As the growing season has progressed in fields across Iowa, many farmers may be finding their fields infested.

Iowa State University Extension Field Agronomist Mike Witt says that reports of pests like corn rootworm have been increasing in the Guthrie County area, along with a few reports of fungal infestations and diseases. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio what farmers can do to try and fight off some of these pests.

“With the insect pests in particular, it’s all about making sure that we’re at an economic threshold. Prices are not where people want them to be for corn and soybeans, so excess control or excess applications of insecticides out there in the field, you have to make sure that that is warranted and justified by making sure you have enough damage to go out there and make it so that it will pay for itself.”

Witt mentions that for now with diseases, farmers need to go out and scout their field to first figure out if they have any diseases in their crops. Once that’s done, treatment for the specific disease(s) they observe should be administered in order to keep things from getting out of hand.