Tobacco Insect Management 2016 Update Hannah Burrack, Jeremy Sloan, and Aurora Toennisson Department of Entomology

Topics Pesticide efficacy update Improving insect scouting recommendations Managing insects in organic tobacco (and what conventional growers can use, too!)

Insect management updates Efficacy and new materials One new pesticide likely to be labeled in 2015 2016 Soil applied, activity against tobacco flea beetle (VG), green peach aphid (G), and TSWV suppression

Insect management updates Efficacy and new materials Similar activity to Admire Pro against tobacco flea beetle

Insect management updates Efficacy and new materials Which results in reduction of flea beetle damage

Insect management updates Efficacy and new materials Limited activity against tobacco budworm

Insect management updates Efficacy and new materials At transplant soil applications of Coragen not active 5 WAT in 2014

Some activity of both Coragen and Verimark 6 WAT at LCRS in 2015 Insect management updates Efficacy and new materials Some activity of both Coragen and Verimark 6 WAT at LCRS in 2015

Summary of insecticide efficacy updates Verimark is highly effective against flea beetles and may have some budworm activity, depending on environmental conditions However, Verimark registration is still pending At transplant soil treatments targeting tobacco budworms and hornworms can be expected to act between 4-6 weeks after transplant

Improving insect scouting methods - Goals Identify barriers to IPM adoption Evaluate insect management and efficacy of IPM recommendations using field-scale comparisons Problem: LOW REPORTED IPM ADOPTION, DESPITE GAP RECOMMENDATIONS

Improving insect scouting methods - Activities Research station trials 2013-2014 Small plot experiments focused on insecticide application frequency and residues Fewer insecticide applications made based on thresholds Grower surveys 2014-2015 To determine existing production practices On farm trials 2014-2015 Large plot experiments focused on comparing IPM recommendations to grower practices

Survey data – 2015 ~1000 surveys collected at the 2015 county GAP extension meetings Average tobacco acreage of 141 acres Average total acreage of 877 acres

Survey data – 2015

Survey data – 2015 63% say they scout once/week 57 plants/field, weekly 7% scout less than once/week 39 plants/field Scouted at ~13day intervals

Improving insect scouting methods – On farm results Six locations (Stokes, Surry, Johnston (2), Wilson, Oxford) Grower standard & IPM plots Collected insect data, scouting time, insecticide inputs, yield Shared results weekly via Tobacco Portal Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing.

Improving insect scouting methods – On farm results Field 2 - Grower Standard Site: Johnston Wilson Stokes 2014 IPM Standard 6.25 A 6.25 A 2 A 2 A 8 A 4 A Site: Johnston 1 Wilson Oxford Surry Stokes 2015 Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing. IPM Standard 4.3 A 4.3 A 14 A 14 A 5 A 6 A 1.5 A 4.5 A 4 A 4 A 2 A 4 A Field 1 - IPM

Improving insect scouting methods – Scouting time Average pre-topping scouting time 3.01 min/A Average post-topping scouting time 4.08 min/A Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing. Average season-long scouting time 3.55 min/A 0.5 to 8 stops per acre. At each stop, Inspect 5 plants for pest and beneficial insects.

Improving insect scouting methods – Pest densities 2014 Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing.

Improving insect scouting methods – Pest densities 2015 Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing.

Improving insect scouting methods – Yield Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing. Similar yields between IPM and Standard fields in both years.

Improving insect scouting methods – Costs 2014 Site: Scouting Cost: IPM Standard Savings 1 17weeks, 4min/A @ $12/hr Belt(1x) Belt(1x) Orthene(1x) Coragen(1x) $$$ / A 13.60 $$$ $$$ / 141A 2 (+1 application = $4.19) 3 *If treatments are made independent of cultivation (# sprays = # application labor) (Average NC tobacco operation of 141 acres based on 2015 GAP survey response) Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing.

Improving insect scouting methods – Costs 2014 Site: Scouting Cost: IPM Standard Savings 1 17weeks, 4min/A @ $12/hr Belt(1x) Warhawk(1x), Belt(2x), Besiege(1x) $56.62 /A 13.60 17.01 87.23 $7983/ 141A 2 Warhawk(1x) Coragen(1x) Orthene(1x) $47.54/A 78.15 $6703/ 141A 3 Orthene(1x) Belt(1x) $2.53/A 33.14 $357/ 141A * [+1] application labor= $4.19 *If treatments are made independent of cultivation (# sprays = # application labor) Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing.

Improving insect scouting methods – Costs 2014 Site: Scouting Cost: IPM Standard Savings 1 17weeks, 4min/A @ $12/hr Belt(1x) Warhawk(1x), Belt(2x), Besiege(1x) $56.62 /A 13.60 17.01 87.23 $7983/ 141A 2 Warhawk(1x) Coragen(1x) Orthene(1x) $47.54/A 78.15 $6703/ 141A 3 Orthene(1x) Belt(1x) $2.53/A 33.14 $357/ 141A * [+1] application labor= $4.19 *If treatments are made independent of cultivation (# sprays = # application labor) Average: $35.56/A ($5014/ 141 Acres) Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing.

