Corn Commodity Survey: 2011 - 2017

Corn is produced in every one of Kentucky’s 120 counties with western Kentucky having the most corn-producing acreage in the state.  In 2010, corn cash receipts accounted for about one-third of total crop receipts with a value of $603.9 million.  In 2011, Kentucky farmers produced 180.7 million bushels of corn which was valued at $1.16 billion (statistics from www.kycorn.org).  In 2012, Kentucky farmers planted 1.60 million acres of corn, up 16% from 2011.  This represented the largest corn acreage planted since 1986 (www.kyagr.com).   In 2013, corn acreage was down but corn production was estimated at a record 243 million bushels which is a 134% increase over 2012 production.  At 170 bushels/acre, 2013 yield was the highest on record, surpassing the 2009 crop of 165 bushels/acre (statistics: http://www.kyagr.com).  2014 corn production is estimated at 226 million bushels with yield estimated at 158 bu/acre and 1.43 million acres for harvest as grain (Kentucky Agri-News).  As such a valuable commodity, it is important to safeguard this industry from potentially damaging pests by conducting surveys that will allow for early detection and eradication.   

Old World Bollworm

2011 was the first year of the Corn Commodity Survey.  We surveyed 12 corn fields:  8 in western Kentucky and 4 in eastern Kentucky.  We designed a trapping program that targeted five moth pests:  Old World Bollworm, Silver-Y Moth, Egyptian Cotton Leafworm, False Codling Moth, and Asian Corn Borer.  The traps were in the corn fields from May to September/October 2011.  We continued the corn survey in 2012 targeting the same five moth pests in 15 corn fields. In 2013 and 2014, 15 fields in western Kentucky were surveyed for the five moth pests listed above plus Cotton Cutworm.  In 2015 and 2016 we replaced Asian Corn Borer with Asiatic Rice Borer as a target pest.  The survey in 2017 included all moths except Asiatic Rice Borer.  

Egyptian Cotton Leafworm

2011

• Number of Fields Surveyed:  12
• Counties Surveyed:  Caldwell, Crittenden, Daviess, Graves, Greenup, Marshall, Ohio, Trigg, Union
• Number of Target Moth Pests Captured:  0

2012

• Number of Fields Surveyed:  15
• Counties Surveyed:  Caldwell, Carter, Daviess, Greenup, Henderson, Hopkins, Lewis, McLean, Union, Webster
• Number of Target Moth Pests Captured:  0

2013

• Number of Fields Surveyed:  15
• Counties Surveyed:  Caldwell, Christian, Crittenden, Daviess, Henderson, Hopkins, Livingston, Lyon, McLean, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Union, Webster
• Number of Target Moth Pests Captured:  0

2014

• Number of Fields Surveyed:  15
• Counties Surveyed:  Caldwell, Calloway, Crittenden, Daviess, Greenup, Henderson, Hopkins, Lyon, Marshall, McLean, Union, Webster
• Number of Target Moth Pests Captured:  0

2015

• Number of Fields Surveyed:  15
• Counties Surveyed:  Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Daviess, Graves, Henderson, Hickman, Hopkins, Lyon, Marshall, McLean, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Union, Webster
• Number of Target Moth Pests Captured:  0

2016

• Number of Fields Surveyed:  15
• Counties Surveyed:  Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Daviess, Graves, Henderson, Hickman, Hopkins, Lyon, Marshall, McLean, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Union, Webster
• Number of Target Moth Pests Captured:  0

2017

• Number of Fields Surveyed:  15
• Counties Surveyed:  Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Daviess, Graves, Henderson, Hickman, Hopkins, Lyon, Marshall, McLean, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Union, Webster
• Number of Target Moth Pests Captured:  TBD

Silver Y Moth

False Codling Moth