She reported that increased awareness of pest activity, improvement in treatment timing and advances in application technique had all contributed to a significant reduction in damage, but growers must maintain control measures.
“We are now very confident with the recommendation of treatment following two days at 20C when the crop has 50% of pods at 2cm,” she advised. “An application of an appropriate pyrethroid, such as Hallmark Zeon, in a standard water volume, using angled nozzles, should prove most effective in targeting adult beetle activity to prevent egg laying.”
Ms Ward advocated growers and agronomists should sign up for the free BruchidCast on the Syngenta website, to receive forecasts of insect activity and spray window opportunities that could enable the most effective treatment timing.
Speaking at the Syngenta PGRO Pulse Roadshows, she highlighted concerns that in some years Bruchid Beetle damage was now being identified in bean samples from North Yorkshire to the Borders – which indicated the pest was spreading north. The midlands and eastern counties remained a hotspot for activity, whilst growers in Lincolnshire appeared to be the best at getting Bruchid under control, she added.
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PGRO agronomist, Becky Ward, warned growers that Bruchid Beetle remained the greatest threat to the quality of high value export beans - which is the main driver of the UK market.
