2017 Summer Update – Aphids are on the move

Friday, June 30, 2017

In this week’s aphid trapping and monitoring we found our first winged strawberry aphids.  This is the primary species of aphid known to transmit the viruses (strawberry mild yellow edge virus and strawberry mottle virus)found in Nova Scotia strawberry fields.
Winged strawberry aphid.
Continue to scout for winged and wingless strawberry aphids in your fields. Information on aphid ID can be found in Dr. Deb Moreau’s presentation http://www.perennia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Strawberry-aphid-id-and-monitoring-D.-Moreau.pdf.
To prevent virus spread it is important to protect new plantings by controlling aphids in established fruiting fields.  Seeing that we are in the midst of harvest there are limited products available for fruiting fields but there are a few tools with short (0 day or 1 day) pre-harvest intervals. For information on control options please see Perennia’s Strawberry Management Schedule.
NEW Product Expansion includes strawberry aphid - Exirel
Exirel’s label was recently expanded and now includes aphid control and thrip suppression on strawberries. The new label has just been released and can be found here.
Strawberries Pest and Rate
aphid control - 500 – 1500 ml DuPont™ EXIREL™ Insecticide /ha.  Apply in a minimum finished spray volume of 325 L/ha by ground sprayer.
thrip suppression - 1000 - 1500 ml DuPont™ EXIREL™ Insecticide /ha.  Apply in a minimum finished spray volume of 325 L/ha by ground sprayer.
Notes:
For optimum control of aphids and thrips apply Hasten NT Spray Adjuvant* at an application rate of 0.25% v/v or MSO Concentrate with Leci-Tech* at an application rate of 0.5% v/v. . It is recommended that a small area be tested to demonstrate safety to fruit and leaves before using in large areas.
If thrips populations are high, use a registered insecticide with a different mode of action to reduce thrips populations before applying DUPONT™ EXIREL™ insecticide

RESTRICTIONS AND PRECAUTIONS:
For any of the pests listed above, use the high rate under heavy pest pressure.
Do not make more than 4 applications per season.
Do not apply more than once every 5 days.
Do not apply less than 1 day before harvest. Observe a 1-day PHI.
Do not exceed a total of 4.5 litres DUPONT™ EXIREL™ insecticide per ha per season.

Cautionary note: Exirel contains oil in its formulation - ***DO NOT TANK MIX WITH CAPTAN/MAESTRO/FOLPAN***
Split the applications by 3-4 days between Exirel and any oil sensitive product to avoid any issues.