Snap bean growers have a safe, effective, economical and easy-to-use alternative to organophosphate insecticides for controlling seedcorn maggot and potato leafhopper. Only a 1/2 oz of thiamethoxam is needed to control seedcorn maggot and potato leafhopper in one acre of snap bean. Replacing the organophosphate insecticides with thiamethoxam seed treatment results in a 96 to 98 percent reduction in the amount of insecticide active ingredient used on snap bean. In New York since 2004, widespread use of this seed treatment has reduced the total amount of active ingredient used in snap bean by up to 14,000 to nearly 30,000 lbs each year.
impact statement issue
Seedcorn maggot, Delia platura, and potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae, are major pests of snap bean throughout the eastern and midwestern US and together can reduce yield by 50 percent or more if uncontrolled. Organophoshate insecticides, which are used in the soil at planting and sprayed onto foliage several times during the season, are typically used to protect the crop from these pests. As with most vegetable crops, there is concern about present levels of pesticide use in snap bean. Therefore, an alternative approach is needed to reduce insecticide use and thereby minimize risks to human health and the environment.
impact statement response
Research in the Departments of Entomology and Horticultural Sciences at Cornell has shown that a neonicotinoid insecticide, thiamethoxam (Cruiser 5FS), used as a seed treatment provided an equivalent level of seedcorn maggot and potato leafhopper control as that provided by a combination of organophosphate insecticides used throughout the season. Thiamethoxam is less toxic compared with several of the organophosphate products currently used for seedcorn maggot and potato leafhopper control. Moreover, this seed treatment requires much less active ingredient for protection and is safer to handle than standard products. Based partially on our work, Cruiser 5FS was awarded a federal label for seedcorn maggot and potato leafhopper control on snap bean.
impact statement summary
The novel insecticide seed treatment, thiamethoxam, controls two major pests of snap bean that had been managed using multiple applications of organophosphate insecticides.
