Evaluation of Insecticides Allowed for Organic Production Against Crucifer Flea Beetle, 2016

This trial was conducted to evaluate insecticides allowed for organic production. The trial was conducted on a commercial certified organic farm in Bath, NY. Broccoli (Belstar F1) was grown in six pack trays in the greenhouse to the 3–4 leaf stage. Each six-pack was treated on 1 Jun with a solution equivalent to the per-acre rate in 40 gal of water using a hand pump pressurized sprayer with one nozzle to spray to runoff. Treatments were allowed to dry, and plants were placed in a row of kale experiencing CFB feeding. Six-packs were arrayed in the row in four blocks with each block containing one six-pack of each treatment. Treatments included as follows: Azera (1.4% pyrethrins plus 1.2% azadirachtin), Entrust SC (22.5% spinosad), Grandevo (Chromobacterium substugae strain PRAA4-1 and spent fermentation media), Venerate XC (heat-killed Burkholderia spp. strain A396 cells and spent fermentation media), Veratran (Sabadilla alkaloids), and an untreated check. Each solution was amended with the adjuvant Nu-Film P at 1.7 ml/liter. Plants were rated for damage 7 Jun, retreated, and placed back in the row of kale. On 14 Jun, plants were removed from the field, rated for damage, and feeding pits were counted on each plant. Only feeding pit counts were used in the data analysis. Data were log transformed and analyzed using ANOVA, with means separated using Tukey-Kramer HSD. Untransformed means are presented.

All treatments significantly reduced the number of feeding pits per plant compared with the untreated check (Table 1). The number of feeding pits in the Azera treatment was significantly higher than the Grandevo, Veratran, and Entrust, but not the Venerate treatment.

This work was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch project 1001267. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) or the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).