RESULTS

Total Acres Treated with Pesticides

The reported pesticide treated acres in Tables 1A, 2 and 3 indicate acres that received one or more applications of a pesticide. The treated acres in Tables 4 through 21 include multiple applications to the same acreage as separate values in the total, and pesticides applied as a tank mixture were totaled separately unless a commercial premix was used. Thus, acres treated in Tables 4 through 21 can exceed 100% of the planted acres.  See list of tables.

Herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides were applied one or more times to 18.8, 1.3, and 0.6 million acres, respectively, in 1996 (Table 1A), 17.6, 0.9, and 0.6 million acres, respectively, in 1992 (Table 1B), 17.4, 1.8, and 0.4 million acres, respectively, in 1989 (Table 1C), and 17.5, 2.5, and 0.5 million acres, respectively, in 1984 (Table 1D). In 1996, herbicides were applied to approximately 47.3% of all crop, pasture, hay, CRP, and summer fallow land, insecticides to 3.2%, and fungicides to 1.6%. In 1992, herbicides were applied to approximately 43.1% of all crop, pasture, hay, CRP, and summer fallow land, insecticides to 2.1%, and fungicides to 1.4%.

Acres planted to treated seed totaled 9.83 million, with 100% of sugarbeet, 84.3% of dry bean, 79.4% of corn, 76.5% of sunflower, 76.2% of canola, 61.9% of potato, 50.9% of barley, 45.3% of wheat, and 9.5% of soybean acreage planted with treated seed. All percentages, except for sugarbeet, represent a reduction in amount of acreage planted to treated seed since the 1992 survey⁴. Acres planted to on-farm treated seed totaled 6.41 million in 1996 (Table 1A), indicating that a majority of treated seed planted is treated on the farm. On-farm treatment is most common for seed of wheat, barley, and potato. Oat seed is seldom treated, but the majority of treatment that does occur is on-farm. Seed of corn, sunflower, canola, dry bean, and sugarbeet is generally purchased already treated (Table 1A).

Total acres treated at least once with herbicides was 18,765,000 in 1996, 17,573,200 in 1992, 17,368,600 in 1989, and 17,539,800 in 1984 (Tables 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D) indicating that acres treated at least once with herbicides increased by over one million acres in 1996 but has remained relatively stable over the past twelve years. However, when multiple herbicide applications were totaled as multiple acres, herbicide treated acres increased from 24,819,300 in 1984, to 27,674,700 in 1989, to 28,777,400 in 1992, to 33,691,700 in 1996 (Tables 22A, 22B, 22C, and 22D). The percentage of acres treated at least once with herbicides in 1992 and 1996 was over 90% for wheat, barley, corn, sunflower, soybean, dry bean, and sugarbeet (Table 1A and 1B). Acres treated were less than 2% for alfalfa hay, other hay, pasture, and CRP. Percentage of acres treated for individual crops has remained relatively constant across years (Tables 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D). Two notable changes were an 8% decline in treated oat and a 13% decrease in treated potato acreage from 1992 to 1996.

Insecticides were used on 1.26 million acres, 0.4 million more acres in 1996 than in 1992. Even with the increase, insecticide treated acres represented only 3.2% of the total agricultural acreage in 1996, less than the 6.3% and 4.5% treated acres reported in surveys from 1984 and 1989, respectively. Insecticide treatments applied on 0.5 million acres of wheat for the control of the orange wheat blossom midge account for a major portion of the increase in treated acres from 1992. Crops with the greatest insecticide use rate were potato, sugarbeet, sunflower, corn, canola, wheat, and soybean, with insecticide applications on 74.4%, 39.8%, 34.4%, 6.2%, 8.2%, 4.3%, and 1.5% of the acres, respectively. These crops accounted for 98.8% of the total insecticide treated acreage in ND. Though a small percent, 4.3%, of the wheat crop was treated, wheat represented 43.6% of the total treated acres. Sunflower acres made up 32.7% of the total insecticide treated acres. Potato had the greatest percent of acres treated at 74.4%, but represents only 8% of the total treated acres.

Total acreage treated with fungicide, exclusive of seed treatment, remained relatively constant with 1.6% in 1996 compared to 1.4% in 1992, of total cropland treated at least once.

