Soybean farmers fighting pests resistant to pyrethroids have found a new weapon. A new tank mix of DiPel ES and pyrethroids is proving to be a real solution for those struggling with increasing pest resistance to pyrethroids and organophosphates alone.....Read more
At Brandt Farms near Reedley, California, Wayne Brandt is busy protecting his peaches from any chance of a constant bug hatch.....Read more
Consultant Mark Verbeck is counting on careful scouting and timely application to protect Justin Hood's pepper crop. On the eastside of Florida, Dean Bruschi is making sure he'll be set to kill worms and provide "U-pick" field entry.....Read more
Years of data from scores of trials support the use of Bt as a partner with conventional pesticides for control of Lepidopteran pests. The efficacy and affordability of Bts combined with their resistance management properties, make it a front line solution for worm control. But is it better to tank mix Bt with other products, or deliver it in rotation? And if rotation, in what order should the rotational partners be applied?....Read more
While it is necessary for growers to constantly monitor their fields for insect-pest populations, there are some important things to factor in when it’s time to spray.
Rick Hopkins, senior field research & development scientist for Valent BioSciences Corp., says preventative measures are based on the kind of pesticide program you have on a yearly basis, whether it’s a hard-chemical regimen or a softer approach. For growers considering integrating Bts into their pest-control plan of attack, all application considerations should be taken into account.....Read more
When Powell Smith started working with South Carolina Brassica growers in the late 80s, calendar spraying was still the norm at many Lexington County operations. The heavy insect pressure of the Southeast combined with the market’s low tolerance for insect damage meant that 14 applications for caterpillar control on a single crop was not uncommon. Sometimes as many as 20 or more were used. Like many horticulturists of his era, Smith quickly set to work teaching growers the concepts of integrated pest management and to curtail the self defeating over application of insecticides.....Read more
Pest control season for California stone fruit producers is fast approaching and many growers are what doing what football coaches might call “pre-game planning.”....Read more
New Year’s resolutions you can use to enhance your Bt program. There are two concepts that critical to the application of Bts: apply them early and apply them thoroughly.
....Read more
When it comes to a successful Bt program, there’s no substitute for scouting – scouting early and often. Dale DeShane, a pest control adviser who consults on a wide range of crops in California’s southern San Joaquin Valley, says a crop like lettuce should be checked several times a week. Even with a lower-dollar crop like alfalfa, DeShane scouts at least twice a week.....Read more
Most growers are all too familiar with this family of insects, which includes the beet armyworm, fall armyworm and southern armyworm. All three feed on a whole host of field and row crops, from cotton and soybeans to vegetables including cole crops, tomatoes and leafy vegetables. About the only difference among them is that the southern armyworm is a little larger and more active at night. ....Read more
