Vegetable Technical manual Stop them dead halt the spread Aphid control in vegetables

Introduction Costly little suckers Aphids can suck the profitability right out of your crop. Their feeding has a direct effect on thrift and crop yield, but this is just the beginning of the trouble aphids can cause. When feeding they secrete a honeydew which attracts sooty mould and can ultimately downgrade crops. Aphid feeding and movement is also the principal way that viruses are spread through crops. Viruses such as Beet Western Yellows Virus, Cucumber Mosaic Virus and Turnip Mosaic Virus can cause significant yield loss and economic damage. Insecticide resistance should be top of mind when it comes to controlling aphids, in particular the green peach aphid which is resistant to more insecticides than any other species. With Transform™ insecticide, you can take back control of your crop and stop viruses in their tracks.

What is Transform™? • T  ransform is an entirely new systemic insecticide with a novel mode of action for controlling sap-feeding (sucking) insects. • T  ransform controls aphids and greenhouse whiteflies resistant to other insecticides and has other bug activity (e.g. suppression of green vegetable bug). • T  ransform is soft on beneficial insects (i.e. it is IPM compatible) and can be used in systems which rely on beneficial insects (predators and parasitoids) to help control pests. • T  ransform has a favourable ecotoxicology profile and is not persistent in the environment.

Features Transform insecticide... • Contains 240 g/L Isoclast™ active as a suspension concentrate. • Has excellent contact, systemic and translaminar activity. • Is fast-acting, with rate-dependent residual control. • I s effective against insects which are resistant to other insecticides; a rotational partner with other chemistries. • Is approved for use in a wide range of vegetable crops. • H  as an excellent fit in IPM programs because it has minimal impact on beneficial insects and predatory mites.

How does it work? Transform is a nicotinic receptor agonist which exhibits complex and unique interactions with the insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR). Mobility of Transform within the plant Transform is a systemic insecticide that moves upwards and outwards via the xylem. It does not travel downwards in the plant (i.e. it is not phloem mobile). Transform has excellent translaminar properties

Treat upper leaf surface

Kill aphid on lower leaf surface

Transform has excellent translocation properties

Kill aphid here

Treat here

aphid knock-down with Transform The photos below illustrate the speed of knockdown of Transform on aphids. Transform insecticide applied to cabbages infested with cabbage aphids (6 hours after application)

Untreated

Treated with Transform

Transform insecticide applied to cabbages infested with cabbage aphids (24 hours after application)

Untreated

Treated with Transform

Trial results Transmission of viruses in vegetables

A trial conducted on cucumbers in Bowen QLD showed that the incidence of virus in Transform plots was significantly lower than in plots treated with other chemicals. The conclusion from this trial was that the rapid knockdown of aphids by Transform (first symptoms are often observed after only approximately 20 minutes after application) contributes to the reduction in the incidence of virus. Although this trial was done in cucurbits, the same result should hold true for the aphids that attack any vegetable crops.

Rapid knockdown of aphids has been identified as an important factor in reducing both the feeding damage caused by aphids and the spread of viruses.

Incidence - % visual virus infection 7 days after application A, B and C: Bowen, Queensland, Australia; Cucumbers, melon aphid (Aphis gossypii)

Incidence (%)

Viruses which cause crop diseases are a major concern in vegetable crops where symptoms can vary dependent on the plant host, age, variety, weather conditions and nutritional status. Aphids are an important vector of plant viruses, with green peach aphid alone known to transmit over 100 viruses including Beet Western Yellows Virus (BWYV) and Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV). The mechanics of their mouths, their searching behaviour when looking for crops, high number of possible food hosts, and their high reproductive rate makes aphids particularly efficient virus transmitters. With some plant diseases, it takes less than one minute of feeding for an aphid to acquire a virus and the same time to infect another plant when feeding. Viruses can remain viable on aphids’ mouthparts for hours and with persistent exposure can remain viable for the life of the aphid.

