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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Southeast Watershed Research » Research » Research Project #429458

Research Project: Nematode, Disease, Weed, and Mite Control on Minor Food Crops and Ornamentals

Location: Southeast Watershed Research

2017 Annual Report


Objectives
To evaluate the effectiveness and phytotoxicity of nematicides, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, and acaricides on minor food crops and ornamentals in the southern U.S., and to generate samples for analysis of pesticide residues to be used in registering pesticides on minor food crops and ornamentals.


Approach
Field and/or greenhouse tests will be conducted under good laboratory/field procedures to determine the effects of pesticides on pests of minor food crops and ornamentals. Nematode, disease, weed, insect, and mite population densities will be monitored in treated and untreated plots and pest damage, crop response and yields will be recorded. Mature fruit and/or plant parts will be harvested, shipped to designated laboratories, and analyzed for pesticide residues. Plant species, pesticides and treatment rates are determined by IR-4 Minor Use Pesticide protocols. Data will be summarized, analyzed, and reports will be submitted to IR-4 Headquarters to support registration and reregistration of pesticides on minor food crops and ornamentals.


Progress Report
The Interregional Research Project No. 4 (IR-4), Crop Protection and Management Research Unit, Tifton, Georgia, conducted fourteen residue food use field trials during FY 17 including six herbicide trials, five insecticide trials, and three fungicide trials. The herbicide trials (pesticide/crop) included the following: diquat/sweet potato, glufosinate/bell pepper, glufosinate/cucumber, glufosinate/summer squash, prometryn/cabbage, and prometryn/bell pepper. The insecticide trials included the following: buprofezin/blueberry, flonicamid/blueberry, flonicamid/sweet corn, and ISM-555 peanut (two trials). The fungicide trials included the following: ethaboxam/mustard (two trials), and fluridone (sweet potato). Seventeen ornamental trials also were conducted during the year to provide phytotoxicity data for potted plants in field conditions including nine herbicide trials, seven fungicide trials, and one insecticide trial. The herbicide trials included the following: dimethenamid-p/distylium, FeHEDTA/spirea and viburnum; oxyfluorfen + prodiamine/english ivy, jasmine, pine, St. John’s wort; and SP 1770/holly and pine. The fungicide trials included the following: azoxystrobin + benzovindiflupyr/butterfly bush; and fluopyram/abelia (two trials), azalea (two trials), and coreopsis (two trials). The insecticide trial was afidopyropen/viburnum. These trials provide residue, efficacy and phytotoxicity data for numerous pesticide and crop combinations and will be used to support registration or re-registration of reduced risk pesticides on minor use food crops. All magnitude of residue trials were conducted in compliance with the Good Laboratory Practice Standards issued by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (40 CFR Part 160). Our research contributes to both the pest control technologies and chemical control of weeds components of the crop protection and quarantine national program action plan. Data books will be sent to IR-4 Headquarters within two months of completion.


Accomplishments