Costs 2015 Site: Scouting Cost: IPM Standard Savings 1 2 3 4 5 6 Belt(1x) Warhawk(1x) Belt(2x) Besiege(1x) $56.62/A 13.60 17.01 87.23 $7983/ 141A 2 17weeks, 4min/A @ $12/hr Sniper(1x) Coragen(1x) Orthene(2x) Admire(1x) Belt(1x) $61.50/A 92.11 $8672/ 141A 3 Orthene(1x) Orthene(1x) Coragen(1x) $31.05/A 5.97 50.62 $4378/ 141A 4 Belt(1x) Orthene(2x) Belt(1x) $4.47/A 13.60 17.01 35.08 $630/ 141A 5 Blackhawk(1x) 6 Orthene(1x) Belt(1x) $2.53/A 33.14 $357/ 141A Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing.

Costs 2015 Site: Scouting Cost: IPM Standard Savings 1 2 3 4 5 6 Belt(1x) Warhawk(1x), Belt(2x), Besiege(1x) $56.62/A 13.60 17.01 87.23 $7983/ 141A 2 17weeks, 4min/A @ $12/hr Sniper(1x)Coragen(1x)Orthene(2x) Admire(1x) Belt(1x) $61.50/A 92.11 $8672/ 141A 3 Orthene(1x) Orthene(1x)Coragen(1x) $31.05/A 5.97 50.62 $4378/ 141A Average: $31.23/A ($4404/ 141 Acres) 4 Belt(1x) Orthene(2x), Belt(1x) $4.47/A 13.60 17.01 35.08 $630/ 141A 5 Blackhawk(1x) 6 Orthene(1x)Belt(1x) $2.53/A 33.14 $357/ 141A Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing.

Summary of on farm scouting Existing scouting recommendations generally result in fewer insecticide applications When properly timed, reducing insecticide applications did not result in lower yields Insecticide application cost savings offset costs of scouting Pesticide residues are lower in fields where fewer insecticide applications were made (if using Belt, Orthene, or Coragen)

Influence of non crop plantings on beneficial insects in organic tobacco - Purpose Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing. Non crop flower border plantings are commonly used in organic farming, but little is known about their efficacy in tobacco.

Influence of non crop plantings on beneficial insects in organic tobacco - Purpose How is pest insect abundance impacted by the presence of insectary plant strips? How is beneficial insect abundance impacted by the presence of insectary plant strips? Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing. How do these impacts, if any, vary at field-scale relevant distances into the field?

Influence of non crop plantings on beneficial insects in organic tobacco - Purpose How is pest insect abundance impacted by the presence of insectary plant strips? How is beneficial insect abundance impacted by the presence of insectary plant strips? Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing. How do these impacts, if any, vary at field-scale relevant distances into the field?

Influence of non crop plantings on beneficial insects in organic tobacco - Methods 4 certified organic farms in Nash, Moore, Lee, Guilford Co. Treatments Sunflowers planted ~ 2 weeks prior to tobacco transplant Buckwheat planted within 1 week post- Buckwheat Control (No planting) Sunflower Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing.

Influence of non crop plantings on beneficial insects in organic tobacco - Methods Buckwheat Flowering Sunflower Flowering 28 May 4 June 11 June 17 June 25 June 2 July 9 July 16 July 23 July 30 July 6 Aug 13 Aug 20 Aug Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing.

Effect of distance into the field Influence of non crop plantings on beneficial insects in organic tobacco - Results Insect Effect of sunflowers Effect of buckwheat Effect of distance into the field Budworms Hornworms - Flea beetles - (pre topping) + (post topping) 0 (post topping) Lower regardless of treatment 1 row in (pre topping) Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing.

Influence of non crop plantings on beneficial insects in organic tobacco – Aphids in traps Mean Aphids /Trap Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing. 28 May 4 June 11 June 17 June 25 June 2 July 9 July 16 July 23 July 30 July 6 Aug 13 Aug 20 Aug Buckwheat Flowering

Influence of non crop plantings on beneficial insects in organic tobacco – Aphids in traps Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing.

Influence of non crop plantings on beneficial insects in organic tobacco – Aphids on plants Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing.

Influence of non crop plantings on beneficial insects in organic tobacco – Predators in traps Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing.

Influence of non crop plantings on beneficial insects in organic tobacco – Predators in traps Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing.

Influence of non crop plantings on beneficial insects in organic tobacco - Summary Effect of sunflowers Effect of buckwheat Effect of distance into the field Budworms Hornworms - Flea beetles - (pre topping) + (post topping) 0 (post topping) Lower regardless of treatment 1 row in (pre topping) Dispersing (winged) aphids Lower 1 row in for sunflowers Lower up to 8 rows in for buckwheat Established (wingless) aphids Lower regardless of treatment 1 row in Predators + Higher 1 row in for buckwheat Parasitoid wasps Higher regardless of treatment 1 row in Particularly interested in agents thoughts on data sharing.

Summary of organic on farm research Flower border plantings do not appear to increase insect populations and may reduce aphid populations Effects of flower plantings are over short distances (1-8 rows) 2015 was a relatively low aphid pressure year, and results need to be confirmed under higher pressure

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