Currently, it's the critical growth stage for summer-sown corn. This year, unusual weather conditions have caused significant challenges. Early drought and high temperatures were followed by prolonged low temperatures, creating a stressful environment for crops. Additionally, pests such as the two-spotted spider mite, second-generation armyworm, cutworms, and brown planthoppers have been heavily infesting fields. These issues have led to uneven emergence, missing plants, and gaps in corn rows across many plots.
According to local farmers, pest activity has been unusually high this season. Many corn seeds haven't even germinated before being damaged by underground pests like wireworms. Newly sprouted seedlings are often cut off by cutworms, while others are affected by cockroaches. Symptoms include rolled or twisted heart leaves, which indicate potential leaf diseases.
The severe outbreak of pests has significantly boosted the demand for insecticides. Distributors are actively promoting products like imidacloprid, acetamiprid, chlorpyrifos, and pyrethroids. Some dealers have written down application guidelines on blackboards to guide farmers. The current surge in insecticide sales contrasts sharply with the sluggish market seen earlier this year in northern regions.
This year's spring was marked by prolonged dry spells and little rainfall, which affected pesticide use. In Wulian County, Shandong, farmers usually apply pesticides multiple times during wheat field management, targeting pests like aphids, red spiders, and midges. Products like imidacloprid, acetamiprid, and cyhalothrin were commonly used. However, due to the drought, many farmers abandoned field management, leading to lower pesticide usage and a slow market.
In addition, delayed planting of spring peanuts due to lack of rain has further reduced pesticide demand. By early June, winter wheat started to mature, but poor conditions forced farmers to wait for rain before planting. Due to the widespread occurrence of corn rough disease, agricultural experts have advised farmers to focus on controlling Laodelphax striatellus and avoid overplanting, which could delay pesticide use. As a result, the entire pesticide market remained weak from peanut planting through winter wheat harvest.
By June 17, the northern areas finally saw widespread rain, prompting farmers to plant summer corn and soybeans. With this, the pesticide market began to pick up, especially for herbicides like acetochlor and paraquat. Many farmers mix these with insecticides to control both weeds and pests, boosting sales. Dealers recommend products like phoxim, methyl parathion, and chlorpyrifos. However, it's important to note that certain herbicides, such as nicosulfuron and atrazine, should not be mixed with organophosphorus or carbamate-based pesticides, and a safety interval of at least seven days is recommended.
A local dealer in Wulian County reported strong sales recently, with farmers actively purchasing pesticides. The most popular products included acetamiprid, imidacloprid, and chlorpyrifos, with stable pricing. For example, acetamiprid (100ml) retails for about 10 yuan, and chlorpyrifos (300ml) costs around 8 yuan. A few products, like dichlorvos and methyl parathion, saw small price increases—about 10–15 yuan per box, with an additional 1 yuan per bottle. Despite these changes, sales remain modest, and farmers are generally aware of the pricing.
In summary, the recent heavy infestation of pests in summer-sown corn has finally revitalized the pesticide market, reversing the earlier downturn. Farmers are now more active in applying treatments, marking a peak in drug usage. Li Jinqin
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