What’s New and Exciting for 2004/2005…

1. What’s New and Exciting for 2004/2005… An Update on Products and Product Developments for Greenhouse and Nursery Ornamentals Michael Brownbridge Entomology Research Laboratory University of Vermont

2. Broader session content to embrace ‘IPM’ including: • New pesticides, new packaging and label changes • Updates on use practices, compatibility, etc. • Scouting/monitoring and detection methods • Useful tips to improve ease of use • New developments in biological control • Bio-derived products

3. Pest monitoring Use of “trap” or “sentinel” plants for early detection of insect pests Lemon gem marigold – for thrips, mites, and aphids

4. Disease testing AgDia ImmunoStrips • New test strips for: • Clavibacter michiganensis michiganensis • (bacterial canker in tomatoes) • Combo strips: INSV,TSWV; or INSV, TSWV, CMV, TMV • Individual strips for INSV, TSWV, etc. • Possible cross-reaction of INSV test strips with TSWV: • Does not limit tests’ ability to detect INSV but false positives could occur

5. pH and water hardness: • affect plant growth and quality and pesticide performance Many new plant varieties grow best at ph ~5; general health and growth adversely affected by alkaline water. Pesticide efficacy adversely affected by alkaline spray water, e.g., Floramite rapidly degraded in alkaline water, affects residual performance. • Check pH and hardness, correct to achieve optimum range, e.g. pHase5 from Griffin

6. Nematodes Produced by: Becker-Underwood Sold through: AgBio Inc.

7. Nematode news: Produced by: Becker-Underwood Sold through: AgBio Inc.

8. Nematode news: Biological Control for Fungus Gnats Based on Steinernema feltiae, newly formulated on a water-dispersible carrier; available in two sizes containing 50 and 500 million infective nematodes

9. Atheta coriaria rove beetle Predator of shore fly and fungus gnat larvae, pupating thrips. Excellent control of shore flies obtained when released at 100 beetles per week per 5000 sq. ft of greenhouse; releases made in early morning or late evening.

10. Banker plants For production and delivery of beneficial species in greenhouse crops; history of successful use in greenhouse vegetable production. Several plant/hosts under investigation for use in ornamentals, e.g., Aphidius aphid parasitoids, Encarsia whitefly parasitoid, Orius thrips predator.

11. Microbial controls Metarhizium anisopliae – Taenure; Earth BioSciences. For control of BVW in container ornamentals. Beauveria bassiana – BotaniGard; used with Pyreth-It, provides useful clean-up at end of spring bedding plant season; OK on blooms, herbs, veggie transplants (Whitmire).

12. Biological control of root and foliar diseaseFor Greenhouse/Nursery/Vegetable Crops • For easier preparation of a suspension: • put PlantShield into a plastic bag • add sufficient water to make a slurry • twist-tie bag closed, shake vigorously • break clumps by pinching through bag • pour mixture into spray tank or bucket, rinse bag • add remaining amount of water needed • Also eliminates dust when mixing

13. Mycostop Mix based on a strain of Streptomyces bacterium Useful for control of Alternaria, Botrytis, Fusarium, Rhizochtonia, Phytophthora. • Newly formulated for drench and seed treatments • OMRI listed • now available in two package sizes • reduction in price

14. Bio-derived Products Minimum-risk pesticides, exempted from registration requirements – even in NY!!! • E-Rase – Jojoba oil; whitefly control • GC-Mite – cotton seed and clove oils, garlic extract; mites, thrips • Hexycide – rosemary and mineral oil; whiteflies? • Orange-Guard – citrus seed extract; aphids, mites • Organocide – sesame oil; aphids, mites, powdery mildew Very little efficacy data available on any of the products. May be phytotoxic – test on a limited number of plants before treating a whole greenhouse!

