SYSTEMIC INSECTICIDES APPLIED AS TRAY DRENCH AND TRANSPLANT WATER TREATMENTS FOR TOBACCO FLEA BEETLE CONTROL ON BURLEY TOBACCO, 2008

Paul J. Semtner, Lee Wright
2009 Arthropod Management Tests  
Tobacco flea beetle (TFB): Epitrix hirtipennis (Melsheimer) Green Peach Aphid (GPA): Myzus persicae (Sulzer) This trial was conducted at the Virginia Tech Southwest AREC, Glade Spring, VA to evaluate various insecticides applied as seedling tray drench (TD) and transplant water (TPW) treatments for the control of the TFB and the GPA on burley tobacco and to assess treatment effects on the yield of burley tobacco. Seven treatments and an untreated check were established in a RCB block design
more » ... four replications (Table 1) . Plots were 8 × 30 ft (2 rows × 16 plants) and separated by single untreated border rows. 5-ft vacant alleys separated blocks. A CO 2 -pressurized backpack sprayer with an 8002LP tip and operated at 30 psi was used to apply Admire Pro 4.6SC (2 rates), V-10170, V-10170 + Ditera, and Platinum (2 rates) tray drench treatments in 10 fl oz of water to plants in 288-cell float trays on 3 Jun, 1 day before transplanting. Additional water was used to wash the chemical residue off the plants and into the media. 'Tennessee 90' burley tobacco was transplanted into the experimental plots on 4 Jun. TPW treatments were applied at 4 fl oz/plant (170 gal/acre) immediately after transplanting. Recommended production practices were followed for weed and disease control, fertilization, and topping and sucker control. TFB and TFB feeding holes were counted on 10 plants per plot on 20 and 27 Jun, 16, and 23 d after transplanting. GPA numbers were rated for the upper four leaves of 10 plants per plot 4, 11, and 18 Aug. Ratings were based on a scale of 0 to 5 where 0=no GPA, 1=1-5 GPA, 2=6-25, 3=25-100, 4=101-1,000 GPA and 5=>1,000 GPA. Tobacco was harvested, cured, graded, and the yield was determined. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and significantly different means were designated using Waller-Duncan k-ratio t-test (k-ratio=100). All treatments gave significant reductions in TFB populations compared with the untreated check on 20 Jun and significant reductions in TFB feeding damage through 27 Jun. The high rate of Admire Pro, Platinum, and V-10170 applied as TD treatments gave the greatest reductions in TFB feeding damage. The TPW applications of Admire Pro and V-10170 gave higher TFB damage than the TD treatments of the same chemicals. All treatments except the combination of V-10170 and Ditera gave significant control of the GPA through 11 Aug. The Admire Pro TD treatments had the lowest GPA ratings. The treatments had no effect on tobacco yield. No serious phytotoxicity was observed.
doi:10.4182/amt.2009.f84 fatcat:g7xums7z4nhzlhtwpxaf6noybq