Acres Treated According to Agricultural Statistics Districts

North Dakota has nine agricultural statistics districts (Appendix B). Summaries of pesticide usage by district are given in Table 2. The largest percentages of acreage planted to treated seed and treated with herbicides, insecticides and fungicides were in the northeast and east central districts. These two districts also have some of the largest acreage planted to wheat, barley, sunflower, soybean, dry bean, potato and sugarbeet crops (Table 3).

Summaries of pesticide usage per crop by district are given in Table 3. Herbicide usage on wheat ranged from 80% of the acreage in the south central to 97% in the northeast district. Acres treated with herbicides were over 90% in six of the nine districts. Insecticide usage on wheat ranged from less than 0.1% in the southeast, to a high of 14.7% in the northeast. Districts impacted by orange wheat blossom midge accounted for 91% of the total treated wheat acres. Fungicide usage on wheat ranged from less than 0.1% in the northwest, west central, southwest and south central districts, to 10.7% of wheat acreage treated in the northeast district.

Herbicide usage on barley ranged from 65% of the acreage in the south central to 97% in the northwest district. Acres treated with herbicides were over 80% in seven of the nine districts. Insecticide usage on barley was less than 1% of the acres in all districts, except for the northeast where 1.8% of the acres were treated. Fungicide usage on barley ranged from less than 0.1% in the northwest, west central, southwest and south central districts, to 8.8% of acreage treated in the northeast district.

Herbicide usage on oat was less than on wheat and barley in all districts. Usage ranged from 23% of the acreage in the south central to 65% in the east central district. Herbicide usage on flax varied from less than 0.1% in the south central to 99% in the east central district. Insecticide usage on oat occurred in the southwest district where 4.5% of the acres were treated.

Herbicide usage on corn ranged from 27 to 90% of the acreage in the three east districts, from 49 to 70% in the three west districts. Insecticide usage on corn ranged from 1.6% in the east central to 17.2% in the north central districts. Most of the treated acres were located in the southeast district, representing 79% of the total treated acres.

More than 82% of the sunflower acres were treated with herbicides in all districts. Statewide, 34.4% of the sunflower acres were treated with insecticide. By district, an average of 37.8% of the acres were treated with a range of 25.5 to 54.5%. Eighty-two percent of the sunflower acres are planted in the northeast, central, east central, and southeast districts.

More than 94% of the soybean acres were treated with herbicides in all districts that had a significant soybean acreage. Insecticide usage on soybean normally is a small percentage. Only 1.5% of the acres were treated with insecticide, a similar level to previously surveyed years.

More than 93% of the dry bean acres were treated with herbicide in all districts that had a significant dry bean acreage. Insecticides were applied on only 0.3% of the acres statewide. Treated acreage was divided equally between the north central, northeast, and southeast districts. Fungicides were used on dry bean, with 8.0%, 8.2% and 9.2% of the acreage treated in the northeast, west central and southeast districts, respectively.

More than 75% of the canola acres were treated with herbicide in all nine districts. Usage varied from 42% in the east central district to 100% in the southwest and south central districts.

Herbicides were used on 36% of the potato acreage in the northeast district, on 21% in the east central, but on greater than 95% in the north central, central, southwest, and southeast. Seventy-eight percent of the potato acreage is located in the northeast district. In 1996, only 76.5% of the acres in the northeast were estimated to have been treated with insecticide, down from 95.6% estimated in the 1992 survey. Statewide, 74.4% of the acres were treated, compared to 96.9%, 94.4%, and 95.6% in 1984, 1989, and 1992, respectively. In the central district, a new potato production area, only 11.4% of the 6,000 acres were treated, compared to the average of 89% for all other districts.

Herbicide usage was over 94% in all districts where sugarbeet was produced. Insecticide usage on sugarbeet in the districts where sugarbeet are planted ranged from 48.0% in the Southeast district to 83.1% in the East Central district. Statewide, 39.8% of the sugarbeet acres were treated with insecticide, down from 71.3% reported in the 1992 survey. The southeast district had the lowest treatment rate at 5.4%. The west central district had the highest treatment rate at 82.4%, but represents only 4% of the statewide acreage. The east central and southeast districts had the greatest percentages of sugarbeet acres treated with fungicides, 47.7% and 55.3%, respectively.

