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Wireworm Management for North Dakota Field Crops (continued)

E-188 (revised), May 2001

Introduction
Description
Life History
Damage
Sampling
Suggested Management Methods

Tables:
Seed Treatments Approved by Crop
Insecticide/Fungicide Composition of Seed Treatment
Corn Soil Insecticides Labeled for Use Against Wireworm
Sugarbeet Soil Insecticides Labeled for Use Against Wireworm
Potato Soil Insecticides Labeled for Use Against Wireworm


Suggested Management Methods


Cultural Control:

This includes any cultivation or seeding practice which will discourage wireworm feeding in the field. Such practices as shallow tillage, shallow seeding, seeding with press drill, and clean summer fallow are all helpful in reducing future wireworm damage.


Chemical Control:

Seed Treatments
Several insecticides are approved for use as seed treatments to protect seeds from wireworms and the seedcorn maggot. Insecticides applied to the seed just before planting time is an inexpensive means of reducing wireworm damage to growing crops. For maximum benefits, treat shortly before seeding; prolonged storage after treatment may reduce germination. If on-farm treaters are used, be sure they are properly calibrated to apply the recommended dosages.

Seed treatment is primarily a protective measure and does not necessarily result in eliminating the wireworm menace from a field. Also, seed treatment will not prevent wireworms from chewing on below-ground portions of seedlings.

Methods of Seed Treatment
Dry Drill Box Treaters: Insecticides may be applied to the seed in any type of dry treater that will give uniform coverage. However, it is extremely important to avoid over treating or overdosing. Also, be sure that there is no streaking or incomplete coverage of kernels.

Liquid Seed Treaters: These treaters are designed to treat seed with insecticide, fungicide or both. An advantage of the liquid treaters over dry drill box treaters is that this type of treater eliminates the possibility of self contamination often associated with dust treaters.

Do not store treated grain in bins intended for storing grain going to commercial food or feed channels. Seed treated with an insecticide or fungicide must not be sold on the market, except as seed, nor should it be fed to livestock.

Soil Applied Insecticide Treatments
Soil insecticides are used to prevent damage to plants from soil insect pests. They are applied as a preventive measure since rescue treatments are generally ineffective. Use of these products should be based on some knowledge of the pest being present which is determined by field scouting. Using soil insecticides strictly as insurance against injury is discouraged.




Other Resources:

Bechinski, E. J., L. E. Sandoval, G. P. Carpenter, & H. W. Homan. 1994. Integrated Pest Management Guide to Wireworms in Potatoes. University of Idaho Extension Circular.




Table 3. Seed Treatments approved by Crop

Seed Treatment Corn Wheat Barley Soybean Sunflower Dry Bean Peas Sugarbeet Canola
Agrox Premiere X X X
Assault 25 X     X          
Barracuda * X X
DB Green  X X X            
Diazinon 50W  X X
Enhance Plus    X X            
Gaucho 75ST*, 480*, 600*  X X X X X
Gaucho XT *    X X            
Germate Plus  X X
Helix *                  X
Helix XTra*  X
Isotox F  X X     X X      
Kernel Guard  X X X
Kernel Guard Supreme  X     X          
Lorsban 50SL*  X X X
Grain Guard Plus X X X X          
Raze  X
Sorghum Guard  X X X X X   X    
* Available only through commercial seed treatment.





Table 4. Insecticide/Fungicide Composition of Seed Treatments
% fungicide
Maneb Carboxin Captan  Metalaxyl  Tebuconazol  Difenoconazole Mefanoxam  Fludioxnil 
Agrox Premiere - - 14.7 1 - - - -
Assault 25 - - - - - - - -
Barracuda * - - - - - - - -
DB Green  50 - - - - - - -
Diazinon 50W - - - - - - - -
Enhance Plus  35  20 - - - - - -
Gaucho XT * - - - 0.82  0.62 - - -
Gaucho 480 * - - - - - - - -
Gaucho 600 * - - - - - - - -
Gaucho 75ST * - - - - - - - -
Germate Plus - 14 - - - - - -
Helix * - - - - - 1.3 0.4 0.13
Helix Xtra * - - - - - 1.3 0.4 0.13
Isotox F - - 12.2 - - - - -
Kernal Guard - - 15 - - - - -
Kernel Guard Supreme - 14.4 - - - - - -
Lorsban 50SL* - - - - - - - -
Grain Guard Plus 50 - - - - - - -
Raze - - - - - - - -
Sorghum Guard - - 32.8 - - - - -
*Available only through commercial seed treatment.
% fungicide

 
% insecticide
Lindane  Diazinon Chlorpyrifos   Permethrin   Tefluthrin   Imidacloprid   Thiamethoxam
Agrox Premiere 25 15.5 - - - - -
Assault 25 - - - 25 - - -
Barracuda* - - - 25 - - -
DB Green 18.8 - - - - - -
Diazinon 50W - 50 - - - - -
Enhance Plus 18.8 - - - - - -
Gaucho XT* - - - - - 75 -
Gaucho 480* - - - - - 40.7 -
Gaucho 600* - - - - - 48.7 -
Gaucho 755T* - - - - - 75 -
Germate Plus 25 15 - - - - -
Helix* - - - - - - 10.3
Helix Xtra - - - - - - 20.7
Isotox F 25 - - - - - -
Kernal Guard 25 15 - - - - -
Kernel Guard Supreme - - - 10.4 - - -
Lorsban 50SL* - - 50 - - - -
Grain Guard Plus 18.8 - - - - - -
Raze - - - - 27 - -
Sorghum Guard 16.6 - - - - - -
*Available only through commercial seed treatment.

