SR9093 - Evaluation of a New Insecticide and Alternative Strategies for Effective Control of European Corn Borer with Minimal Impact on Honeybees Foraging in Sweet Corn

Lead researcher

Dr. C. Scott-Dupree, Department of Environmental Biology, University of Guelph

Objectives

1. To assess the effectiveness, relative to currently recommended insecticides of the biological insecticide, spinosad, for ECB-control in sweet corn.
   
2. To assess the effectiveness of available cultivars of BT-corn for ECB-control in Ontario sweet corn.
   
3. To measure the impact of potential 1. and 2. Above on honey bees foraging in sweet corn.

Expected benefits

1. Continued effective ECB-control in fresh market and processing sweet corn.
   
2. Reduced hazard to honeybees foraging in sweet corn. A secondary benefit will be potentially reduced costs/hazards for those commodities requiring pollination services.
   
3. Continued reduction in quantities of insecticides applied for ECB-control.
   
4. Adoption of more "environmentally friendly" insect-management strategies.
   
5. Reduced risk to pesticide applicators and field scouts.

Results

The field trials to determine effectiveness of control agents and the laboratory bioassays used in this study have led to possible solutions to the conflict between Ontario sweet corn growers and beekeepers. Overall results demonstrate that alternative control agents, SUCCESS^®480SC and Bt-sweet corn (ATTRIBUTE™) effectively control ECB sweet corn and with no significant impact on mortality of honey bees. Our research also demonstrated that GAUCHO^®480FL and PONCHO^®600 seed treatments effectively control corn flea beetle with no significant impact on mortality of honey bees. Fortunately, SUCCESS^® is now registered for ECB control in Canada. In addition, both imidacloprid and clothianidin seed treatments have been registered for CFB control. Recommendation of these alternative control agents for sweet corn pest control should thus be considered.

Related information

• Other projects funded through the New Directions Research Program in 2001