10/01/07 Wireworm control, part two

As we reported last Friday EPA has given label approval to fipronil for use on potatoes. This chemical has proved most effective against wireworm says University of Idaho's Juan Alvarez. ALVAREZ "The label for the insecticides is at planting or pre-planting so you cannot do anything after the fact. So once you have an infestation you may be able to find that the insects are causing damage but you won't be able to do anything." Alvarez says wireworms have been difficult to control because their life cycle extends as long as six years. He and his research partners have documented that most wireworm damage in Idaho potatoes occurs after mid-June and that the insects' activity actually peaks in mid- and late September. The longer tubers remain in the ground, the higher the percentage of wireworm injury. ALVAREZ "Species that we have here the most predominate the sugarbeet wireworm is also present in the Pacific Northwest in most of the states in Washington and Oregon." Alvarez says they examine 20 thousand individual potatoes by the end of a year, counting the holes and weighing each spud. He is also working with Rich Novy, a USDA Agricultural Research Service potato breeder at Aberdeen, on building wireworm resistance into new varieties. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott