In 2022, the lab started a new collaborative project focused on a problematic pest of a multitude of crops in New York State – the seedcorn maggot Delia platura. This pest’s basic life history and feeding preferences are poorly understood in local systems, and with the impending ban in NYS legislature of neonicotinoid pesticides (the main method of control for this pest), developing alternative methods of monitoring and control for this pest is vitally necessary. Our lab is working on creating a risk assessment model, improving monitoring and trapping tools and understanding the importance of cover crops and seed treatments for their control.
For more information, please visit https://cals.cornell.edu/new-york-state-integrated-pest-management/outreach-education/fact-sheets/seedcorn-maggot-ipm
SCM life cycle graphic created by Hayley Schroeder