Dow AgroSciences just received federal registration for Transform 50WG (sulfoxaflor) in several crops, including cotton. This new insecticide will have a real fit for control of tarnished plant bug and cotton aphids, especially now that populations of neonicotinoid cotton aphids have now been confirmed in Tennessee. At a use rate of 1.5 oz/acre or higher , this product is among the best in controlling tarnished plant bug infestations and represents a new mode of action (subgroup 4C). Lower rates are needed for control of aphids. I’m told there is ample supply. It is nice to have another tool in the shed. I will not speculate on price other than to say expect to pay a premium for this product in 2013.
I have read ads for a TPB product from FMC called Carbine. What is your opinion of this product?
Would you use Transform or Carbine in a similar manner as Diamond?
Richard
Carbine has been around for a while. Its primary use would be when targeting both aphids and plant bugs. It is included in our recommendations for tarnished plant bug primarily for that scenario. I seldom recommend it, although with neonic-resistant aphids, it will be a better fit now because it has a different MOA. On plant bugs, I would rate it no better than imidacloprid, and its been pricier. It would not be used like Diamond, which is primarily positioned (in TN) for early bloom when populations of adults and tiny immatures are building to take advantage of its residual impact on immature plant bugs.
Do you still recommend a neonic (ie., Trimax, Centric) for the first TPB spraying?
I have used bifenthrin-type products for several years for TPB subsequent sprays. If I switched to Transform WG should I expect increased efficacy? How about longer intervals between sprayings? Should it be used for multiple consecutive sprays as we use bifenthrin or bifenthrin/acephate?
I am still comfortable with the neonics, primarily before first bloom. They fit well in that window, although they lose a little value in the presence of resistant aphids. Centric is my choice for serious prebloom infestations, but a good shot of imidacloprid is still an economical choice.
I do not recommend bifenthrin or other pyrethroids for plant bugs except as a tank mix partner, and then only after first bloom when dealing with a complex that may include stink bugs or bollworm. Pyrethroids plus acephate or Bidrin are still excellent choices. Transform may have a little edge for plant bugs but is considerably weaker choice on stink bugs, and it has no effect on bollworm. The best thing to do when plant bugs are bad is tighten spray intervals to 4-5 days. If you are making good insecticide choices, this actually saves sprays in the long run. Too wide of intervals or going cheap gets you on a spraying treadmill.
Part of where Transform fits in depends on price. My guess is it will be high enough that it will be used in critical situations (mostly mid bloom when plant bugs tend to be a consistent problem). It is not a silver bullet. It will be in the mix as a stand alone, tank mix or in rotation depending on the pest complex. The consultants often figure out first how to get the most bang for the buck (which is influenced by grower attitudes). These are not easy questions.
Planted 80′ soybean buffer between corn & cotton Wednesday. TPB beware!
Will provide some relief from edge effect