SUGARBEET ROOT MAGGOT CONTROL

By
Gerald H. Smith
Sugarbeet Specialist

Demonstration - research plots were conducted in 1970 and 1971 in cooperation with the J. J. Whelan and Sons farm and the Manvel Green-Ralph Tucker farm.

These plots had several purposes:

  1. To demonstrate control of the sugarbeet root maggot with several chemicals.
  2. To demonstrate the effectiveness of band incorporation with a new piece of equipment.
  3. To adapt research information obtained in small plots to grower application with commercial equipment.

To focus the combined attention of grower, processor, chemical personnel, machinery personnel and university personnel on work to help solve a problem affecting the sugarbeet industry.

The help given by the following people and companies was greatly appreciated. The time, land, money, labor, machinery, and advice given to make this project a success was greatly appreciated.

Greg W. Lammers - Union Carbide Corporation
Gerald J. Zenk - Niagara Chemical Division
Richard Schulte - Geigy Agricultural Chemical
Daniel Veilleux - Union Carbide Corporation
John L. Pearson - Chemagro Corporation
Maurice E. Weis -- American Cyanamid Company
James W. DiVall - Stauffer Chemical Company
Fred Eisenhardt - Alloway Manufacturing' Inc.
J. J. Whelan and Sons
Manvel Green and Ralph Tucker
Paul Swenson - American Crystal Sugar Company
Emory S. Awes - " "
Robert W. Levos - " "
Thomas Dunford - " "
Jack E. O'Leary - " "
Web K. Voorhees - Pembina County Agent
Eugene Troftgruben - Troftgruben Flying Service

All chemicals used in these studies have label clearance for use on sugarbeets to control the sugarbeet root maggot with the exception of Furadan and Dyfonate. Label clearance for Furadan is underway. Dyfonate has label clearance for use on sugarbeets to control wireworms but clearance has not come through for sugarbeet root maggots.

SUGARBEET ROOT MAGGOT CONTROL PLOT - 1970
GREEN AND TUCKER FARM - ST. THOMAS, NORTH DAKOTA

Plots at this location were on a Glyndon soil summerfallowed the prior year. Land bordering on the north was in sugarbeets in 1969 and contained a high population of sugarbeet root maggot larvae at the time the adjacent plot was treated and planted. This afforded a good source of adult infestation for the plot and consequently a high larvae population developed. Populations weren't uniform in the field indicated by more severe damage in some sections of the 20 acre plot than in others. Potatoes bordered the plot on the south side. Precautions were taken to avoid spray drift onto the sugarbeet field.

Plots were treated June 4, 1970 with DiSyston 1 pound AI/A, DiSyston 2 pounds AI/A, Furadan 2 pounds AI/A, Dasanit 2 pounds AI/A and Dyfonate 1.3 pounds AI/A and incorporated immediately with Alloway incorators mounted on an Alloway Guidemaster Unit. Each incorporator contained a series of tines for incorporation. Gandy Row Banders were assembled inside the incorporator behind the first two tines. Tractor speed was about 6-7 miles per hour which caused the soil to bridge back in a 'V' shape behind the tines. Granular insecticides were dropped immediately behind the tines in the 'V' to get good depth of incorporation. The tines that followed caused a mixing action of the soil and granules.

After application, American Crystal Sugar Hybrid 'A' seed was planted on June 5, 1970. The plot was harvested September 17, 1970 with a three row John Deere Tank Harvester. Each treatment was weighed separately and a sample taken for tare, sugar and impurity determination. Cultivation and thinning were done by the grower the same as in his commercial fields. Data for the treatments are presented in Table 1 and Table 2.

Furadan performed the best in this study with Dyfonate and Dasanit as close seconds. DiSyston did better at the two pound rate than at one; however, both treatments were poorer than the other three compounds.

Damage from maggots was more severe in this plot than the J. J. Whelan farm. Later planting could account for a portion of this difference.

SUGARBEET ROOT MAGGOT CONTROL PLOT - 1970
J. J. WHELAN & SONS FARM - CRYSTAL, NORTH DAKOTA

The plot at this location was on a Glyndon soil which was summerfallowed the year before. Land bordering on the west was in sugarbeets the year before. Larvae of the sugarbeet root maggot was abundant in the field which produced a large number of flies in the spring. This provided a source of infestation in the plot evidenced by the large number of adults and larvae. The infestation was uniform from one end of the plot to the other, and within treated and untreated portions of the plot. The east border was a strip of smallgrain to prevent chemical drift from other fields.

On May 26, 1970 Furadan 1.5 pounds AI/A, DiSyston 1 pound AI/A, DiSyston 4.5 pounds AI/A, and Dyfonate 1.3 pounds AI/A were applied and incorporated immediately with Alloway incorporators mounted on an Alloway Guidemaster Unit. Gandy Row Banders were assembled inside the incorporator behind the first two tines. Tractor speed was about 6-7 miles per hour which caused the soil to bridge back in a 'V' shape behind the tine. Granular insecticides were dropped immediately behind the tines in the 'V' to get sufficient depth of incorporation. The tines that followed afforded a mixing action of the soil and granules.