Herbicide use on alfalfa and other hay was very small, from zero to 5% of the acreage among the districts. Insecticide treated acres were only 0.5% of the 2.9 million acres. Seventy-five percent of the treated acres were alfalfa in the north central and west central districts.

Herbicide usage on pasture ranged from 0.4% in the west central district to 7% in the north central district. Usage was less than 1% in four districts. No acres of pasture were reported to have been treated with insecticide.

Herbicides were applied to 11% of the summer fallow acreage in the southeast and to 38% in the southwest, with other districts in between. The northwest had the greatest acreage on summer fallow. Very little usage of insecticides or fungicides was reported on summer fallow in any district.

Herbicides were used on 0.1 to 5% of the CRP acreage, reported in districts. Highest herbicide usage was reported by the northeast district, possibly due to perennial weed infestations. Insecticides were used on 2.6 and 2.4% of the CRP acreage in the East and North Central districts. Insecticides were used on less than 1% of the CRP acreage in the remaining districts.

On-Farm Seed Treatment, by Crop

Table 1A provides information on acres planted with treated seed, regardless if treatment was with a single, several, or a possible mixture of products. Data in Table 4 indicate acreage of individual crops planted to seed that was treated on-farm with single, several, or combinations of products. For wheat, 41.8% of the acreage was planted to seed treated on-farm, with maneb + lindane as the individual seed treatment product used on the most acres, 13.2% of the acreage treated (Table 4). Carboxin treatment was used for 9.5% of the acreage and carboxin + thiram on 9.1% of the acreage (Table 4). The grain auger method was used to treat 78.9% of the on-farm treated wheat. Insecticide seed treatments were used on 41% of the seed treated acres. Lindane was the seed treatment insecticide used on 99% of the seed treated acres.

Barley seed was treated on-farm for 45.2% of the acres (Table 4). The most frequently used treatments were products containing carboxin, with 15.0% of the acreage planted to seed treated with carboxin alone, and 10.3% planted with carboxin + thiram treatment. Maneb + lindane was used on seed planted for 12.2% of the barley acreage (Table 4). The grain auger method was used for 81.5% of the on-farm seed treatment of barley. Lindane was the only insecticide used to treat barley seed. It was used on 36% of the seed treated barley acres.

On-farm seed treatment was used for 6.7% of the oat acreage, 2.0% of the flax acreage, and 2.9% of the soybean acreage (Table 4). Maneb + lindane was the most frequently used product for oats and flax, while carboxin + thiram was most frequently used for soybean on-farm treatment. For potato, 46% of the acres seeded were seeded with on-farm treated seed (Table 4). Products most commonly used on-farm for potato included mancozeb or maneb + streptomycin + bark.    Lindane was the insecticide seed treatment used on 48%, 75%, and 10.5% of the treated oat, flax, and soybean acres, respectively.

Over all the crops treated on-farm, 2.02 million acres were planted with seed that had been treated with maneb fungicide + lindane insecticide (Table 5), while 1.61 million acres had seed treated with carboxin fungicide alone, and another 1.46 million acres had seed treated with carboxin + thiram fungicide. Other acreage also were planted with seed treated on the farm with maneb or carboxin in combination with other products (Table 5). Carboxin alone or in combination was used on seed planted to 3.74 million acres (compared to 3.05 million in 1992), and maneb alone or in combination was used on seed planted to 2.30 million acres (compared to 2.38 million in 1992). Seed treatment products reported in 1996 that had not been reported in 1992 include benomyl and difenoconazole. Seed treatment also included use of insecticide products such as diazinon, chlorpyrifos, or lindane, either alone or in combination with fungicides.

Pesticide Usage on Crops, Pasture, Summer Fallow, and CRP in North Dakota, 1996

Acres treated values in Tables 6 through 21 often exceed the acres treated in Table 1A because multiple applications to the same acreage were totaled as separate values and pesticides applied as a tank mixture were totaled separately unless a commercial mix was used. Acres treated in Table 1A were acres that received one or more applications of pesticide. Percent acres treated are presented as an aid to compare among years and crops. Tables 6 through 20 contain data on individual pesticides used, number of applications, and application methods in major crops, pasture land, summer fallow and CRP for 1996. Pesticides are listed by common name only. Common and trade names of individual pesticides are presented in Appendix C.