Virus transmission: Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV)

50

8 DAA C

40

8 DAA B 8 DAA A

30 20 10 0

Untreated

Transform Transform Movento® 200 mL/ha 300 mL/ha 300 mL/ha Treatment

Chess® 200 g/ha

Trial results

Percentage control of Cotton aphid

Control of melon aphid - Horticulture, 4 trials 100

3 DAA 7 DAA 14 DAA 21 DAA

75 50 25 0

Transform Transform Rogor® 200 mL/ha 300 mL/ha 500 mL/ha

Pirimor® 500 g/ha

Movento® 300 mL/ha

Treatment

Percentage control of Brown sowthistle aphid

Control of brown sowthistle aphid - 1 trial 100

3 DAA

75

7 DAA 14 DAA 21 DAA

50 25 0

Transform 200 mL/ha

Transform 300 mL/ha

Pirimor® 1 kg/ha

Treatment

Chess® 200 g/ha

Insect Resistance Vegetable growers in Australia have experienced significant difficulties controlling green peach aphid. In some areas resistance has so severely impacted the effectiveness of organophosphates, synthetic pyrethroids and carbamates that they cannot be relied on to give control of green peach aphid. Genetic testing conducted in 2014 has confirmed that green peach aphid populations are resistant to all 3 chemicals. Whilst other aphid species have not been subject to the same level of spray failures these species are certainly capable of developing resistance. The key ingredient in Transform, Isoclast active, has no reported resistance issues and will control green peach aphid and other aphid species resistant to other chemicals. It is important that the use of Transform, and other new products, is managed to avoid the resistance issues which have befallen the older products. Responsible use of new chemistries such as Transform will ensure that it forms part of an effective insect management program for many years to come.

Insect management programs that delay or prevent the onset of insect resistance involve some or all of the following actions: • R  otating between products from different groups of chemistry that have different modes of action. • L  imiting the number of sprays of any single product – the product label will usually state the number of applications permitted per crop. • W  hen targeting aphids, don’t use the same product or products with the same mode of action consecutively. • I f a product fails to give the expected level of control, do not re-apply it. Instead, rotate to a product with a different mode of action. • U  sing only label rates. Using rates lower than those recommended on the label may leave survivors containing the genes that convey resistance, and these could become prevalent in the population. All insecticides in Australia are labelled according to their mode of action group. The front panel of the label always has a section like the one below. GROUP

4

INSECTICIDE

Products which have the same mode of action are grouped together and assigned the same number. Where modes of action are closely related and yet significantly different in some way, a subgroup is created and the number is followed by a letter. GROUP 4C INSECTICIDE

What’s different about Group 4C? • New chemical class (sulfoximines). • I soclast active interacts with the insecticidal target site differently from all other products. • T  here is no cross-resistance between Isoclast active and existing insecticides. • T  he lack of cross-resistance is mostly due to lack of metabolic breakdown.

ClCl

N

NN

N

Acetamiprid

ClCl

Isoclast active

N

NN

N

SN

N

ClCl N

Imidacloprid

ClCl Clothianidin

Isoclast active (Group 4C) chemistry is fundamentally different. Isoclast active does not possess an ‘alpha-amino’ group. There is a sulphur atom in that place. Isoclast active is not susceptible to the same enzymatic breakdown that operates in neonicotinoid-resistant insects.

N

SN

N

These Group 4A neonicotinoids all have an amino group bonded to a ring via a single carbon atom. As shown below, the chemical structures all overlap at this site. Thus, they are all susceptible to breakdown by alpha-amino oxidation enzymes in insects.

N

NN

N

SN

N

N

Thiacloprid

NN

N

SN

N N

ClCl N Thiamethoxam

NN

N

SN

N N

N

Impact on Beneficial Insects Transform has a favourable ecotoxicology profile when compared with many currently used insecticides.

1)

-1

-1

1) 40 Tra 0m ns for (09- L/ha m 10 30 ) Tra 0m ns for (10- L/ha m 11 20 ) 0 (10 mL/ -1 ha 1

Treatment

(10

(10

rm

sfo

Decis Options 180 mL/ha

Tra n

Transform 300 mL/ha

ol

Transform 200 mL/ha

Summary of two seasons trials; Transform rates varied in different years trials.

ntr

Untreated

®

Beneficial/Predatory species 0 presented only.

