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Tillage for Control of Wheat Stem Sawfly
Research has demonstrated that shallow fall tillage (Noble blade or field cultivator with sweeps) can provide up to 90 percent sawfly mortality. This form of tillage has the added advantage of leaving trash on the soil to help prevent wind erosion and conserve moisture. It is important to use an implement which will not cover the stubs with soil. Tillage should be conducted as soon as possible after harvest to expose the stubs to warm late summer conditions and cold winter weather.
Spring tillage can also be done to help reduce sawfly potential, but tillage at this time reportedly only produces about 25 percent sawfly mortality.
In no-till or minimum till systems the emphasis in sawfly management shifts to host plant resistance, delayed planting of susceptible varieties and rotations that include non-susceptible crops.
Sawfly resistant hard red spring wheat has solid stems that can minimize the impact of the insect. However, the solid stem varieties normally yield less than conventional hollow stem varieties, especially in central North Dakota and farther east in the state. Certain weather conditions such as excessive cloudy conditions can cause the solid stem varieties to lose stem solidness, thus becoming more susceptible to sawflies.
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