WHEAT 2,4-D was applied to 50% of the wheat acreage in 1996 (Table 6), compared to 52% in 1992, 55% in 1989, and 64% in 1984. MCPA was applied to 16% of the acres in 1996, compared to 19% in 1992, and to 28% in 1989. Dicamba was applied to 29% of the acres in 1996, compared to 26% of the acres in 1992, and 22% in 1989. Trifluralin was applied to 8% of the wheat acreage in 1996 compared to 12% in 1992, 18% in 1989 and 16% in 1984. Wheat acreage treated with sulfonylurea type herbicides (metsulfuron, thifensulfuron, triasulfuron, and tribenuron) was 32% in 1996, and was greater than the approximately 21% in 1992 and 1989. Postemergence grass control herbicides were applied to 29% of the wheat acreage, greater than the 14% reported in 1992. The farm operator applied 88% of the herbicides to wheat and 93% was applied by ground equipment, which was the same as in 1992.

Insecticides were applied on 4% of the wheat acreage in 1996. In the past, insecticide usage on wheat acres has been strongly influenced by regional outbreaks of grasshoppers. In 1996, the orange wheat blossom midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana, had a significant influence on insecticide usage. An estimated 0.5 million acres were treated with chlorpyrifos to manage this pest. Other products used and the percent of treated acres were: lambda cyhalothrin (0.3%), carbofuran (0.2%), carbaryl (0.1%), and ethyl parathion (0.1%). The most frequent target pests for these products included grasshoppers and cereal aphids. Aerial application accounted for an average of 78% of all treatments.

BARLEY 2,4-D was applied to 45% of the barley acreage in 1996 (Table 7), which is an decrease from 50% in 1992. MCPA was applied to 23% of the barley acreage in 1996 which was the same as in 1992 but less as compared to 33% in 1989. Sulfonylurea herbicides were applied to 30% of the barley acreage and trifluralin to 8%. The farm operator with ground equipment applied over 90% of herbicides on barley.

Insecticides were applied to an estimated 0.8% of the acres. Four insecticides were reportedly used on barley. Chlorpyrifos was reported on 0.5% on those acres. This use was likely due to concerns over problems associated with the orange wheat blossom midge, an insect that actually has little impact on barley. Other insecticides used included carbofuran and encapsulated methyl parathion targeted at barley thrips, grasshoppers, or cereal aphids.

OATS MCPA and 2,4-D each was applied to over 18% of oat acreage (Table 8). Dicamba was applied to 5% of the oat acreage. Total herbicide use on oat acreage declined from 61% in 1989 to 40% in 1992 but increased to 48% in 1996. The majority of herbicides on oat were applied once by the farmer with ground equipment.

Ethyl parathion was the only insecticide reported on oat. Only 0.7% of the total acres were treated. These acres were all in the southwest district. The target pest was grasshoppers.

FLAX Sethoxydim was applied to 38% of the flax acreage, MCPA was applied to 23% of the flax acreage and trifluralin to 12% (Table 9). About 95% of the applications were made by the farm operator with ground equipment. The survey reported no insecticide usage on flax. However, in 1996, a grasshopper outbreak in the southwest did prompt the treatment of flax with carbaryl and lambda cyhalothrin. The lambda cyhalothrin was approved under a Section 18 crisis exemption. Treated acres would have been less than 2% statewide between both products. Treatments were probably not accounted for by the survey due to the limited nature of the insect treatments to the southwest, where only 6% of the flax acres were grown.

CORN Nicosulfuron was applied to 39% of the corn acreage in 1996 which was an increase over the 25% usage in 1992 (Table 10). Dicamba was applied on 31% of the corn acres, bromoxynil was applied to 19% of corn acreage, acetochlor and EPTC each were applied to over 17% of corn acreage. Atrazine use declined from 10% of corn acreage in 1989 to 3% in 1992, then increased to 11% in 1996. Most corn herbicides were applied once by the farm operator with ground equipment.

