Identifying Root Node Injuries

SEE REAL-LIFE EXAMPLES OF CORN ROOTWORM DAMAGE AND COMPARE SMARTSTAX® PRO WITH RNAI TECHNOLOGY TO COMPETITORS.

Scouting is vitally important when it comes to assessing corn rootworm (CRW) damage on corn crops, but it’s easier said than done. So we’ve compiled a few examples of healthy, intact roots and roots damaged by CRW to show you how to identify and evaluate your corn root node scores.

CRW damage is determined through a node injury score (0-3). A root score of 0.50 or higher is deemed “greater than expected damage” with a CRW traited product and is likely to negatively affect your yield potential. If you don’t know how to score your roots, check out our article on how to read your roots for corn rootworm damage.

Benson, MN

Planting Date: May 22, 2022
Photo Date: August 11, 2022

Crawfordsville, IA

Planting Date: May 3, 2022
Photo Date: July 11, 2022

As you can see in the photos above, the lower the score, the fuller, healthier and more intact a root system appears. The higher the score, the more damaged and bare a root system will look. In our trials, we’ve found that SmartStax® PRO with RNAi Technology generally scores the best and is able to keep CRW damage to almost negligible levels.

If you’re finding CRW pressure getting to you, consider investing next season in a corn trait designed to take on the billion-dollar bug: SmartStax PRO with RNAi Technology. Built on the strong foundation of SmartStax Technology, SmartStax PRO offers three modes of action for improved corn rootworm control, providing the strongest biotech defense^* available from Bayer.

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^{ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Performance may vary, from location to location and from year to year, as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible and should consider the impacts of these conditions on the grower’s fields.}

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^{*69 2021 & 2022 Bayer Trials in the corn belt (KS, CO, NE, IA, IL, ND, SD, OH, MN, & WI) vs SmartStax® RIB Complete® Corn Blend, Agrisure Duracade® E-Z Refuge®, and Qrome® products in the 95-115 RM range with comparable trait packages.}