Be on the lookout for tobacco false wireworm News 9 days ago Be on the lookout for tobacco false wireworm
TOBACCO farmers must be wary of the false wireworm that has in recent times become an economic pest of significant concern, Kutsaga Plant Clinic has warned.Head of Plant Health Services with Kutsaga Plant Clinic, Dr Cleopas Chinheya said they had received a growing number of false wireworm cases in the past week. Wireworms are the larval stage of several species of ‘click’ beetles.“There are two sub-categories of wireworms – the true wireworms, which belong to the Elateridae family and false wireworms that belong to the Tenebrionidae family,” Dr Chinheya explained.Infestations of the small false wireworm can be as high as hundreds of larvae per square metre, although densities as low as five larger false wireworm larvae per square metre can cause damage under dry conditions,” said Dr Chinheya. Dr Chinheya added that the larvae of small false wireworm do most damage to seedlings shortly after germination or transplantation. They feed on the seedling stem, at or just below the surface. This causes the stem to be ‘ring-barked,’ and eventually the seedling may be lopped off or it wilts under warm conditions.He went further to say: “There are two crop protection agents that are recommended for the control of false wireworm in Zimbabwe, and these are Thiamethoxam and Imidacloprid. These are neocotioids with a systemic mode of action. Thus, if applied correctly at planting they offer protection to early plant damage.”He added that Thiamethoxam 25 WG was applied using a rate of 125g/100 litre-water, then apply one 30ml cup into the planting hole separately from planting water. Alternatively, a pre-mix can be diluted with planting water using a rate of 3,7g/100 litre of water with one litre applied into the planting hole.“Imidacloprid 200 SL can be applied using a rate of 220ml/100 litres of water and add one 30ml cup into the planting hole separately from the planting water. Alternatively, a pre-mix of 6,5ml/100 litres of planting water can be added into the planting hole,” he said.
TOBACCO farmers must be wary of the false wireworm that has in recent times become an economic pest of significant concern, Kutsaga Plant Clinic has warned.
Head of Plant Health Services with Kutsaga Plant Clinic, Dr Cleopas Chinheya said they had received a growing number of false wireworm cases in the past week. Wireworms are the larval stage of several species of ‘click’ beetles.“There are two sub-categories of wireworms – the true wireworms, which belong to the Elateridae family and false wireworms that belong to the Tenebrionidae family,” Dr Chinheya explained.
Infestations of the small false wireworm can be as high as hundreds of larvae per square metre, although densities as low as five larger false wireworm larvae per square metre can cause damage under dry conditions,” said Dr Chinheya.
Dr Chinheya added that the larvae of small false wireworm do most damage to seedlings shortly after germination or transplantation. They feed on the seedling stem, at or just below the surface. This causes the stem to be ‘ring-barked,’ and eventually the seedling may be lopped off or it wilts under warm conditions.
He went further to say: “There are two crop protection agents that are recommended for the control of false wireworm in Zimbabwe, and these are Thiamethoxam and Imidacloprid. These are neocotioids with a systemic mode of action. Thus, if applied correctly at planting they offer protection to early plant damage.”
He added that Thiamethoxam 25 WG was applied using a rate of 125g/100 litre-water, then apply one 30ml cup into the planting hole separately from planting water. Alternatively, a pre-mix can be diluted with planting water using a rate of 3,7g/100 litre of water with one litre applied into the planting hole.
“Imidacloprid 200 SL can be applied using a rate of 220ml/100 litres of water and add one 30ml cup into the planting hole separately from the planting water. Alternatively, a pre-mix of 6,5ml/100 litres of planting water can be added into the planting hole,” he said.
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