Ten insecticides were used in corn during 1996. Only 6% of the corn acres were treated, similar to the 8% reported in the 1992 survey, but significantly lower than the 18% reported in 1984. Of the 56,000 acres treated, only twelve thousand (21% of the treated acres) were treated with the soil insecticides tefluthrin and terbufos (18% and 3% of the treated acres, respectively). Lambda cyhalothrin was the most common post emerge insecticide used, being applied to 57% of the treated acres (3.5% of the total acres statewide). The post emerge products were used primarily against the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis.

Terbufos was used on 7% of the corn acreage in 1989, but only on 2% of the corn acreage in 1992.  Tefluthrin replaced much of the terbufos use on corn because the herbicide, nicosulfuron, can be applied safely to corn treated with tefluthrin. Nicosulfuron severely injured corn previously treated with terbufos. Foliar application of benlate was reported on 1600 acres of corn (Table 10).

SUNFLOWER Trifluralin was applied to 35% of the sunflower acres in 1996 while ethalfluralin was applied to 43%, compared to 46% and 41%, respectively in 1992, 65.0% and 24.7% in 1989, and 79% and 1% in 1984 (Table 11). Over 80% of the herbicides were applied by the farm operator and over 95% by ground equipment.

Eleven different insecticides were applied to 40% of the sunflower acres. Multiple applications occurred on 10% of the treated acres. Esfenvalerate and lambda cyhalothrin were the most common insecticides at 24% and 11% of the treated acres, respectively. Carbofuran (1.2%), methyl parathion (1.1%), and tralomethrin (0.9%) were the next most frequently used insecticides. Many of the acres were treated for the sunflower beetle, Zygogramma exclamationis, for the prevention of defoliation prior to bud development. The red seed weevil, Smicronyx fulvus, historically the most important economic insect pest of sunflowers, had not been a major pest problem for four seasons. The reduced importance of this insect pest was one reason for the reductions in use of ethyl parathion and methyl parathion on only 1.6% of the total acres, down from 16% in 1992.

SOYBEAN Imazethapyr was applied to 35% of the soybean acreage in 1996 compared to 9% in 1992. Trifluralin was applied to 31%, bentazon to 26%, acifluorfen + bentazon premix to 11%, thifensulfuron to 18%, and ethalfluralin was applied to 14% of the soybean acreage. All POST grass herbicides were applied to 22% of the soybean acreage (Table 12). Over 83% of the herbicides were applied by the farm operator and over 97% by ground equipment.

Carbofuran, esfenvalerate, and lambda cyhalothrin were used on 1.0%, 0.5%, and 0.2% of the soybean acres, respectively, in 1996.

DRY BEAN Bentazon, ethalfluralin, trifluralin, imazethapyr, and sethoxydim were applied to 60%, 50%, 18%, 16%, and 14% of the dry bean acreage, respectively, in 1996 (Table 13). In 1992, herbicide usage in dry bean was greatest with ethalfluralin, bentazon, and trifluralin, In 1989, herbicide usage was greatest with trifluralin, ethalfluralin, and bentazon.

Insecticide usage is normally very low on dry bean acres. Three insecticides, esfenvalerate, fenvalerate, and lambda cyhalothrin, were each separately applied on 0.1% of the acres.

Foliar fungicides were applied to 23% of the dry bean acres and were generally applied once by either aerial or ground application (Table 13). Propiconazole, thiophanate methyl, and benlate were the three most commonly used fungicides, on 8%, 6%, and 6% of the acreage, respectively.

Sodium chlorate desiccant was applied to 1.0% of the dry bean acreage in 1992 (Table 13), compared to 0.3% in 1989, and 1.2% in 1984. Paraquat was applied as a desiccant to 0.6% of the dry bean acreage, in 1996.

CANOLA Greater than 88% of canola acreage was treated with herbicides in 1996 (Table 14). Sethoxydim and trifluralin were applied to 45% and 35% of canola acreage, respectively. Four insecticides were applied to 8.6% of the canola acreage. Carbofuran, applied as a granule premixed with seed, was applied to 6.4% of the acres. Imidacloprid, a new seed treatment, was used on 0.6% of the acres. Lambda cyhalothrin, cleared for use as a Section 18 crisis exemption for control of Bertha armyworm, was estimated to have been used on 0.6% of the acres. This may be an underestimate of actual acres treated due to the regional nature of the outbreak, which occurred in the north central district. Benlate foliar fungicide use was reported for 1100 acres of canola.

