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

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

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

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

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

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

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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

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

12. 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

13. Survey data – 2015

14. 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

15. 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.

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

17. 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.

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

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

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

21. Improving insect scouting methods – Costs 2014
Site:
Scouting Cost:
IPM
Standard
Savings 1
17weeks, $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.

22. Improving insect scouting methods – Costs 2014
Site:
Scouting Cost:
IPM
Standard
Savings 1
17weeks, $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.

23. Improving insect scouting methods – Costs 2014
Site:
Scouting Cost:
IPM
Standard
Savings 1
17weeks, $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.

24. 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, $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.

25. 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, $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.

26. 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)

27. 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.

28. 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?

29. 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?

30. 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.

31. 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.

32. 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.

33. 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

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

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

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

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

38. 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.

39. 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

40. Interested in learning more?
Read tobacco.ces.ncsu.edu
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