Co

0

I Spiders

ol

0.5

I Coleoptera 1.0 I Hemiptera I Hymenoptera (wasps) I Hymenoptera (ants) 0.5 I Neuroptera

ntr

1.0

1.5

Co

1.5

Beneficial arthropods (per m crop row)

Beneficial insects (per m crop row)

Total beneficial arthropods

5 applications, 7-14 days apart.

Honey bee safety • Transform is safer to bees than many other insecticides and is not implicated in colony collapse disorder. • T  ransform is toxic to bees that are exposed to direct treatment and so should not be applied while bees are actively foraging. Bees are not affected by dried spray deposits and if Transform is applied early in the morning or in the evening when bees are not present the risk is minimised.

0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2

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Cyp

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nil Esf

env

Fip ro

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eth

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0.0

De

Contact LD50 (µg/bee)

1.0

Treatment

Transform does not cause mite flare In a study designed to demonstrate ‘worst case’ results (5 consecutive insecticide applications), Transform caused a slight increase in mite numbers. Under commercial use patterns, mite flaring is not likely to occur.

I Washes 4 I Suction samples

2.0

3 5 applications, 7-14 days apart and seeding of mites prior to first application.

(10

(10

-1

1) 40 Tra 0m ns ( 0 for 9- L/ha m 10 30 ) Tra 0m ns for (10- L/ha m 11 20 ) 0 (10 mL/ h

1) -1

rm

sfo Tra n

Treatment

Decis Options® 180 mL/ha

ol

Transform 300 mL/ha

ntr

Transform 200 mL/ha

0

Co

Untreated

1

ol

0.5

2

ntr

1.0

Co

1.5

0

Mean abundance of mites (per m crop row)

Mean abundance of mites (per m crop row)

Mean abundance of two-spotted mite (Tetranychus urticae)

Directions for use RESTRAINTS: DO NOT apply more than 4 times to any of these crops in any one season. To delay the development and spread of insect resistance it is important to rotate between Mode of Action groups. DO NOT apply consecutive applications of products from the same Mode of Action group as Transform (Group 4C). When targeting aphids, DO NOT apply consecutive applications of Transform insecticide. Note: Monitor crops for pest species by regular field scouting. Target sprays against insect populations when they exceed threshold levels. Make repeated applications at 7 day intervals as new infestations occur unless otherwise directed in the CRITICAL COMMENTS.

Crop Cucurbits and fieldgrown: Pumpkin, squash, melons and cucumbers

Pest

Rate (mL/ha)

Critical comments

Green peach aphid and melon (cotton) aphid

200-300

Use higher rate under heavy aphid infestations or if longer residual control (>7 days) is required.

Greenhouse whitefly

400

Ensure accurate species identification.

200-300

Use higher rate under heavy aphid infestations or if longer residual control (>7 days) is required.

400

Ensure accurate species identification.

Green peach aphid and brown sowthistle aphid

200-300

Use higher rate under heavy aphid infestations or if longer residual control (>7 days) is required.

Greenhouse whitefly

400

Ensure accurate species identification.

200-300

Use higher rate under heavy aphid infestations or if longer residual control (>7 days) is required.

200-300 (+ wetting agent)1

Use higher rate under heavy aphid infestations or if longer residual control (>7 days) is required.

400 (+ wetting agent)1

Ensure accurate species identification.

Fruiting vegetables: Chilli, capsicum, eggplant, Green peach aphid okra and tomatoes (excluding sweet corn and Greenhouse mushrooms) whitefly Leafy vegetables: Lettuce (all varieties), Asian greens, silver beet and spinach

Root and tuber vegetables: Potatoes, carrots and turnips

Green peach aphid

Aphids (including Vegetable brassicas: cabbage aphid, green peach aphid Asian greens, broccoli, and Turnip aphid) Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower Greenhouse whitefly

1 Addition of a wetting agent may improve control under less than ideal application conditions. Use the wetter according to its label directions.

