3 G
Active ingredient tefluthrin
Trade name Force 3 G
Rate (product) 37.5 g per 100 m (328 ft) row

Comments
In-furrow only. Place directly in the seed furrow behind the plander disc openers.

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Related links...

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