1. Soil Fertility to Ameliorate Plant Stress from Root Feeding Insects

Corn rootworms (Diabrotica spp.) are the most serious insect pests of maize (Zea mays) in the United States. Larval stages ofthese insects feed upon maize root systems causing plant lodging and grain yield reductions. Newly developed area-wide corn rootworm adult suppression methods, which reduce pesticide rates used against this pest complex by greater than 90 percent, do not completely eliminate rootworm populations. If maize producers had the option of using crop production practices that improve...