Reducing insecticide use in cucurbits through in-furrow seed specific application Jim Jasinski 1, Matt Darr 2, Reza Ehsani 2, Erdal Ozkan 2, Matt Sullivan 2, Bob Precheur 3 1 IPM Program, 2 Food, Agriculture, and Biological Engineering, 3 Horticulture & Crop Science

Objectives 1.To design a precision in-furrow insecticide applicator. 2.To determine the accuracy of the precision applicator at speeds of 1.4, 2, and 2.8 miles per hour with cucumber, zucchini, and pumpkin seed 3. To test the efficacy of the precision applicator using bioassays with striped cucumber beetles.

Background Over 6,000 A of pumpkin, zucchini, and cucumbers grown in Ohio Early season pest control (striped cuke beetle) critical to avoid stand loss or bacterial wilt Admire systemic insecticide in-furrow has shown great success in past research trials –Oral/Dermal LD Admire cost/efficacy spurred interest in alternative application methods

Continuous insecticide band over seed Spray Tank Sprayer Hose Conventional In-furrow Application Optical Sensor Seed Monitor

Small insecticide band over seed Spray Tank Sprayer Hose In-furrow Application Optical Sensor Seed Monitor

Small insecticide band over seed Spray Tank Miniature Solenoid Sprayer Hose Row Controller Optical Sensor Precision In-furrow Application

Small insecticide band over seed Spray Pump Miniature Solenoid Sprayer Hose Row Controller Optical Sensor Precision In-furrow Application

SSIII in Detail

Seed / Band Synchronicity Trials Miss > 2 in. 3 Band / Seed Overlap Situations Planted on the soil surface in Band Bounce +/- 2 in.

Seed / Band Synchronicity Trials 4 1.4, 2.0, 2.8 MPH for each species (P, Z, C) 100 seeds per plot 6 in Band, 2 Bounces, 2 Misses

Seed / Band Synchronicity Results Seed and water band synchronization based on the means of four 100 seed count replicates

Bioassay Trials Pumpkin, Zucchini, Cucumber Q1. At proper planting depth, do insecticide bands still overlap seeds? Q2. Is the volume and concentration of Admire in each treatment effective in controlling Striped Cucumber beetle? Treatments: Water only check (Using SSIII) Continuous 24 5 row spacing 24 high row spacing 16 low row spacing

Admire Treatment Brackets for Pumpkins, Zukes, & Cukes Example Using Pumpkin 24 high row spacing (15) Admire rate = 8.26 oz / 1000 row (5 = mls) low row spacing (5) Admire rate = 1.83 oz / 1000 row (5 = mls) 1000

Bioassay Trials

24-72 hrs

Bioassay Trials Striped cucumber beetle survives… Check plot beetles should survive Insecticide band missed seed Initial concentration of Admire per injection below effective range Plant tissue has outgrown & diluted lethal Admire concentration

Bioassay Trials Pumpkin, Zucchini*, Cucumber 80 samples 4Tx4Rx5S 1st 80 samples 4Tx4Rx5S 2nd 80 samples 4Tx4Rx5S cccccccc

Pumpkin Bioassay Trial *

Cucumber Bioassay Trial

Zucchini Bioassay Trial

Bioassay Summary 8 / 10 trials, Check had significantly less mortality than ALL other treatments –In the other 2 trials, Check had significantly less mortality than 2 other treatments 2 / 10 trials, Cont. Flow had significantly higher mortality than both SSIII treatments (Z&C 2 nd ) In general… –mortality decreased as seedling stage and size increased –mortality increased as Admire concentration increased Some Striped Cuke beetles appeared to revive from their dead state…

Yield Data - Cucumbers

Yield Data - Pumpkins

Yield Data - Zucchini

Environmental Summary Usage rates and PPM based on a seed specific in-furrow insecticide injection (SSIII) rate of 3 milliliters compared to continuous flow application. 1 SSIII high rate of Admire, 2 SSIII low rate of Admire, 3 Continuous flow rate of Admire

Economic Summary Cost per acre for Admire ($4.30 / oz.) based on a seed specific in- furrow insecticide injection (SSIII) rate of 3 milliliters compared to continuous flow application. 16 oz. / A rate costs $ SSIII high rate of Admire, 2 SSIII low rate of Admire, 3 Continuous flow rate of Admire

Project Summary Multi-disciplinary team project Designed and built Precision In-furrow Injector –1 Row unit ca. $1,000; $300 for each extra row –Can be adapted to any planter, needs opt. seed tube Synchronization of seed with injector band –Decreased as ground speed increased –Decreased as seed size decreased Bioassay studies (P, Z, C) –80% of trial treatments had significantly higher mortality than Check –Range of efficacy is very robust, very encouraging

Project Summary Yield –Pumpkins: No difference –Zukes: Check was consistently (but not always significantly) lower than other treatments –Cukes: Check tended to be significantly lower than continuous flow & high treatments Future direction: –To control both volume per injection and band length independent of speed. –Currently seeking to patent or license this injector through OSUs Office of Technology & Licensing –Expand this technology to other vegetable crops

This research would not have been possible without funding from the OARDC Industry Small Grants Competition and the Ohio Vegetable Small Fruit Research and Development Program. We would also like to acknowledge additional support for this project by George F. Ackerman Company, TeeJet Spray Systems, Rupp Seed Company, and Harris Moran Seed Company. Special thanks to the staff at the Western Agricultural Research Station for plot preparation and planting assistance. Special thanks also to Karen Setty for data collection. Acknowledgements

Contact Information Matt Darr Jim Jasinski Full Report available at