–by Dr. Jeff Whitworth and Dr. Holly Schwarting
As wheat senesces, or matures, the chinch bugs are migrating to adjacent corn and/or sorghum fields. V6+ stage corn can withstand considerable chinch bug feeding but younger plants may be stressed, especially dryland corn.
Seedling sorghum adjacent to wheat will be somewhat protected by insecticide seed treatments if chinch bug populations aren’t overwhelming as they migrate from the wheat, but only for about 28 days, maximum. Waiting about 2 weeks after wheat harvest to plant sorghum will mitigate chinch bug nymph infestation problems. For more information on chinch bug biology and management, please visit: https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF3107.pdf