NDSU

Insecticide Efficacy against Grasshopper Nymphs on Wheat, 2003

Twostriped grasshopper: Melanoplus bivittatus (Say)
Migratory grasshopper: Melanoplus sanguinipes (Fabricius)

Registered and experimental insecticides were evaluated for their efficacy at controlling nymph stage grasshoppers and protecting flag leaves on wheat. A field in north central North Dakota near Ruthville, ND had pretreatment counts of 45 nymphs (3-6 instars)/yd² with the majority being twostriped grasshoppers. Plots were 10 ft wide by 30 ft long. A RCB experimental design with four replicates was used. Insecticides were applied at Feekes 10 stage on 27 June using a handheld CO₂ boom sprayer at 40 PSI, and 10 GPA and fitted with XR 8001 nozzles. Twenty flag leaves were collected from each plot to assess the percent defoliation at pre-evaluation, 7 and 14 DAT. Variables were subjected to ANOVA and means compared using Fisher’s PLSD at the 5% significance level.

The pre-evaluation had no significant differences among treatments, and the grand mean was 19.8% defoliation indicating heavy defoliation from grasshopper feeding injury. At 7 DAT, all of the insecticide treatments had a significantly lower defoliation than the untreated check. There were no significant differences between different insecticide treatments at 7 DAT. At 14 DAT, Proaxis had the lowest defoliation and was significantly lower than Sevin XLR Plus at 16 fl oz./A, Baythroid at 2 fl oz/A, Lorsban at 8 fl oz./A, and the untreated check. The untreated check had the highest defoliation of 28% at 14 DAT, and was significantly higher than Warrior T at 3.8 fl oz./A + Preference, Mustang Max at 2.9 fl oz./A + Preference, Proaxis, Decis, and Baythroid. It is also interesting to note when Warrior T at 3.8 fl oz./A and Mustang Max at 2.9 fl oz./A were mixed with the Preference, a nonionic surfactant, the efficacy of these pyrethroid appeared to be enhanced over the Warrior T and Mustang Max treatments alone. Overall, the pyrethroid class of insecticides (Warrior T, Mustang Max, Proaxis, Decis, Baythroid) provided a lower average percent defoliation of 6.8% (except lower rate of Warrior T) compared to the average defoliation for the following insecticide classes:  16.3% for carbamates (Sevin XLR Plus), 19.6% for organophosphates (Lorsban), and 13.2% for the Insect Growth Regulator (Dimilin). Ideally, dimilin should have been applied before grasshoppers reached their 4th instar for the optimal efficacy.

Part II. Materials Tested for Arthropod Management
Insecticide Efficacy Against Grasshopper Nymphs on Wheat, 2003