Gall Midge is a pest we have been hearing more and more about. Many producers still are asking questions about what to be looking for and what the effects this pest will have on their crops. They also want to know what options they have in 2019.
FMC?s Bob Hooten tells us about the Gall Midge Fly, how to spot them, and how they spread.
Hooten says the pest was initially found in the Sioux City, Iowa area. In the years which have followed, Hooten says we are seeing evidence the midge has increased its area by a 50-100-mile radius. Hooten says some producers have been seeing the pest for years but are first deciding to do something about it now.
Hooten says controlling an adult fly is very difficult, and University researchers will be monitoring the fly?s progress to tell farmers when the best time to attack is. Hooten says they have had some success using a combination of pesticides and fungicides to minimize the damage, but it isn?t 100% effective. Until there is a product developed and labeled, the best producers can hope for is to knock back the progression of Gall Midge flies.
Hooten says the Midge is hearty and can handle the winter. If it emerges in a cornfield, it will just move to a soybean field. This means edge of field monitoring for the midge is vital to the fight.