Application • T  horough coverage of the crop is essential. Increase water volume in line with the plant growth stage. • D  o not apply when conditions are unsuitable for water-based spray applications. High temperatures, strong winds, inversion conditions, imminent rain or any conditions that may reduce the quality of spray coverage or result in excessive spray drift should be avoided. • T  echniques to minimise drift should be employed at all times when aerially applying Transform near sensitive areas. • I f a wetting agent is to be added, use a proven product from a reputable source.

Water Rates Ground spraying

Aerial spraying

• A  pply in a minimum of 50 L/ha of water.

• A  pply in a minimum of 30 L/ha of water.

• I ncrease spray volumes if required as the crop grows.

• D  O NOT apply with spray droplets smaller than a MEDIUM spray droplet size category. • T  ransform should not be applied by ULV methods.

Compatibility • Transform is a suspension concentrate formulation. • T  ransform is physically compatible with a wide range of crop protection products. Biological compatibility of tank-mixtures has not been confirmed in the field. • S  pray water should be taken from a clean source and be in the pH range 5-9. • C  are should be taken when tank-mixing any products (including adjuvants and foliar fertilisers), especially with bore water which may be excessively cold, hard or soft and dam or river water which may have a high sediment load. A bucket test is always advisable. • The order of addition to the spray tank should be: - Water conditioners (e.g. pH adjusters) if required - Transform (and any other SC, WG or WP formulations) - ECs and oils

+

- Water soluble products

+

- Wetting agents (where required) • R  emember: In a bucket test, always use the appropriate ratios of products and the water intended for use to replicate what will happen in the spray tank.

Rainfastness • T  ransform is systemic in the plant and moves rapidly into the plant leaf tissue where it is protected from wash-off. • R  ainfall before the spray is completely dry and up to two hours after application may wash Transform insecticide from treated plant surfaces and result in reduced insect control.

Selectivity • T  ransform is a suspension concentrate, contains no solvents and is very safe to all crops when applied according to label directions. This includes applications made with wetting agents (and other adjuvants). • D  ow AgroSciences advises that no adjuvants should be added when tank-mixing Transform with other products, until these mixes are proven to be safe in properly conducted research trials. • D  ow AgroSciences does not currently endorse any specific tankmixes until crop selectivity has been proven in the field. For the most up-to-date information, contact your consultant, agronomist or Dow AgroSciences representative.

Withholding Periods • Cucurbits: Do not harvest for 1 day after last application. • Fruiting vegetables : Do not harvest for 1 day after last application. • B  rassica vegetables : Do not harvest for 3 days after last application. • Leafy vegetables : Do not harvest for 3 days after last application. • R  oot and tuber vegetables : Do not harvest for 7 days after last application.

For more information contact your local Dow AgroSciences representative on TOLL FREE 1800 700 096 or visit www.dowagrosciences.com.au

Northern WA – Emilie Guillotte Central Wheat Belt WA – Linda Viviers Southern WA – Robert Buttimor Western and Central SA – Hugh Mayo South East SA – Chris Brown North West and Central VIC – Ben Hall Eastern VIC and TAS – Gregg Baynon Southern NSW and Riverina – Brad Davis South East NSW – Alex Wiggs Central and North West NSW – Dan Cornally Hunter/Central Coast and Nth Tablelands NSW – Jon Dadd N West NSW and Border Rivers QLD – Emma Twine SE Qld and Nth River NSW – Rosanna Common Darling Downs QLD – Kevin Melmeth Wide Bay/Burnett Qld and NT – Richard Jackman Central QLD – Graham Fossett Northern QLD – Ken Springall

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Toll free www.dowagrosciences.com.au

1800 700 096

www.dowagrosciences.com.au

®™ Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow. Rogor® is a registered trademark. Decis-Options® and Movento® are Registered Trademarks of Bayer. Chess® and Pirimor® are registered trademarks of a Syngenta group company.