November/December 2020 - 23

Pest of the Month: Colorado Potato Beetle
A pest that can quickly get out of control
and decimate a potato field, the Colorado
Potato Beetle (CPB) is more common in
the Eastern U.S. than in Washington state.
In 2020, Eastern and Midwestern growers
saw typical, predictable pressure from
CPB - but surprisingly, Washington
growers also contended with an abnormal
number of the pests.
In the Tri-Cities and southern and
central regions of Washington, the trend of
higher CPB pressure in 2020 threw growers
for a loop. With the higher survival rates
last winter, CPB put pressure on crops
immediately. Beetles emerged starting in
May in the South Basin and the North
Basin saw them in early June. With larval
hatch occurring about three weeks after
adult emergence, growers needed to be
prepared to start knocking down the beetle
populations very early in the season.
How to prevent and control CPB
Going into the 2021 growing season, it is
imperative that growers apply at planting.
Infestations often start with adult CPB
overwintering in soil. Some growers have
attributed this issue in 2020 to the lack of a
deep freeze in the winter of 2019-2020.
Applying a seed treatment chemistry such
as Cruiser® from Syngenta will help protect
young plants in development for up to 60
days after planting. Another option is a soilapplication
of a neonicotinoid.
Due to the fast reproductive rate of
CPB, growers need to be prepared to target
foliar applications properly, and with the
correct variance in chemistries, to knock
down the pests and avoid resistance
management issues.
When foliar applications are required to
fight CPB populations, Agri-Mek® SC
(FRAC Group 6) from Syngenta is a foliar
insecticide that fights both mites and CPB
in potatoes. " Agri-Mek's active ingredient
is Abamectin. It has a good alternative mode
of action. It is really effective on CPB, has a
lot of use across a lot of acres and is a popular
product. It's good to incorporate into a
foliar program, especially in mid-to-late
June, when you don't want to apply any
of the foliar products like Warrior II with
Zeon Technology® or neonics, " said Dan
Maxfield, agronomic service representative
at Syngenta.
Growers can also use Besiege® insecticide,
a premix of Chlorantraniliprole and
Lambda-cyhalothrin - FRAC Groups 28
and 3 - which has " strong activity on CPB
and other pests, " said Meade McDonald,
product lead for insecticides at Syngenta.
One of the newest tools in the fight against
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2021 Outlook
For growers who had CPB infestations
in 2020, it is imperative to plan a strong
program for prevention and control of
the beetles for 2021. This is a pest that
can wreak havoc in potato fields as heavy
infestations can cause defoliation, which
negatively impacts yields.
Meade McDonald
Dan Maxfield
CPB is Minecto® Pro insecticide from
Syngenta, which launched in 2017-2018.
" Getting out and scouting, looking for
egg masses, is the first indication of pressure
in that field. The first spray for Minecto Pro
should be targeted after 50% of egg masses
have hatched and early larvae are present, "
McDonald said.
Resistance management
Resistance to various insecticide classes
is present in some populations of CPB, and
Syngenta encourages growers to employ
resistance management practices to preserve
effective tools.
" CPB is known to be highly resilient
in potatoes, and in many cases, there are
resistant populations to neonics, pyrethroids
and organophosphates, " McDonald said.
" For growers in high-pressure fields,
the first CPB application should be made
when populations are low. When CPB
populations are high, use the highest
labeled rate, " McDonald said. " Also,
thorough coverage is essential for the
best results. Minecto Pro has exceeded
grower expectations for performance on
CPB in 2020 and is an excellent choice
in a program approach as part of a CPB
strategy in 2021. "
To learn more about Agri-Mek SC, visit
www.syngenta-us.com/insecticides/agri-mek-sc.
0BEG02256_Dart_AG270_1021.indd
More details about Besiege are available at
www.syngenta-us.com/insecticides/besiege.
For more information about Minecto Pro,
visit www.syngenta-us.com/insecticides/
minecto-pro.
Product performance assumes pest presence.
To learn how Minecto®
Pro insecticide
can help protect your crops from pests,
visit SyngentaUS.com/MinectoPro
©2020 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in
all states or counties. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. Minecto Pro is a Restricted
Use Pesticide. Minecto Pro is highly toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment on blooming crops and weeds. Do not apply this product or
allow it to drift onto blooming plants while bees are foraging adjacent to the treatment area. Minecto®
of a Syngenta Group Company.
and the Syngenta logo are trademarks
0BEG02256-DART-AG270 10/20
Agri-Mek SC, Besiege, Minecto Pro and Warrior II with Zeon Technology are Restricted Use Pesticides.

http://www.syngenta-us.com/insecticides/agri-mek-sc http://www.syngenta-us.com/insecticides/besiege http://www.syngenta-us.com/insecticides/ http://www.SyngentaUS.com/MinectoPro

November/December 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November/December 2020