EVALUATION OF SYSTEMIC INSECTICIDE
SEED TREATMENTS ON COTTON

Leroy Walters (2001)
Aaron Walters
Marty Jungman,

    William E. Buxkemper and Brandon Asbill

Extension Agent-IPM, County Extension Agents-Agriculture, respectively
Hill County

SUMMARY: Two cotton systemic insecticide seed treatment trials were established to demonstrate their efficacy. Gaucho® and Adage® were compared to Temik® and an untreated check in the Leroy Walters trial. The Aaron Walters trial compared Adage® and Gaucho®/Orthene® to Temik® and an untreated check. Adage® is currently being marketed as Cruiser®. Thrips control and damage, along with cotton aphids, were evaluated in both trials. Adage® and Temik® appeared to indicate the least amount of thrips damage 42 days after planting on the Leroy Walters trial. Adage® and Gaucho® had the highest yield in this test with both having a 519 lint lbs/A yield. The Aaron Walters trial indicated low thrips numbers and damage in all treatments throughout the monitoring period. Adage®, Gaucho®/Orthene® and Temik®, 40 days after planting, appeared to indicate the least amount of thrips damage. Adage® had the highest yield with 509 lint lbs/A followed by Temik® and Gaucho®/Orthene® with 455 and 446, respectively.

OBJECTIVE: Early season insect infestations caused area producers to apply one to two foliar insecticide treatments for control. The purpose of this demonstration was to evaluate the effectiveness of systemic insecticide seed treatments on cotton for thrips control.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Leroy Walters Trial: Gaucho® at 8 oz/100 lbs and Adage® at 7.6 oz/100 lbs seed, systemic insecticide seed treatments, were compared to Temik® at 4.3 lbs/A and an untreated check. Plot consisted of a replicated design with four 38-inch rows x 400 feet in length. The trial was planted on April 19. Thrips counts and damage ratings were recorded as: 0- No Damage, 1- Light Damage, 2- Moderate Damage, and 3- Heavy Damage. Twenty-five plants were sampled in each replication for an average number of thrips per plant. Counts and damage ratings were taken at 22, 28, 36 and 42 days after planting. Cotton aphid numbers were also evaluated.
                                            
Aaron Walters Trial: Adage® at 7.6 oz/100 lbs seed and Gaucho® at 7 oz/100lbs seed and Orthene® at 7oz/100 lbs seed, systemic insecticide seed treatments, were compared to Temik® at 4.3 lbs/A and an untreated check. Plot design consisted of four 38-inch rows x 500 feet in length. The plot was a replicated trial. The trial was planted on April 21. Thrips counts and damage ratings were recorded as: 0- No Damage, 1- Light Damage, 2- Moderate Damage, and 3- Heavy Damage. Twenty-five plants per treatment were sampled for total number of thrips and averaged for number of thrips per
plant. Counts and damage ratings were taken at 20, 26, 34 and 40 days after planting. Cotton aphids were also evaluated.


RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Thrips numbers and damage varied from one trial to the other. The Leroy Walters trial had more thrips numbers and significantly more damage 36 and 42 days after planting as compared to the Aaron Walters trial 34 and 40 days after planting. In discussion with company representatives for these two systemic insecticide seed treatments, emphasis should be placed on damage and not numbers. This is due to feeding inhibition of these products on thrips and also aphids. Cotton aphids were in very low numbers in both trials and no damage was present.

Leroy Walters Trial: This trial indicated significantly less damage with Adage® and Temik® 42 days after planting with damage ratings of .50 and .667, respectively, on a 0-3 scale with 0 - no damage and 3 - heavy damage. Adage® and Gaucho® topped the plot with 519 lint lbs/A. Temik® had a yield of 485 lint lbs/A. The untreated check had a yield of 374 lint lbs/A. Aphid numbers remained very low throughout the monitoring period. There were no significant differences in aphid numbers between any of the treatments 42 days after planting.

Aaron Walters Trial: This trial indicated no significant differences in thrips damage 40 days after planting between any of the four treatments. Adage® had the highest yield at 509 lint lbs/A. Gaucho®/Orthene®, Temik® and the untreated check had the following yields in lint pounds per acre; 446, 455 and 410, respectively. Adage® and Temik® were significantly different in aphid numbers as compared to untreated check. Cotton aphid numbers, however, were very low throughout the monitoring period in all treatments.

The cost of these systemic insecticide seed treatments and the soil insecticides should also be considered in the evaluation process. Gaucho® and Gaucho®/Orthene® cost is approximately $0.93 per pound of cotton seed. Adage® (Cruiser®) cost is approximately $0.685 per pound of seed. The cost of Temik® is approximately $3.45 per pound of material. Adage® appeared to give the greatest return in these two trials. Additional studies will need to be conducted in comparing the efficacy of these materials.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: Appreciation is extended to Leroy Walters and Aaron Walters for providing the locations and planting these tests. Special thanks is extended to Terry Pitts with Gustafson and Tony Driver with Syngenta for providing the seed treatments for these tests.

Trade names of commercial products used in this report are included only for better understanding and clarity. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Texas A & M University is implied. Readers should realize that results from one experiment do not represent conclusive evidence that the same response would occur where conditions vary.

