•
BAYER VEGETABLE CONFERENCE
•
THE
VEGETABLE
FARMER •
MARCH 2017
2016 carrot season
Howard Hinds of Root Crop
Consultancy Ltd provided an
overview of the 2016 carrot
season, together with some
thoughts on how the sector will
cope without pirimicarb going
forwards. One of themain crop
protection challenges for carrot
growers last year was the lack
of Vydate following a fire at
DuPont’s production facility.
While some growers have had
good results using NEMguard,
others will be happy that so far
there looks to be reasonable
availability of oxamyl for the
coming season, he said.
After the delay in receiving an
EAMU for the use of Cruiser last
year, it will be available for
treating seed in 2017, but
Howard is wary of the product’s
persistence given the fact that
the rate is around 60% of that
previously used on imported
seed. As only two neonicotinoid
products can be used per crop
from seed treated under the
EAMU for Cruiser, it restricts
users to a single application of
Biscaya during the season and
leaves just three specific
aphicides available for the
entire season, including
Movento.
Pyrethroids may provide some
control, but their effects on
beneficial insects may make
their use detrimental to overall
control. With recent work
showing that peach potato
aphids can transmit carrot
viruses alongside willow carrot
aphid and parsnip aphid,
somehowmain crop carrot
growers will be looking to
control aphid numbers from
May through to August. Given
the small quantity of ‘old label’
pirimicarb available, Howard
pointed out that growers are
already beginning to adapt.
There were also some questions
over the efficacy of pirimicarb.
“I think the [lower rate]
will reduce the
persistence of Cruiser on
the carrot crop sowe will
have to come inwith
sprays earlier,” he said.
One hope is that Benevia
will gain approval for use
on carrots but evenwith
increasing use of
integrated control
programmes there is not
a lot of protection
available frommid-June
tomid-July.
Other vegetable
crops
When it comes to other
vegetable crops, there
have also been changes
to the approvals and
EAMUs for Bayer products as
Tim Lacey, CampaignManager
for Horticulture explained. A
new EAMU for the use of Decis
on outdoor collard, kale and
spring greens increases the
harvest interval from 14 to 21
days, while Decis Forte is a new
higher concentration of
deltamethrinwhich some
growers may encounter.
The EAMU for Movento on
carrot, parsnip, swede and
turnip has beenwelcomed, but
Tim points out that it needs to
be used correctly.
“Spirotetramat, the active
substance, is very systemic in
the plant andmoves into fresh
developing parts. It is an
excellent product for breaking
the aphid life cycle, but it will
not provide knock-down
activity. You are really limiting
the population spread of any
pests that have already come in
to the crop.” To achieve the
best results, it should be used
when plants are actively
growing and pests are feeding
at the first signs of infestation.
In trials, Movento has also
shown useful control of
diamond-back moth on
brassicas, and the addition of
rapeseed oil appeared to
increase efficacy in glasshouse
trials. It also controls mealy
cabbage aphid, a pest which is
also controlled by a new coded
insecticide, which should be
submitted for approval in
Europe later this year. “Initially
we will apply for approval on
brassicas, potatoes and beans,
with carrots coming later,”
25
Howard Hinds of Root Crop
Consultancy Ltd.
NAVIGATING CHANGES TO AVAILABLE
CHEMISTRY
The last year has seen restructuringwithin the Bayer
horticulture team, but as its annual Vegetable Conference
in Peterborough at the end of January showed, the
company is still working hard on a pipeline of new
approvals and new products to UK growers.
by Richard Crowhurst
Tim Lacey from Bayer.
