Wireworm research update 2014
Christine Noronha
Crops and Livestock Research Centre
Charlottetown , PEI
Wireworm research update and extension day, March 24, 2015
INSECTICIDE TRIALS
3
Seven insecticides with four replicates per insecticide, 2014
4
Removing Holes and scars
Method for Evaluating Tubers
If the tuber loses greater than
5% of its weight it is considered
unmarketable for the processing
industry
Figure 1: Mean number of blemishes (holes +scars) per tuber
following an in-furrow insecticide application at planting in
Russet Burbank potatoes. 2014
6
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Check Thimet Capture Exp 1 Exp 2 Exp 3 Exp 4 Exp 5
Yie
ld m
t/h
a
Insecticides
Figure 2: Efficacy of 7 insecticides applied in-furrow on
marketable yield for the processing market in Russet Burbank
potatoes, 2014
1mt =22.05cwt
1mt =22.05cwt
Figure 3: Efficacy of 7 insecticides applied in-furrow on tuber yield
with no-damage in Russet Burbank potatoes, 2014
Figure 4: Efficacy of 7 insecticides applied in-furrow on
unmarketable yield for the processing market in Russet Burbank
potatoes, 2014
1mt =22.05cwt
9
Does the insecticide Capture kill
wireworms?
10
LABORATORY STUDIES
Treatments • Untreated Check
• Capture @ 200gai/ha
• Capture @ 300gai/ha
• Thimet @ 215 g/100 m row
• Mocap @ rate of 1.4
lb/1000ft row
Four replicates per
treatment
Figure 1: Percent mortality of wireworms exposed to
different insecticides
Figure 2: Percent wireworm mortality over time when
exposoed to different insecticides in the laboratory
Will wireworms move into soil
treated with Capture
13
14
Capture treated soil (300gai/ha)
Untreated soil
Untreated soil (Control)
Laboratory Insecticide Trials
Laboratory Insecticide Trials
Control
Capture treatment
Laboratory Insecticide Trials
Figure 1: Percent of wireworms moving into capture treated
soil towards a potato bait.
18
Farmer field trials
19
Figure 1. Mean number of blemishes (hole +scars) in tubers
grown
20
Figure 1: Mean number of blemishes (holes+scars) in tubers
following a fall planting of four different rotation crop.
21
POTATO VARIETRY TRIAL
22
Twenty varieties and six replicates per variety
23
Doing on Farm research
24
Figure 1. Mean number of holes per tuber in different potato
varieties grown without an insecticide application to protect against
wireworm damage.
25
Figure 2. Mean number of blemishes (holes+scars) in different potato
varieties grown without an insecticide application to protect against
wireworm damage
50
60
50
75
100
100
Insecticide A Insecticide B
40
80
30
25
35
40
30 20
50
60
50
75
100
100
Insecticide A Insecticide B
40
80
30
25
35
40
30 20
6 rows 30 rows
Insecticide A Insecticide B Check
12+ rows 12 + rows 12+ rows
29
Wireworm Research Across Canada Areas of research
1. Insecticide trials
2. Insecticide treated Wheat trials
3. Rotation Crops
4. Monitoring
5. Biological Control
6. Canadian Click Beetle Survey
Cluster project with the Canadian Horticulture Council
– funding is a combination of industry and matched by
AAFC - 2014-18.
0
1
2
3
4
5
ble
m/t
ub
er
Insecticide Efficacy Trials at PARC, Agassiz, 2013
Mean wireworm blemishes per market-sized tuber
Harvest 1 (100
DAP)
0
1
2
3
4
5
ble
m/t
ub
er
Harvest 2 (120
DAP)
Untr
eate
d
Thim
et 1
5G
Cap
t 30
0
Cap
t 200
Cap
t 100
Tit
an 1
2.5
EX
P 1
EX
P 2
EX
P 3
EX
P 4
EX
P 5
EX
P 6
EX
P 7
EX
P 8
EX
P 9
EX
P 1
0
EX
P 1
1
EX
P 1
2
EX
P 1
3
EX
P 1
4
Tit
an 6
.3 +
Cap
t 200
Wireworm Efficacy Trials (Agassiz: 2003-2013)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Blemishes Large wws Small wws
% o
f C
on
tro
l
Control Thimet 15G
(phorate)
Pyrinex 480EC
(chlorpyrifos)
Capture 2EC
(bifenthrin) (300g)
N = 13 N = 13 N = 9 N = 5
% o
f C
ontr
ol
Control Thimet 15G Pyrinex 480EC +
Titan ST (6.3g)
Capture 2EC (200g) +
Titan ST (6.3g)
N = 13 N = 13 N = 9 N = 4
0
20
40
60
80
100
Blemishes Large wws Small wws
Wireworm Efficacy Trials (Agassiz: 2003-2013)
Click Beetle BioControl
Most beetles attracted in as few as 6 hours!
Percent mortality of click beetles
(beetles become fatally infected in as little as 6 hours)
Pheromone granules improve the efficacy of
Metarhizium when targeting click beetles using a banded
application
(2 x 1014 conidia/ha) (2 x 1013 conidia/ha)
No pheromone granules in Metarhizium band With pheromone granules in Metarhizium band
Granules might also be used for Mating Disruption
? ? ?
?
Advantages of granular formulation
of click beetle pheromone
the majority of beetles are attracted to the pheromone granules
and become fatally infected in as little as 6 hours
farm-equipment friendly: both the pheromone and Metarhizium
granules
attracts beetles to a biological control
opens up the possibility for beetle mating disruption
dual ‘attract and kill’ / mating disruption
A Comprehensive Approach to the
Biological Control of Wireworms
includes:
-Reducing the input of new larvae from adults
-Reducing the larvae to sub-threshold levels
-Preventing wireworm build-up once a sub-threshold
level is achieved
-Achieving management with a minimal
environmental impact (soft on beneficials)
Comprehensive Wireworm Biocontrol
Year 1 rotation crop
Click beetle attract and kill Year 2 rotation crop
Click beetle attract and kill
Year 3 cropping year
Attract and kill / or broadcast Metarhizium
targeting the remaining wireworms