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SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201514 As growers get acquainted with bifenthrin as new tool in their wireworm suppression arsenal researchers will continue to test and evaluate new insecticide products in search of one that decreases wireworm populations. In the United States farmers have options that kill wireworms. Were testing them. Its tricky because it depends on the species or sometimes a chemical will work really well in one area but not in another or even the same field. It will work against one species but not the other and sometimes you have mixed populations in your field says Noronha. The chemicals need to be tested here to see if they will work against our species and under our climatic conditions and soil type. Canadian producers also need access to more than one control product for the rotation of insecticide chemicals in order to prevent resistance from developing. BREEDING FOR LESS SUSCEPTIBILITY Although the search for new chemical control products is a strong and vital focus researchers are opening up new avenues of exploration for suppression of wireworm damage. Recently Noronha and her team evaluated wireworm damage on 21 different potato varieties. No chemicals were used so any damage suppression would be directly related to the variety. The results indicated a level of innate suppression at work within certain varieties. For example chipping varieties which averaged eight holes per tuber fared better than Norland Eva AC Chaleur and Shepody which averaged between 23 and 25 holes per tuber. Russet Burbank had roughly 18 holes per tuber while Goldrush and Atlantic averaged 12 holes per tuber in the tests. Theres something going on there says Noronha. The varieties themselves are showing some level of less susceptibility. This information can be given to a breeder and perhaps a variety like Russets can be bred to have traits in it that will help it be less susceptible to wireworm damage. COMPLEMENTARY COMBINATION Wireworm populations continue to grow says Mark McMillan FMCs business manager for Eastern Canada putting the squeeze on potato producers. The pest pressure has been growing every year and its spreading across P.E.I. It has a crippling effect on the growers its a critical situation he says. Enhancing the performance of existing tools that suppress wireworm damage is an important line of enquiry for both researchers and companies developing insecticides. With that goal in mind FMC paired up Capture insecticide with another powerful pest control product Bayer CropSciences neonicotinoid seed piece treatment Titan. FMC field trials indicate increased performance of Capture when the two products are combined says McMillan. It has been shown in at least three years results it enhanced performance. For example wireworm control field trials which Technology Crop International conducted for FMC and Bayer CropScience in Prince Edward Island in 2014 showed that marketable yield in terms of percentage of potato crop was 88 per cent when Capture was applied on its own this increased to 97 per cent when Capture was applied in combination with Titan see Table 2. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada studies also indicate combining Capture with Titan slightly enhances the performance. When you combine the two you get a slightly better result than if you use them separately says Christine Noronha research scientist and pest control specialist with AAFC. Another way FMC is looking to augment Captures performance is by changing up the application method. Its important growers get the best performance out of Capture. Theres another application method used in the United States which is called lay-by treatment says McMillan. Lay-by application involves spraying half the recommended amount of Capture in-furrow at planting and the balance just before hilling. In that way youre getting a increased zone of coverage McMillan says. This season he is testing lay-by application of Capture in Canada and if the results look good McMillan says the company will pursue the addition of the lay-by application method to be added to the label with the Pest Management Regulatory Agency. SOURCE FMC. COMBINED DATA FROM TWO HARVESTS OCT. 16 24 2014 IN CORNWALL P.E.I. IFA IN-FURROW APPLICATION. SPT SEED PIECE TREATMENT. Untreated Thimet IFA 21.5 kgha Capture IFA 1.41 Lha Capture IFA 1.41 Lha Titan SPT 15.6ml100 kg seed MarketableYield Table 2. Wireworm Control Trials 2014 Performed for FMC and Bayer Cropscience by Technology Crop International If youre not willing to apply it as prescribed then dont bother because youll lose potatoes. BOB VERNON