Recent experience has been that corn planted into alfalfa that has been killed in the spring has a greater potential for cutworm problems. You cannot be sure that tillage will have a significant effect on cutworm populations. If fields are tilled before black cutworm migration, it may limit egg laying in those fields. Cutworms already in the field may suffer some mortality by mechanical action, but there is no guarantee that tillage by itself will eliminate cutworm problems. Many cutworm problems have occurred in fields that have been tilled.
Previous vegetation is probably the most important factor in cutworm potential.
It is extremely rare to experience cutworm problems in continuous corn. Corn stubble is not a preferred egg laying site. Potential problems in continuous corn may be the result of a previous year's late season flush of weeds, an interseeding of a fall cover crop such as rye, or a flush of winter annuals this spring, which possibly attract egg laying moths. Managing Cutworms in Corn Several options exist for the grower who wants to manage cutworms in corn. Since a vast majority of corn acreage is not affected by cutworms, the most economically sound practice is to scout for cutworm damage as soon as the corn emerges and apply a rescue treatment if necessary.