Wheat bulb fly plant invasion begins

UK - February 29, 2008

Wheat bulb fly larvae have now begun to invade plants, according to Dow AgroSciences. 

Dow AgroSciences Pestwatch, which monitors sites in East Anglia and Yorkshire, shows that egg hatch is now near its peak with 45-63% eggs hatched at the East Anglian sites and between 6% and 16% of plants invaded. Egg hatch at the Yorkshire site is only 25% with no plant invasion. 

“This is the last chance growers have to treat with Dursban WG,” warns David Roberts, Dow AgroSciences technical specialist. “Any untreated, late drilled, struggling, backward or particularly thin crops – in at risk areas – need treatment as tiller survival will be vitally important.  However if deadhearts symptoms become visible on crops, growers should switch to dimethoate.” 

Where wheat bulb fly threaten yield and tiller survival, Dursban WG (chlorpyrifos) should be applied at 1.0 kg/ha in 200 to 1,000 litres of water a hectare. If necessary, Dursban WG can be applied to frosty ground but should not be tank mixed. Dursban WG must not be applied in tank mix with Atlantis WG, regardless of weather conditions. An interval of 14 days must be observed between applications of Dursban WG and Atlantis WG.