Because onions are attacked by the onion maggot (Delia antiqua) and seedcorn maggot (D. platura), determining which insecticide seed treatments to use for managing both is important. Our recent research has shown that seedcorn maggot may kill onion seedlings before and shortly after emergence, while onion maggot is the dominant species that kills onions after emergence (80-90% of infested plants), and seedcorn maggot is less prevalent (10-20% of plants).

The "Cheat Sheet" for Seed Treatment and In-Furrow Treatments for Managing Maggots and Soilborne Diseases in Direct-Seeded Onion in New York, 2026 provides an update on insecticide options for managing both maggot species using seed treatments based on results from multiple Cornell field trials in Oswego County from 2023 to 2025.