Comparisons of granular pesticides for the control of soil-inhabiting arthropod pests of sugar beet

Abstract

From 1979 to 1991, surveys show that on average about 50% of the UK sugar-beet crop was treated with a granular pesticide applied in the seed furrow at sowing, and a further 10% with gamma-HCH spray worked into the seed-bed before sowing. Between 9 and 18% was treated with granules specifically to control a complex of soil-inhabiting arthropod pests such as springtails, symphylids, millipedes and pygmy beetle. Between 1978 and 1988 the efficacy of various granular insecticides was assessed in 24 field experiments situated where attack by these pests was expected. These experiments indicated that the replacement of aldicarb, largely by carbofuran or carbosulfan, in situations where soil pests were the main target, was justified. Furathiocarb and tefluthrin tested in the later experiments were, respectively, at least equal to, or better than, the best commercially available treatments.