May/June 2022 - 17

Don't Let Pests Steal Your Yield
Winter cold no match for yield-robbing insects
R
egardless of the year or the
winter temperatures that
precede spring planting, it's
not a matter of if the Colorado potato
beetle will emerge with warm spring
temperatures. It's a matter of when pest
pressure will build to threshold levels.
Pacific Northwest potato growers
know they must have a plan to
minimize crop damage this destructive
pest causes.
" Colorado potato beetle is our
No. 1 pest. We expect pressure to be
somewhat down from normal this year,
but they are certainly still out there, "
says Washington potato farmer Jordan
Reed. " Temperatures dropped below
zero this winter, but we need at least
five days of freezing soil temperatures,
at least 8 inches deep, to get rid of
volunteer potato plants. "
Because non-potato rotational
crops are rarely, if ever, treated with an
insecticide targeting Colorado potato
beetle, the pest can thrive on volunteer
potato plants in these non-potato fields.
With staggered potato plantings,
farmers face multiple generations of
Colorado potato beetle and other
pests in one cropping season.
Reed and fellow Washington
potato grower Grant Morris also are
monitoring for green peach aphids,
mites, psyllids and potato tuberworm.
They also monitor their fields for
lygus infestations. " While they are
likely out there, they may not be
present at populations large enough to
be financially damaging, " Morris says.
At planting in early March, Morris
and Reed both treat with Vydate®
C-LV insecticide/nematicide to improve
control of root-knot, stubby and lesion
nematodes and to capture the plant
health benefits the product offers.
" We will apply Vydate at planting
and again beginning when
accumulated degree days reach
1440, which marks the first nematode
hatch, " Morris says. " Degree days
in Washington are determined by
ambient temperatures and soil
temperatures 8 to 10 inches deep. "
That application will be repeated
every two weeks for the remainder of
the season, as needed.
In some years, an insecticide is
applied for aphid control. " We use
Transform WG insecticide and it does
its job, " says Morris.
Later in the season, often beginning
sometime in June, a tank mix that
includes Delegate® WG insecticide
with Jemvelva™ active (spinetoram)
will target in-season pests, including
the Colorado potato beetle. Product
selection and timing are based on
defoliation and pest count thresholds.
With the targeted control and
residual activity Delegate offers,
potato growers can effectively control
problematic pests.
" Delegate holds them back for
a while, " Reed says. " The residual
activity Delegate provides allows us to
space out insecticide applications. That
minimizes the number of sprays we
need to make and limits the amount of
active ingredient we're using. "
Morris adds, " The less active
ingredient we put out there the
better it is from an environmental and
sustainability standpoint. "
With limited miticide options,
A Colorado potato beetle nymph
in potatoes.
Delegate also helps Reed and Morris
avoid flaring mites, whereas some
competing treatments tend to flare
mite populations.
" If you go out with an insecticide
that kills everything out there, the
mites will be the first pest back, "
Morris says.
Another advantage Delegate offers
is a short preharvest interval.
" Short preharvest intervals are
key, and that's a big advantage for
Delegate, " Reed says. " It becomes an
even bigger deal as you get closer to
harvest, and it is something that keeps
Delegate at the top of our list. "
Visit DelegateWG.Corteva.US to
find out what Delegate can do for your
potato operation.
™ ® Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. Vydate® C-LV is a Restricted Use Pesticide. Transform®
WG and Vydate C-LV are not registered for sale or use in all states. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine
if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Jemvelva™ is a registered active ingredient.
Always read and follow label directions.
© 2022 Corteva. (04/22) BR CAAG1INTE054
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May/June 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May/June 2022