 

 



Table 5. Corn Soil Insecticides Labeled for Use Against Wireworm 
Insecticide Dosage in
Lb AI/Acre		 Product Per Acre Restrictions on Use
Aztec 2.1 G 
    RUP  		 0.12 - 0.15 lb/acre  6.7 oz/1,000 ft of row - 
any row spacing 		 May be applied at planting as band, T-band, or in-furrow treatment. Cover or incorporate spills (including end row spillage). Do not use on other crops grown for food or forage.
Counter 15 G 
    RUP		 1 lb/acre  8 oz/1,000 ft or row - 
any row spacing 

Apply in a 7-inch band or in-furrow at planting. Do not apply Accent or Beacon herbicide to corn treated with Counter 15 G.
Capture 2EC
    RUP		 0.0046 lb/1,000 ft of row  0.3 fl oz/1,000 ft of row  Apply as a 5 to 7 inch T-band over an open seed furrow. Position spray nozzle behind the planter shoe,  in front of press wheel. Apply in a min. of 3 gals. finished spray per acre.
Force 1.5 G and 3 G  
    RUP  		 0.1 - 0.125 lb/acre  1.5 G: 8-10 oz /1,000 ft of row
3 G: 4 - 5 oz/1,000 ft of row -  
any row spacing 		 Apply in a 7-inch band or in-furrow behind the planter shoe in front of the press wheel. Do not rotate to another crop within 30 days after application.
Fortress 2.5 G and 5 G 
    RUP  		 2.5 G: 6 oz/1,000 ft of row - any row spacing 
5 G: 3 oz/1,000 ft of row - any row spacing 		 Apply as a T-band or in-furrow at planting. Do not apply as a surface band behind the press wheel. Granules exposed on the soil surface must be incorporated. Crop rotational intervals: corn - anytime; other crops - 30 days.
Lorsban 15 G
    RUP   		 1.2 - 2.4 lb/acre  8 - 16 oz/1,000 ft of row  T-Band or in-furrow at planting. If high wireworm numbers are anticipated, add insecticide seed treatment to planter box to augment control.
Lorsban 4E  
    RUP  		 2 lb/acre  4 pts  Broadcast ppi in sufficient water to the soil surface and incorporate into the soil.
Mocap 10 G  
    RUP  		 1 lb/acre  12 oz/1,000 ft or row - any row spacing  Apply in a 7-inch band at planting. Do not apply in contact with seed!
Thimet 20 G 
    RUP  		 1 lb/acre  6 oz/1,000 ft of row - any row spacing  Place granules in a 7-inch band over the row directly behind the planter shoe in front of the press wheel. Do not place Thimet in direct contact with seed!
Warrior 
    RUP  		 0.015 lb/acre  1.92 fl oz  Apply at planting time as an in-furrow treatment for the control of wireworms. Apply into the seed furrow. May be applied in either water or liquid starter fertilizer.
RUP � Restricted use pesticide

 



Table 6. Sugarbeet Soil Insecticides Labeled for Use Against Wireworm

Insecticide Dosage in
Lb AI/Acre		 Product Per Acre Restrictions on Use
Counter 15G 
    RUP		 1 - 1.8 lb/acre  5.9 - 11.9 lbs 
or 
4 - 5 oz/1,000 ft of row 		 Apply as a 5-inch band treatment at planting time. Do not place in direct contact with seed. Fields must be posted.
Lorsban 15G 
    RUP		 1.5 - 2 lb/acre  10 - 13.4 lbs 
or
6.5 - 9 oz/1,000 ft of row		 Lorsban 15G can provide suppression of low to moderate infestations at these rates.
RUP � Restricted use pesticide
Do not use lindane or any other chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticide on sugarbeet seed. Check with your company field representatives before treating beet seed with an insecticide.

 



Table 7. Potato Soil Insecticides Labeled for Use Against Wireworm

Insecticide Dosage in
Lb AI/Acre		 Product Per Acre Restrictions on Use
Disulfoton 15 G (Di-Syston) 
    RUP		 15 - 23 oz/1,000 ft of row  Band application at planting. Do not apply Di-Syston within 75 days of harvest. Do not plant food or feed crop in rotation after a field treatment with Di-Syston unless it is a registered use for Di-Syston.
Imidacloprid (Genesis)  8 - 16 fl oz 
(0.4 - 0.8 fl oz per 100 lbs of seed-pieces)  		 This is a seed-piece application ONLY. Treatments provide protection only to the seed piece, not to daughter tubers. Plant seed-pieces as soon as possible after cutting and treating. Do not apply any subsequent application of imidacloprid (Gaucho, Admire in furrow, or Provado) following Genesis seed-piece treatment.
Phorate 20 G (Thimet)
    RUP  		 11.3 - 17 oz/1,000 ft of row  Band application at planting. Do not apply Thimet within 90 days of harvest.
RUP � Restricted use pesticide
NOTE: The lower rate of application is suggested in light or sandy soils and the higher rate is suggested in heavy
or clay soils.

 

-- B A C K --

E-188 (revised), May 2001

 

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