Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Crop Bioprotection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #111572

Title: APPLICATION OF BIODEGRADABLE, SUGAR-STARCH SPHERES TREATED WITH REDUCED-RISK INSECTICIDES FOR MANAGEMENT OF KEY RHAGOLETIS SPECIES

Author
item LIBURD, OSCAR - MI STATE UNIV, E.LANSING
item STELINSKI, L - MI STATE UNIV, E.LANSING
item McGuire, Michael

Submitted to: Entomology International Congress
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/20/2000
Publication Date: 8/20/2000
Citation: LIBURD, O.E., STELINSKI, L.S., MCGUIRE, M.R. APPLICATION OF BIODEGRADABLE, SUGAR-STARCH SPHERES TREATED WITH REDUCED-RISK INSECTICIDES FOR MANAGEMENT OF KEY RHAGOLETIS SPECIES. XXI INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF ENTOMOLOGY. 2000.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The apple maggot, Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh), and the blueberry maggot, Rhagoletis mendax Curran, are the key late-season pests of apples, Malus domestica Borkhausen, and blueberries Vaccinium spp. in Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Southeastern Canada. Current methods of control involve 3-5 applications of insecticides, primarily organophosphates. In 1998 and 1999, two treatments that included a sugar-starch sphere treated with 2% (AI) imidacloprid [Provado(R)] and an untreated (control) sphere, were evaluated in several unsprayed apple orchards and blueberry plantings. Flies were recorded on plexiglas panes placed under treated (imidacloprid) spheres compared with the number of flies caught on panes placed under untreated spheres. The results indicate that baited, sugar- starch, biodegradable spheres treated with a reduced-risk insecticide (imidacloprid) can reduce populations of apple maggot and blueberry maggot flies within orchards and blueberry plantings, respectively. In addition, preliminary results indicate that ammonium baited, sugar-starch spheres can be used in blueberry plantings to reduce fruit infestation below 1%.