IPM in Sweet Corn, 1997-2001.

Peter Deuter (QDPI)

Sandra McDougall, Technical Specialist (Vegetables), Clarrie Beckingham, Tony Napier (NSW Agriculture).

To develop an IPM Strategy in Sweetcorn

Specifically NSW was contributing to:

1. The evaluation of biological and new generation chemistries for control of Helicoverpa armigera and to assess their impact on beneficial insects.

2. Comparing spray application methods.

3. Developing a crop monitoring protocol.

4. Working with sweet corn growers in adopting an IPM strategy for their operations.

5. Developing an Insecticide Resistance Management Strategy

Activities

1. Small plot chemical evaluation trials

2. Spray trials compared Aerial application vs boom vs boom with droppers

3. Crop monitoring protocol was developed

4. Monitoring, pest and beneficial identification, and spray application workshops were held for growers and industry advisers

5. Annual symposium were held to report on trial results

Conclusions

1. Beneficial insects can play an important role in controlling Helicoverpa armigera but the species composition and numbers varied markedly through and between seasons.

2. The Heliothis nuclear polyhedrosis virus, Gemstar® can give as effective or better control of Helicoverpa armigera as Grower treatments of synthetic pyrethroids and carbamates.

3. The addition of feeding enhancers or sticker-extenders didn’t improve Gemstar® performance.

4. Applying Gemstar® through centre pivots gave excellent results in the Central West.

5. Releases of the egg parasitoid Trichogramma pretiosum were successful in some releases but not others.

6. Success® (spinosad) was effective in controlling Helicoverpa armigera in sweet corn.

7. Bts gave variable results.