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SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201512 Whats After Thimet Thimets phaseout puts the spotlight on Capture as a viable alternative for controlling wireworm in potatoes. Researchers industry stakeholders and growers say it delivers. BY KARI BELANGER THERES A GROWING sense of unease among Canadian potato producers as the countdown continues on the deregulation of Thimet 15-G. In the face of increased wireworm pressure across the country especially in Prince Edward Island growers arent the only group troubled by the phasing out of the only insecticide registered in Canada for use on potatoes that kills wireworms. Growers need a product that kills wireworms. They are concerned about it and we are concerned about it as well says Christine Noronha a research scientist and pest control specialist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. However last years eleventh-hour registration of bifenthrin the active ingredient in FMCs Capture insecticide presented an opportunity for P.E.I. growers to test drive this new tool for suppressing wireworm damage of potatoes in large-scale field trials. We evaluated tubers from farmers who used Capture on their farms. It seemed to work. Overall I think farmers were satisfied with it says Noronha. Mark McMillan FMCs business manager for Eastern Canada was also pleased with the results. I believe it performed as expected. It gave similar control of wireworm damage to Thimet the current standard product. There was statistically no difference between the two products performance with respect to wireworm damage suppression he says. The first season is always a concern because its a new product a new application method a new use pattern for growers so its a learning curve. But I think after the first couple of years growers will get used to the product and will use it in the most effective manner. However due to bifenthrins late-spring registration last year growers scrambled to carry out field trials which made scientific evaluation difficult for researchers as some growers did not have time to establish control plots or assess wireworm pressure before applying the insecticide. Despite these challenges researchers were able to gather some scientific data says Noronha. There was one field where it was done properly and it showed results. They had a check they had Thimet and Capture. Capture seemed to work on that field. Although scientific data from large-scale field trials is limited at present Capture has been Field trials of insecticide efficacy carried out in Prince Edward Island in 2014 provided data supporting Captures suppression of wireworm damage. PHOTO CHRISTINE NORONHA AAFC.