After application, American Crystal Sugar Hybrid N-#5 seed was planted in the treated band in a separate operation the same day. Weed control, thinning, and cultivation were carried out in the same manner as in the growers commercial beets.

The plot was harvested October 22, 1970 with a three row mechanical harvester. Each treatment was weighed separately and a sample taken for tare, sugar and impurity determination. Data from this plot is presented in Table 3 and Table 4.

An abundance of sugarbeet root maggot larvae were present in the field. However, the damage caused by them wasn't as severe as indicated in the Tucker and Green plot. Feeding scars were observed on the roots. Earlier planting may have contributed to the small differences between checks and treated areas.

The results of this study demonstrates the control of the four treatments. All four performed better than the checks.

SUGARBEET ROOT MAGGOT CONTROL PLOTS - 1971
J. J. WHELAN & SONS - CRYSTAL, NORTH DAKOTA

The plot was located north and east of Crystal, North Dakota. The soil is classified as Ulen-Embden which is a sandy loam soil with sandy substrata and was summerfallowed the previous year. Avadex granules were applied by airplane in the fall of 1970 at the rate of 22 pounds per acre and incorporated. Insecticides and herbicides were applied May 7 and incorporated with Alloway incorporators mounted on a front mounted cultivator bar. Six electric powered Gandy applicators were mounted on the bar with 7 inch row banders mounted inside the incorporators behind the first two tines. The applicators were calibrated for each individual compound. A John Deere planter was pulled behind the same tractor planting American Crystal #2 Hybrid B-size 2 seed. With this arrangement chemical application and planting was done in the same operation. Tractor speed was 2\ miles per hour. Incorporator shields were riding on the soil surface while the incorporating tines were extended about 2 inches in the soil surface. No trouble was encountered with moist soil accumulating on the depth bands. High winds blowing on the rear of the incorporator occasionally would blow granules ahead of the incorporator; however, they generally landed in the 7 inch band area. Flaps were attached to the front and rear of the incorporator later and used on commercial beets with good success. After planting, Pyramin and TCA were applied at 1.6 pounds and 1\quarts respectively in a 7 inch band. None was applied to Eptam treated rows.

The chemicals and rates used in the 4 row wide and 1/2 mile long plots are as follows:

Commercial maintenance practices were carried out by Whelan's during the growing season and each row plot 1/2 mile long harvested separately October 5th.

MANVEL GREEN RALPH TUCKER PLOTS - 1971
ST. THOMAS, NORTH DAKOTA

The soil in this plot is classified as Glyndon which is a loam soil and was summerfallowed in 1970. Insecticides and herbicides were applied May 13 and incorporated at 5 miles per hour with Alloway incorporators mounted on a cultivator bar attached to the rear of the tractor via a three point hitch. Twelve Gandy applicators were mounted on the bar with tubes extending down to 7 inch row banders mounted inside the incorporators behind the first two tines. Applicators were calibrated individually for each compound. A separate tank was pulled behind the bar to supply herbicides to nozzles inside the incorporators. Ro-Neet was applied to all the plots at the rate of 1.3 pounds AI/A in a 7 inch band except those treated with Eptam. A Milton Planter was used May 14 to plant American Crystal #2 Hybrid B-size 1 seed in the 7 inch treated band. The chemicals and rates used are the same as those used on the Whelan plot with the exception of one addition: Temik 2 pounds AI/A. Each plot was 3 rows wide and 1/2 mile long and harvested October 6.

Table 5
Table 6
Table 7

SUMMARY

Economical chemical control of the sugarbeet root maggot was demonstrated in this two year study. In 1970, the results on the Green and Tucker farm illustrated a substantial increase in yield with chemical treatments over the check. Plots were planted late that year and harvested early. A greater difference between treatment and check may have developed had harvest occurred a month later.

At the Whelan plot a high population of flies were in the field and rayed eggs. However the difference between treatments and checks were not as great as the Green and Tucker plot.

In 1971, both plots were planted early in the season but harvested later than 1970. The differences between treated plots and checks show a high percentage increase in yield from chemical control. In the Whelan plot differences between chemicals were small with the exception of DiSyston at 1 pound. All other chemicals increased yield over 4.5 tons per acre.

Yield increases at the Green plot were well over 2.5 tons per acre with the exception of DiSyston and Thimet at the 1 pound rate. Although differences were observed between chemicals at this location, the greatest differences were again between chemical treatment and checks.

Percent sugar and impurity indexes were determined on each treatment; however, no consistent differences occurred between treatments. Impurity indexes were all well below 1,000.

Combinations of Eptam and Dyfonate or Ro-Neet and Dyfonate did not cause damage to stand. The greatest response from the combinations were due to maggot control from Dyfonate. Yields from Eptam alone were comparable to checks not treated with insecticides.


1971 Sugarbeet Research and Extension Reports. Volume 2, pages 18 - 26.


Red River Trade Corridor
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