Identification of effective insecticides to manage Petrobia latens outbreaks in winter wheat

Abstract

Petrobia latens (Müller) is a sporadic, but important pest of winter wheat in Oklahoma. Outbreaks are associated with prevalent hot, dry conditions (Jepson et al. 1975; Dhooria 2016). Because outbreaks are sporadic, updated data on acaricide efficacy against P. latens is sparse, and growers need to know what products are available to effectively control them when outbreaks occur (Depew 1968; Henderson & Tilton 1955; Saxena & Rawat 1969). We conducted two studies in established winter wheat to evaluate selected insecticides (bifenthrin @ 0.02 kg ai/ha, dimethoate @ 0.28 kg ai/ha, gamma cyhalothrin @ 0.015 kg ai/ha, lambda cyhalothrin @ 0.03 kg ai/ha, and zeta-cypermethrin @ 0.028 kg ai/ha) for their effectiveness at controlling P. latens. The first study (field 1) was conducted in a wheat field at Feekes growth stage 3.0 (Feekes 1941), and the second in a wheat field (Field 2) at Feekes growth stage 4.0. Mite populations in Field 1 averaged 421 mites per m2 and 1694 per m2 in Field 2. Growth stage affected control, with % control ranging from 48% to 64% in Field 1, while % control ranged from 81% to 88% in Field 2.