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Dairy farmers need new solution for management of diamondback moth in forage brassicasAustralia - September 10, 2012 With the warmer months fast approaching, dairy farmers looking for new ways to combat the damaging influx of diamondback moth into forage brassica crops are keenly anticipating the arrival of SuccessTM NEO Insecticide, according to agronomist Dan Sutton. Success NEO, which is currently pending approval for use in forage brassicas (update 01 November 2012 - registration approved), is already registered for use in fruiting vegetables, bananas, cucurbits and leafy, legume and root and tuber vegetables as well as stem and stalk vegetables and culinary herbs. Its registration for use in forage brassicas will meet grower demand for an alternative to pyrethroids and organophosphates, which are largely ineffective and harmful to beneficial insects. Success NEO contains the active ingredient spinetoram and features the same mode of action as its predecessor, Success 2. Success NEO features improved photo stability when compared to its predecessor, as it is more resistant to breakdown by sunlight. This makes it more effective for longer. “Forage brassicas, which are planted from October onwards, provide dairy farmers with a much cheaper alternative to buying in feed grain, while also ensuring peak nutrition,” explained Dan. “However, as the weather warms up, the diamondback moth migrates towards the key dairy regions in Tasmania, south east South Australia and south western Victoria, laying its eggs on emerging forage brassica crops.” The larvae burrow in the forage brassica plants and eat the growing points, making it very difficult to establish a robust feed crop for dairy cattle. “We end up with a situation where the moths lay eggs at precisely the same time that dairy farmers are trying to establish their forage brassicas. With moderate pest pressure, the entire crop can be destroyed within seven days of emergence. This has a significant cost implication because not only have dairy farmers lost the money invested in their forage crops, they also have to buy in feed for the summer. “The use of a gentle product such as Success NEO allows us to control the damaging impact of the larvae, while also protecting the beneficial insect population.” When applied as the larvae emerge from within the leaf and begin attacking the growing point, Success NEO protects the crop until populations of beneficial insects build up to levels where they can naturally control the pest. “If you have an influx of diamondback moths, the beneficial insects that actually eat or parasitise the larvae don’t have time to build up their populations. By controlling the impact of the pest with Success NEO as the crop establishes, we’re giving the beneficial insects the best chance to do what they do well – provide natural control of the diamondback moth larvae and prevent crop damage.” The use of Success NEO becomes even more critical when considering the life cycle of the diamondback moth, Dan added. In higher temperatures, the diamondback moth is able to move through its lifecycle at a much faster rate, making it possible for pest populations to escalate rapidly. “At 12 degree temperatures, it takes about 110 days for this pest to move through its lifecycle from larvae to hatching and breeding. At 27 degrees, however, it only takes 14 days, so it’s easy to see how quickly this pest can become a major issue,” Dan said. With forage brassicas an important feed crop for livestock producers, Success NEO’s registration will bring benefits to a wide range of Australian farmers. “The pest issue is the same - wherever there are spring-sown forage brassica crops, the diamondback moth has been a problem. Back in the 1990s, dairy farmers in south east Australia would grow around 300,000 hectares of forage brassica crops. Today, there are probably less than 30,000 hectares. Hopefully we can start to turn this around now that we have a new tool in the armoury, particularly one that’s safe on beneficial pests. It will make quite a difference.” For Editorial Information:
Sharyn Casey
John Gilmour |
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