BioOne.org will be down briefly for maintenance on 17 December 2024 between 18:00-22:00 Pacific Time US. We apologize for any inconvenience.
How to translate text using browser tools
1 April 2005 Transgenic Corn for Control of the European Corn Borer and Corn Rootworms: a Survey of Midwestern Farmers’ Practices and Perceptions
Ted A. Wilson, Marlin E. Rice, Jon J. Tollefson, Clinton D. Pilcher
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

In 2001, a self-administered questionnaire was sent to 1000 corn, Zea mays L., farmers in each of five states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska) to evaluate their perceptions of transgenic corn designed to control the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), and corn rootworms, Diabrotica spp. Respondents returned 1,313 surveys (26.2%). Farmers with small acreages planted a greater portion of their corn (54.5%) with transgenic corn for control of European corn borer than farmers with large farms (39.2%). The majority (75.2%) of farmers use crop rotation to control the corn rootworm. Nine insecticides comprised 92.2% of the commercial soil insecticides used for control of corn rootworm larvae. More than one-third of the farmers in Illinois (33.5%) and Indiana (39.4%) treated first-year corn for corn rootworm, primarily due to western corn rootworm egg laying in soybean, Glycine max (L.). When asked whether they would plant transgenic corn protected against the corn rootworm, 35.0% of farmers responded they would, whereas 40.5% said they were unsure. The two greatest farmer concerns about transgenic corn were the ability to sell harvested grain (59.3%) and additional technology fees (54.8%). Respondents indicated that less farmer exposure to insecticide (69.9%) and less insecticide in the environment (68.5%) were the primary benefits of transgenic corn. Farmers who had no concerns about transgenic corn for rootworm control were more likely to purchase the product (46.8%). The most common refuge-planting options farmers favored were adjacent fields (30.9%) and split fields (29.9%). Farmers (21.1%) observed a yield increase (23.7 bu/ha [9.6 bu/acre]) when using transgenic corn for European corn borer control compared with nontransgenic corn. These data can help in understanding farmers’ knowledge and concerns regarding transgenic corn. This information may be of value to guide researchers, extension specialists, and policy makers in designing insect resistance management and integrated pest management programs.

Ted A. Wilson, Marlin E. Rice, Jon J. Tollefson, and Clinton D. Pilcher "Transgenic Corn for Control of the European Corn Borer and Corn Rootworms: a Survey of Midwestern Farmers’ Practices and Perceptions," Journal of Economic Entomology 98(2), 237-247, (1 April 2005). https://doi.org/10.1603/0022-0493-98.2.237
Received: 3 June 2004; Accepted: 1 November 2004; Published: 1 April 2005
JOURNAL ARTICLE
11 PAGES

This article is only available to subscribers.
It is not available for individual sale.
+ SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

KEYWORDS
Bt
Diabrotica
maize
Ostrinia nubilalis
survey
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top