Due to the high sugar content in super-sweet corn plants, they are more susceptible to a wider range of pests and diseases. This often leads to overlapping cycles of disease and pest outbreaks, making it challenging for farmers to manage them effectively. To address this, an integrated approach to pest and disease management is essential. This not only helps control infestations but also minimizes chemical use, reducing environmental pollution and pesticide residues in the crop.
**I. Agricultural Control**
1. **Seed Selection**: Use high-quality, uniform, and disease-free seeds to ensure strong seedlings and reduce early-stage pest damage.
2. **Crop Rotation**: Avoid planting the same crop repeatedly. It is recommended to rotate with crops that have a distant genetic relationship with corn, such as legumes or solanaceous plants. Fields previously used for rice should be monitored closely for sheath blight.
3. **Soil Management**: In South China, where rainfall is frequent during planting season, proper irrigation and drainage systems help improve soil aeration, promote root development, and lower the risk of pathogen infestation.
4. **Timely Sowing**: Adjust planting times based on local climate conditions and the life cycle of pests and diseases. This can help avoid peak infestation periods and reduce damage.
5. **Fertilization Practices**: Excessive nitrogen application, especially after the jointing stage, weakens plant resistance and increases vulnerability to diseases like sheath blight. Instead, use organic fertilizers and increase phosphorus and potassium to strengthen the plant and improve ear quality.
6. **Field Hygiene**: Remove weeds and infected leaves regularly. This helps reduce pest populations and limits the spread of viruses.
**II. Chemical Control**
1. **Toxic Bait Traps**: Mix 2.5 kg of peanut bran with 50-75 grams of 90% trichlorfon crystals. Spray 0.5-1 kg of the mixture and let it sit for half a day before spreading it in the field at night. This method effectively controls pests like cutworms and earthworms.
2. **Poisoned Vegetable Leaves**: Before sowing, soak chopped cabbage leaves (30-40 kg) in a 1000-1500 times diluted dipterex solution. Spread them in the field in the evening to kill cutworms and other pests.
**III. Manual Removal**
If tigers or green caterpillars are spotted in the field, they can be manually removed from the base of affected plants. Young armyworms and Spodoptera larvae can be crushed by pressing their leaves. Combining manual removal with other methods helps reduce damage effectively.
**IV. Biological Control**
1. **Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)**: Use high-efficiency BT emulsion or 7216 powder diluted 1000 times. These products are effective against lepidopteran pests such as cabbage worms and Spodoptera litura.
2. **Virus-Based Treatments**: Apply virus granules to control cabbage caterpillars. Although the effect is slower, it is highly effective when applied to younger larvae. Use 12 grams per acre for best results.
3. **Trichogramma Wasps**: These wasps are natural egg parasitoids that lay eggs inside those of pests, preventing them from hatching. Release 15,000–20,000 adults per acre during the pest's mating season, repeating the process 2–3 times for optimal control.
By combining these methods, farmers can implement a sustainable and effective strategy to protect super-sweet corn from pests and diseases while minimizing chemical reliance.
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