A new method for controlling Colorado potato beetles
{Sponsored} With nearly 200 million pounds of potatoes at stake, Wysocki Produce Farms can’t afford to lose their crop. In 2018 that could have happened. Severe Colorado potato beetle pressure nearly cost them their crop.
“We lost fields to defoliation five weeks prior to maturation,” said AJ Bussan, director of agronomy for Wysocki Family of Companies, the parent company of Wysocki Produce Farms.
Bussan acted immediately to preserve the field and prepare for 2019. He added Minecto® Pro to his existing insecticide program. “We were having a hard time controlling first and second generation adults at the end of July and saw substantial populations of larvae feeding,” Bussan said. They applied Minecto Pro and gained control over the infestation of Colorado potato beetle.
Minecto Pro is a foliar insecticide. Its broad-spectrum control of many pests is designed to work when nothing else will. Minecto Pro contains two active ingredients, both of which penetrate leaf tissue to build a reservoir of active ingredients resulting in long residual activity and excellent control. In addition to targeting psyllids and Colorado potato beetle, it also effectively controls spider mite, armyworm, European corn borer, leafminer and cabbage looper.
“Colorado potato beetle is a historically challenging pest for potato growers to manage. Minecto Pro’s premix formulation contains complementary modes of action that work together to increase the pest spectrum and give growers long lasting residual control.” said Meade McDonald, product lead for Minecto Pro at Syngenta.
While existing chemistries that are labeled for psyllid and Colorado potato beetle control are still important for growers to include in an insect management program, the cyantraniliprole in Minecto Pro provides a new mode of action, making it a highly effective choice for control of Colorado potato beetle and efficient resistance management. Growers see Minecto Pro as an important tool for managing those difficult-to-control pests.
How to apply Minecto Pro
McDonald suggests growers always mix Minecto Pro with a high-quality adjuvant. To take advantage of the long lasting residual, apply Minecto Pro when pest populations are low. When pest pressure is heavy, use the highest labeled rate.
Minecto Pro can be applied up to a maximum of two applications per year. Sufficient spray coverage is important. Use 20 gallons of water per acre for ground applications and 5 gallons per acre for aerial applications for best results.
Minecto Pro offers excellent rain fastness, and it should be sprayed at least 15 to 30 minutes prior to rain so that the product can dry on the foliage.
Minecto Pro at Wysocki Produce Farms
To combat the heavy Colorado potato beetle pressure Bussan saw in 2018, Wysocki Produce Farms applied Minecto Pro in late July. With that application, they had coverage for the remainder of the season. As a result, the Colorado potato beetles stopped laying eggs in the final week of July.
“(Minetco Pro) is extremely valuable to us,” Bussan said. With high Colorado potato beetle pressure in Michigan and Wisconsin, it is imperative that growers in these regions have a tool to control them when traditional chemistries struggle. Bussan also notes that when early potatoes are harvested, Colorado potato beetle migration can cause early outbreaks. As a result, “it is very valuable in our area,” Bussan said.
As a broad-spectrum insecticide with two chemistries in premix, Minecto Pro is able to control pest populations even when they overlap one another.
To learn more about Minecto Pro, visit www.syngenta-us.com/insecticides/minecto-pro.
Always consult the product label for complete use and application information.
Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. Minecto Pro is a Restricted Use Pesticide.
Minecto Pro is highly toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment on blooming crops and weeds. Do not apply this product or allow it to drift onto blooming plants while bees are foraging adjacent to the treatment area. Minecto® and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company.
© 2019 Syngenta