POTATO In 1996, pendimethalin and sethoxydim were applied to 15% of the potato acreage, followed by rimsulfuron to 18%, and metribuzin to 14% of the potato acres (Table 15). Trifluralin, pendimethalin, and metolachlor were applied to 11%, 9%, and 7% of the potato acreage in 1992. EPTC was applied to 2% of the potato acreage in 1996 as compared to, 2% in 1992 and 8% in 1989.

Potato acres were treated with twelve insecticides. Acres treated were 200% due to multiple applications. Insecticides were applied once, twice or three times to 40%, 26%, and 35% of the potato acres, respectively. Carbofuran was applied to 108% of the acres and was the most frequently used insecticide. It was used to control the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, though, control failures were reported in 1996 on a limited number of acres due to suspected insecticide resistance. Methamidophos, esfenvalerate, endosulfan, azinphos-methyl, dimethoate, and phorate were applied to 19%, 19%, 17%, 13%, 11%, and 11% of the potato acres, respectively. Imidacloprid, a new compound applied as a soil or foliar treatment and able to control insecticide resistant potato beetles, was applied on 1.3% of the potato acres. Insecticides were applied by the farm operator with ground application 88% of the time.

Foliar fungicide use was common on potato, with multiple applications of several compounds (Table 15). Chlorothalonil was the most commonly used foliar fungicide, with multiple applications accounting for 520% of the total 578% acreage treated. Several products registered through the Section 18 process also were used on small percentages of the potato acres (Table 15). The majority of application to potato was made by the farm operator via ground application.

SUGARBEET Desmedipham + phenmedipham and desmedipham alone were applied to 107% and 100% of the sugarbeet acreage in 1996, respectively (Table 16), which is similar to use in 1992 and 1989. Sethoxydim and clopyralid were applied to 40% and 54% of the sugarbeet acreage, respectively in 1996.

Insecticides were applied on 42% of the sugarbeet acres in 1996, down from the 95.6% treatment level reported in 1992. Higher treatment levels in 1992 were due to large populations of the sugarbeet root maggot, Tetanops myopaeformis, and dry conditions which failed to activate soil applied, granular insecticides. In 1992, chlorpyrifos was applied as both granular and emulsifiable concentrate formulations as multiple applications on 9.9% of the treated acres. The granular insecticides, terbufos, chlorpyrifos, and aldicarb were applied on 34.2%, 6.9%, and 0.2% of the sugarbeet acres, respectively in 1996.

Foliar fungicides were applied to 129.8% of the sugarbeet acreage, with triphenyltin hydroxide accounting for 116.9% of acreage treated (Table 16). The most common number of applications was two, and more treatments were applied aerially than by ground equipment.

ALFALFA Less than 0.6% of the alfalfa acreage was treated with herbicides in 1996 and 1992; imazethapyr was applied to 0.2% of the acreage (Table 17).

Insecticides were applied to only 0.6% of the 1.7 million alfalfa acres. Five insecticides were used. Malathion was the most used insecticide with application on 0.3% of the acreage.

OTHER HAY Herbicides were applied to 1.4% of the hay land in 1996 and 2,4-D was the most applied product (Table 18). Insecticides were applied to only 0.2% of 1.2 million hayland acres. Carbaryl was the only insecticide reported.

PASTURE Two percent of all pastureland was treated with herbicide in 1996 (Table 19). The most used herbicide was 2,4-D followed by picloram. Insecticides were applied to 0.1% of the pastureland acreage in 1992. Carbaryl was the product applied to nearly all the treated acreage.

SUMMER FALLOW Products containing glyphosate were applied to 19% of the summer fallow acreage in 1996 (Table 20), compared to 18% treated in 1992, and 7% treated in 1989. 2,4-D was applied to 3% and dicamba to 1% of the summer fallow acreage in 1996.

CRP Herbicides were applied to 4% of the CRP acreage in 1996 (Table 21), while 4.5% was treated in 1992, and 12.8% was treated in 1989. 2,4-D was applied to 2% and dicamba to 0.4% of the CRP land. Insecticides were applied to 0.7% of the CRP acreage in 1992. Carbaryl was the most used insecticide of the seven insecticides reported used in CRP in 1996.

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