Submitted to: Illinois Crop Protection Workshop Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: January 7, 1999
Publication Date: N/A
Technical Abstract: The Area Wide Management of Adult Corn Rootworms is a project designed to develop effective pest-control strategies that reduce the amount of pesticide applied. This program uses a highly selective bait insecticide (Slam SD marketed by Microflo) that targets corn rootworm (CRW) adults. Slam SD contains a small amount of carbaryl insecticide (0.1 oz/A) and a feeding stimulant, cucurbitacin. Experimental formulations were developed to resist wash-off by rain in order to reduce the need for subsequent applications. Four experimental formulations made with gluten, a product from wheat, and lignin, a product of the paper industry, were tested along with the commercial formulation Slam SD. Small- plot field research showed that gluten formulations retained insecticidal activity better than other formulations after 0.25 or 0.5 inches of natural rain. These same experimental formulations were applied aerially to corn, and the CRW population was monitored for 3 weeks. In this experiment, each of the insecticide treatments effectively controlled CRW adults. Densities of CRW beetles in insecticide-treated plots were lower than in untreated plots for 3 weeks. Again, gluten formulations provided slightly better beetle control than the other treatments. Plots treated with SD and SD with 3% lignin tended to have slightly higher CRW densities than did the other insecticide-treated plots. Over the 3-week sampling period, Slam formulations did not have a detrimental impact on common beneficial insects, ladybeetles, and lacewings.