Table 4. Evaluation of Adage and Gaucho systemic insecticide seed treatments on cotton

Farmers Name and Location: Leroy Walters, Bynum

Date Planted: 4/19/01
Fertilizer Used: 18-46-0 100 lbs
         NH3 - 95lbs    
Herbicide: Prowl 2 3/4 pts
     Cotoran .86 lbs in19 " band
Variety: DPL 436 RR         		Last Crop: Corn
Plot Size: Four 38-inch rows x 400 ft
Row Spacing: 38 inches
Harvest: Hand

                         

Treatments *   		Avg. # of
Thrips per Plant 1/   		Avg.
Damage Ratings 2/  
Yield3/  
Days after Planting   Avg. lbs Lint/Acre  
22   28   36   42   22   28   36   42  
Untreated   .013 a   .187 a   1.267 a   1.547 a   0 a   0 a   2.33 a   3.00 a   374.3 c  
Adage®   0 a   .093 a   .720 b   1.640 a   0 a   0 a   .50 c   .50 d   518.7 a  
Temik®   0 a   .027 a   .147 c   .560 b   0 a   0 a   .50 c   .667 c   485.0 b  
Gaucho®   0 a   .160 a   .640 b   1.013 ab   0 a   0 a   1.50 b   1.750 b   519.0 a  
            

        
        Means followed by same letter do not significantly differ (P=.05, LSD)

        1/ 25 plants sampled per replication - 3 replications

        2/ 0 - No Damage 1 - Light Damage 2 - Moderate Damage 3 - Heavy Damage
        
         3/ Hand harvested 1/1000/A. Replicated 3 times and averaged

        * Treatments: Gaucho® 5 - 8 oz/100 lbs seed
             Adage® 5 - 7.6 oz/100 lbs seed
             Temik® 15G - 4.3 lbs/A        

                                    


                                                        
    

Table 5. Evaluation of Adage and Gaucho systemic insecticide seed treatments on cotton

Farmers Name and Location: Leroy Walters, Bynum

Date Planted: 4/19/01
Fertilizer Used: 18-46-0 100 lbs
         NH3 - 95 lbs    
Herbicide: Prowl 2 3/4 pts
     Cotoran .86 lbs in 19" band Variety: DPL 436 RR 		Last Crop: Corn    
Plot Size: Four 38-inch rows x 400 ft
Row Spacing: 38 inches
Harvest: Hand

                    

                         

Treatments *   		Avg. # of Aphids per Plant 1/  
Days after Planting  
22   28   36   42  
Untreated   0 a   .653 a   .667 a   .293 a  
Adage®   .07 a   .027 a   .200 b   .400 a  
Temik®   0 a   .280 a   .547 ab   .187 a  
Gaucho®   0 a   .227 a   .147 b   .347 a  
            

        Means followed by same letter do not significantly differ (P=.05, LSD)

        1/ 25 plants sampled per replication - 3 replications
        

        * Treatments: Gaucho® 5 - 8 oz/100 lbs seed
             Adage® 5 - 7.6 oz/100 lbs seed
             Temik® 15G - 4.3 lbs/A        

                                    



Table 6. Evaluation of Adage and Gaucho/Orthene systemic insecticide seed treatments
     on cotton

Farmers Name and Location: Aaron Walters, Bynum

Date Planted: 4/21/01
Fertilizer Used: 18-46-0 100 lbs
         NH3 95 lbs
Herbicide: Prowl 2 3/4 pts
     Cotoran     .86 lbs in 19" band
Variety: DPL 5690     		Last Crop:      Milo
Plot Size: Four 38-inch rows x 500 ft
Row Spacing: 38 inches
Harvest: Hand

                                
                         

Treatments *   		Avg. # of
Thrips per Plant 1/   		Avg.
Damage Ratings 2/  
Yield3/  
Days after Planting   Avg. lbs Lint/A  
20   26   34   40   20   26   34   40  
Untreated   .067a   .067 a   .093 a   .413 a   .30 a   0 a   0 a   .67 a   410.3 c  
Adage®   .013 a   0 a   .107 a   .293 a   0 a   0 a   0 a   .33 a   508.7 a  
Temik®   .013 a   .053 a   .040 a   .307 a   0 a   0 a   0 a   .33 a   455.0 b  
Gaucho®/Orthene®   0 a   .080 a   .080 a   .347 a   0 a   0 a   0 a   .33 a   446.0 bc  
            

        Means followed by same letter do not significantly differ (P=.05, LSD)

    
        1/ 25 plants sampled per replication - 3 replications

        2/ 0 - No Damage 1 - Light Damage 2 - Moderate Damage 3 - Heavy Damage

         3/ Hand harvested 1/1000/A. Replicated 3 times and averaged.
        
        * Treatments: Gaucho® 5 - 7 oz/100 lbs seed
                Orthene® - 7 oz/100 lbs seed
                 Adage® 5 - 7.6 oz/100 lbs seed
                 Temik® - 4.3 lbs/A        

                                    



Table 7. Evaluation of Adage and Gaucho/Orthene systemic insecticide seed treatments on cotton

Farmers Name and Location: Aaron Walters, Bynum

Date Planted: 4/21/01
Fertilizer Used: 18-46-0 - 100 lbs
         NH3 - 95 lbs    
Herbicide:    Prowl 2 3/4 pts
     Cotoran .86 lbs in 19" band
Variety: DPL 5690 		Last Crop: Milo    
Plot Size: Four 38-inch rows x 500 ft
Row Spacing: 38 inches
Harvest: Hand

                         

Treatments *   		Avg. # of Aphids per Plant 1/  
Days after Planting  
20   26   34   40  
Untreated   .133 a   .293 a   .280 a   .200 a  
Adage®   0 a   .053 a   .160 a   .040 c  
Temik®   .013 a   .347 a   .080 a   .093 bc  
Gaucho®/Orthene®   0 a   .187 a   .013 a   .187 ab  
            

        Means followed by same letter do not significantly differ (P=.05, LSD)

        1/ 25 plants sampled per replication - 3 replications
        

        * Treatments: Gaucho® 5 - 7 oz/100 lbs seed
                Orthene® - 7 oz/100 lbs seed
                 Adage® 5 - 7.6 oz/100 lbs seed
                 Temik® 15G - 4.3 lbs/A