How much do you know about cutworms?
Cutworms are the caterpillars of some moths that live in the soil and can feed on lower leaves and the base of plant stems.
Caterpillars of Agrotis spp. (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) develop in soil: they feed on plants and can cause severe damage at early crop stage. Cutworm efficacy trials are challenging. Often, a low or heterogeneous infestation leads to ambiguous results.
This year, our field team in Stade (Germany) successfully conducted a cage trial with artificial inoculation of cutworm - infestation was sufficient to highlight clear differences between seed treatments.