15. Azatin XL becomes Azatin XLT in 2005 • contains 4.5% azadirachtin • OMRI listed • REI increases from 4 to 12 hours

16. Insecticides

17. Spray Oils Competition for Ultra-Fine Spray Oil (Whitmire) • Synergy Super Fine spray oil emulsion (Griffin) • - mite, insect and disease control • - 4h REI • - micro-emulsion process = remains in suspension for 3 h • - enhanced spreading/sticking, leaf coverage, leaf-fastness • - protection against uv • - OMRI listed • PureSpray Foliar 15 (Purespray Green?); Petro Canada • - used in Canada on tree crops, fruits, ornamentals • - pursuing registration in the US • - OMRI listed

18. Neonicotinoid Insecticides Pioneer products: Marathon, Discus (Olympic Horticultural Products) New products: • Flagship (Syngenta) – Thiamethoxam • TriStar (Cleary’s) – Acetamiprid • Safari (Valent) – Dinotefuran • Clutch/Arena (Arvesta) – Clothianidin • More anticipated… Various formulations for spray or drench application

19. Neonicotinoid Insecticides Similarities: • Expensive • Long residual control • Excellent plant safety, low mammalian toxicity • Systemic or translaminar movement • Active vs. piercing/sucking insects • Variable activity against other pests • Similar modes of action, risk of cross-resistance

20. Flagship 25 WG Labeled in most NE States except NY • Foliar sprays vs. aphids, whiteflies, scales, mealybugs; adelgids on hemlock • Drench vs. Japanese beetle, chafer grubs, June beetles • Foliar sprays absorbed rapidly, rain-fast when dry • Sprays, noticeable effects in 24-48 h; drench, 2-3 wks • Excellent plant safety, including blooms • 12 hour REI

21. Flagship 25 WG • Rates for foliar sprays: 2-4 oz/100 gals; 4-8 oz/acre • Drench: 4 oz/100 gals, use 1/3 normal irrigation vol.* • *probably will be revised to improve efficacy • Resistance management: • - do not re-apply within 7-d • - rotate with chemicals in a different class • - limit no. applications/crop

22. TriStar 70WSP - Cleary’s • Wettable powder formulation in water-soluble bags • 20 WP under development • Foliar spray: aphids, whiteflies, caterpillars, mealybugs, leafhoppers • Label expansion for WFT, scale, leafminer, Japanese beetle • Rapidly absorbed into foliage, resistant to photodegradation • 2-3 week residual activity • Excellent plant safety • 24 hour REI (12 h applied for as a reduced-risk pesticide)

23. TriStar 70WSP • Rates for foliar sprays: 1-6 bags/100 gals • - 1 bag/100 gals for aphids • - 2 bags/100 gals for mealybugs • - 2-4 bags/100 gals for whiteflies • Resistance management: • - do not re-apply within 7-d • - rotate with chemicals in a different class • - no more than 5 applications/year • Be careful when using with spray adjuvants: • - do not use with stickers • - spreaders, e.g., Capsil, OK

24. Neonicotinoid insecticides available in 2005: • Safari – EPA reg. in 8/04 • - aphids, whitefly, mealybugs • - not effective vs. grubs • - apply as spray or drench • - 12 hour REI • Clutch (Arena in ornamentals?) • - currently undergoing registration in the US • - foliar and soil insects in potatoes, apples, pears • - greenhouse label sought

25. Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) • Talus (Sepro) • - whiteflies, mealybugs, scales, leafhoppers • - greenhouse and landscape ornamentals • - Christmas trees, greenhouse tomatoes • Chitin synthesis inhibitor, suppresses oviposition • Foliar spray, activity on contact, ingestion, vapor action • No systemic movement • Excellent plant safety*, compatible with beneficials • *includes poinsettia bracts

26. Talus • Packaged in water-soluble bags • Use rate depends on target pest • Tank-mix compatible with most insecticides • 12 hour REI • Resistance Management: • - no more than 2 consecutive applications • - 14-28 day re-application interval • - similar mode of action to Adept, Citation, Pedestal • - do not rotate with these products

27. Pedestal registered in all NE States except NY • For use on containerized ornamentals • thrips, whiteflies, leafminers • Residual activity up to 30 days • Fairly slow-acting, effects after 3-5 d • Safe for many plants, including blooms • (except on poinsettia) • Safe for many beneficials • 12 hour REI • Label expansion expected in 2006

