Courtesy of OMAFRA
As if a late spring and cold weather weren’t bad enough, current planting conditions in some areas of Ontario are ripe for a millipede feeding frenzy. Millipedes prefer cool soil temps and will stay deep in the soil profile, munching away on organic matter, as long as surface soil temps are warm and increasing. But when soils are cool and remain that way, millipedes will move up to the surface, in the seed zone, and if there are seeds there moving slowly from germination to emergence because of unfavourable weather, you better believe they’ll partake in the buffet.
In this Corn School episode, Ken Currah, market development agronomist with PRIDE Seeds, explains what control tools are available, or rather the lack thereof, how increased millipedes are one side effect of good soil management and outlines the weather forecast you need to avoid these pests dining on your corn.
If you cannot see the embedded video, click here.
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