Purdue-Indiana Seed Industry Forum

Christian KrupkeAssistant Professor

Field Crops Entomology

History of Field Crops Pest ManagementIn the beginning…

Insecticides applied with seed at planting (corn) or as foliar sprays in response to infestation (corn and soybeans)

Soil and Foliar InsecticidesDisadvantages: • Efficacy of soil insecticides - declining w/ earlier planting?

• Equipment - requires planter modification or sprayer

• Timing issues - must scout fields to target treatments

• Non-target effects - all beneficial insects wiped out

Asian lady beetle = SBA predators

Trends in Field Crops Pest Management

New directions:•General movement toward targeted, selective control agents (EPA-supported)

•Insecticide-treated seed (Cruiser, Poncho, Gaucho)

•Transgenic seed (B.t. corn)

Key pests of Indiana field crops

Western corn rootworm

Western corn rootworm in Indiana

•WCR variant is prevalent in IN and IL

•Many Indiana producers deal with very high pressures in first-year corn

•Sales of B.t. corn (incl. Poncho 250) and Poncho 1250 have been strong

WCR variant risk map

Root Rating Performance, 2005

LocationCruiser1.125

Poncho1250

Check

Lafayette, IN 0.93 0.19 1.83Wanatah, IN 0.10 0.08 0.79Columbia City, IN 0.06 0.08 0.09

Dekalb, IL 0.78 2.37Monmouth, IL 0.55 2.25Urbana, IL 1.21 2.32Crawfordville, IA 1.63 1.16 2.40

Nashua, IA 2.27 1.40 2.881 Node Injury Scale 0-3. 0=no damage, 3=severe root pruning, 0.25 or greater-plants likely predisposed to a significant yield loss.

Current seed treatments not effective under high WCR pressures

Root Rating Performance 2005

0

1

2

3

AztecForceFortressLorsbanCaptureRegentLorsbanCruiserPonchoYGRWUntreated

High CRW Pressure, IN, IL & IA

B.t. Corn Registrations for CRW1 as of November 2005

Company Transformation/Event

Crystalline Protein Trade Name

Monsanto Mon 863 Cry3Bb12,3 YieldGardRootworm (YGRW)

Dow AgroSciences & Pioneer Hi-

Bred

DAS-59122-7 Cry34Ab12,3

/Cry35Ab12,3

Herculex RW

Syngenta MIR604 mCry3A2,3 Agrisure RW(Experimental Use

Permit)

**All require a 20% refuge of non-B.t. corn**

QuebecOntario

20002001200220032004

Year of detection

Soybean aphid

Key pests of Indiana field crops

Seed Treatments for SoybeanGaucho

imidacloprid

nicotinoid

Bayer CropSci

Yes

Early/mid-season Protection

“Up to 65 days of activity”

Common name:

Chemistry:

Manufacturer:

EPA Reg?

Insects:

Cruiser 5FS

thiamethoxam

nicotinoid

Syngenta

Yes

‘early season protection’SBA, Bean leaf beetle,

wireworm, seedcorn maggot

- aphids placed on leaves from Cruiser-treated plants- mortality after 24 & 48 hours recorded

Mortality lasts for 35 days ~ V3/V4 plant stage

Perc

ent Mo

rtalit

y (%)

+ SEM

Days after planting

Cruiser reduced aphid-pressure by halfcompared to an untreated control

Field data - University of Minnesota

Weeks below threshold of 250 SBA/plantMSU Cage Study, 2003

Untreated Cruiser

0

50

100

150

200

250

June23 30

July7 14 21 2823

May

Gaucho

Soybean Aphid in Indiana Indiana aphid problems start later due to SBA

summer migration (many of our aphids may not be “Indiana aphids”)

This complicates treatment decisions - When and where are seed treatments recommended for SBA?

Economics of commercial vs. seed production

Research Areas for 2006 and beyond

Corn rootworm:20% refuge requirement evaluations - which works best vs. economics

Field evaluations of Herculex, Agrisure vs. Yieldgard

Soybean aphid:Cruiser works in the short-term - but is it a good fit for Indiana?

Gaucho - validate levels of SBA control under IN field conditions

Economic analysis of seed treatments w.r.t. seed production - When are they worth the added cost to Indiana producers?

Questions?