28. Other new pesticides ‘in registration’ • Overture (Valent) • - Pyridalyl; mode of action unknown, primarily contact • - western flower thrips, various caterpillars • - greenhouse, nursery, interiorscapes • - proposed 12 hour REI; reduced-risk status • Aria (FMC) • - new chemical class, pyridine-carboxamide (flonicamid) • - systemic/translaminar movement • - aphids, mealybugs, thrips, whitefly • - causes insects to remove stylets, do not resume feeding • - death due to starvation or dehydration in 2-3 days

29. Old products in new clothing • Tame/Orthene Total Release (Whitmire) • total release formulation • good control of whiteflies, thrips, fungus gnat, • shore fly adults • mixed results vs. aphids • unlike liquid tank mix, no phytotoxicity, even • on blooms or poinsettia bracts in color • 24 hour REI

30. New information and label changes • Distance • do not apply to poinsettias after coloring • when using as a drench, apply lightly to soil • safe for several beneficial insects and mites • Pylon • label expansion to include foliar nematodes, caterpillars and • fungus gnat larvae • greenhouse tomatoes added to crop list • now available in 8 oz and pint bottles • DySyston (furidan) • commercial use of 50% granular on outdoor ornamentals • eliminated in 2005; can only be used on Christmas trees • 1-2% product still available for homeowner use

31. Miticides

32. TetraSan WDG (Valent) not yet registered in NY • Unique mode of action, excellent for spray rotation • Translaminar activity • Active vs. two-spotted spider mite and others • Up to 5 weeks of residual activity • Mite growth regulator; has transovarial activity, eggs are non-viable • Effects seen after ~7 d, ultimately very effective • Good plant safety (except poinsettia bracts), safe for beneficials • Best used when mite populations still low • Resistance management: • - sprays at least 14 d apart • - no more than 2 applications/crop • - at least one other mode of action between applications

33. Registration pending… • Shuttle (Arvesta) • new active ingredient, useful in resistance management • reduced risk status, 12 hour REI • two-spot and spruce spider mites • no effect on cyclamen mite? • contact activity, no systemic movement • compatible with beneficial insects and mites • some injury to rose flowers and tender foliage • Judo (Olympic) • registration expected by mid 2005 • new chemical class – tetronic acids • controls wide range of mites, all stages inc. eggs, adults • some activity vs. whiteflies, thrips? • translaminar activity

34. Registration pending… • Ultiflora (Gowan Co.) • for use on indoor and outdoor ornamentals • assigned reduced risk status • may be eligible for use on some edible crops • active vs. all life stages • very effective vs. two-spot

35. Label Changes • Floramite SC • now registered for use on greenhouse tomatoes • growers must have a copy of the new label prior to use • rotation with two applications of an alternative class of miticide no longer required; 2 applications (max.) can now be made back- to-back • Akari • label expansion expected soon • will allow use on outdoor ornamentals • broad mites and cyclamen mites added to the label

36. Plant Disease Management • Milstop • granted 1 hour REI • re-packaged into plastic buckets • OMRI approved • gives excellent control of powdery and downy mildew

37. Plant Disease Management • OHP 6672 Ornamental Fungicide • controls a broad range of diseases • available in two formulations • 12 hour REI • Sextant Ornamental Fungicide • labeled for several foliar diseases • flowable formulation • 12 hour REI • dicarboximide family • resistance management practices essential

38. Systemic Acquired Resistance • Messenger • harpin protein isolated from fire blight bacterium • protein signals to plant that pathogen is present • activates plants defense • reduces disease development and new infections • Actinoguard • similar mode of action • activates plant’s immune system • used on field-grown tomatoes New research to assess effects on greenhouse crops

39. Ornamental Herbicide • Mogeton • control of liverwort and moss in containerized ornamentals • efficacy and safety superior to current products • registration late 2004/2005 • if approved, will pursue Section 18 emergency exemption in individual states to allow grower testing/use

40. For making this talk possible, thanks to: • Rick Yates, Griffin Greenhouse Products • Dan Gilrein, Cornell Cooperative Extension • Cheryl Smith, UNH Extension • Dick Lindquist, Olympic Horticultural Products • Stanton Gill, Maryland Cooperative Extension • Mary Anne Hartman, Whitmire • Jason Fausey, Valent • Kevin Donovan, Crompton Corp.