Aphid attack on beet is imminent
Aphid attack on beet is imminent
SQUADRONS of aphids are massing over sugar beet crops, suggesting earlier warnings of a severe virus yellows risk (Arable, Mar 8) are set to be fulfilled, says IACR-Brooms Barn.
Widespread insecticide spraying is likely to be needed later.
Cleaner-loader sites and other sources of last seasons beet that could harbour virus should be destroyed immediately and growers will need to be extra vigilant as Gaucho (imidacloprid) treated seed or granule treatments run out of steam, warns liaison officer Mike May.
Up to Tuesday last week, 24 aphids, all potato aphids, Macrosiphum euphorbiae, had been caught by in-crop traps at the Suffolk research station.
"The good news is that none were carrying virus, but the bad news is the first catch is a month earlier than last year and it took eight more weeks to catch that many then. I think later on we will have to spray even on Gaucho-treated crops." *