United Kingdom
May 14, 2013
Oilseed rape growers and agronomists must be on the lookout for Seed Weevil activity in crops. Adult Weevils have been reported on the move in southern England, stimulated into action by the spell of hot, dry weather, warned Syngenta Field Technical Manager, Simon Roberts.
Mr Roberts highlighted a female Seed Weevil can lay eggs in up to 50 oilseed rape plant pods, with the developing larvae typically consuming a quarter of the pod’s seed. However, more damagingly the holes left by the Weevil activity provide the entry point for Pod Midge to lay their eggs, which can completely remove the pod.
"Seed Weevils must be controlled whilst active in the crop, before they lay their eggs in the pods; there is usually a window of two to three weeks from initial infestation," he advised. "Good control of Weevils with a timely Hallmark Zeon treatment can also successfully minimise the impact of Pod Midge, and will help to ensure maximum survival of pods through to harvest."
Protecting pods from damage could be more important than ever in this season’s backward and winter damaged crops, where side-branching has been extremely limited and every pod will be at a premium to deliver a reasonable yield.
When Hallmark Zeon treatments are being applied in tank-mix with fungicide application around the flowering period, Mr Roberts urged growers to use Amistar as against a triazole in order to limit any risk to foraging pollinating insects. "Operators should take all precautions to minimise the impact on bees and other pollinating insects when spraying in flowering crops. That includes working in association with local beekeepers, spraying in the early morning or evening when bee activity is limited and taking care to avoid pollinating insect conservation areas," he added.
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