by CLARE KINLIN
It turns out that seed corn maggots caused Sam’s soybean stand to be thin and uneven.
Don’t let the name deceive you. Seed corn maggot is not only found in corn. It’s a common pest in soybean and vegetable crops throughout the province.
Damage caused by seed corn maggot can be difficult to distinguish from other insects and disease, but two features made it an easy diagnosis in Sam’s field – spring-applied manure and cotyledon feeding.