Volume 14, No. 3 -- July 1996
Congratulations to Russ Brown and Agsco Inc. of Grand Forks for being presented a State Environmental Respect award by DuPont and Dealer Progress Magazine. Agsco has been involved in the agricultural pest control business in North Dakota and surrounding states for many years. Agsco has shown strong stewardship with innovations such as the Out-N-Back returnable pesticide systems that eliminate the need for disposal of pesticide containers. The new Ag-Depot that Agsco recently built clearly demonstrates the considerable time, effort, and expense that was committed by Agsco to provide safety and environmental protection for their employees, their customers, and their neighbors. It is nice to see them receive this recognition.
Many thanks to those persons who were influential in obtaining the federal registrations, emergency use exemptions, and special local needs registrations that were so DESPERATELY NEEDED this season. Barry Coleman of the North Dakota Department of Agriculture really worked hard to obtain the necessary approval for the legal use of the various products. Several NDSU Extension Service specialists and NDSU researchers provided the necessary information to submit applications to EPA. Members of various commodity groups and agricultural organizations provided input to EPA about the need for a solution to the various pest problems. Another very important place where thanks should be expressed is to the EPA because they were understanding, acted reasonably quickly, and provided a valuable service to the producers of North Dakota.
Many people are required to trust you and your use of pesticides. Your clients, family, neighbors, and fellow citizens are some of those people. What you are doing is important. The benefits are considerable, so may be the risks. Be careful, because trust is easy to lose and hard to regain.
Many thanks to Ostlund Chemical Company, West Chem Agricultural Chemicals Inc., and Cenex/Land O' Lakes for conducting collection and recycling programs for properly rinsed plastic pesticide containers in North Dakota. Please promote and participate in these programs. For more information see following article on Recycling Plastic Containers.
Thanks to those of you who promoted the upcoming Project Safe Send waste pesticide collection program this season. The amount of banned, waste, or unusable pesticide that was preregistered for this program was 50 tons. If the amount that was preregistered is collected, the total collected from all Safe Send collections will be 180 tons.
If you or anyone you know has banned, unusable, or waste pesticides, contact Judy Carlson at the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, 701-328-4997 for more information.
There are some issues that you as pesticide applicators should be aware of. One of the hot pesticide issues is the potential estrogenic effect of certain pesticides. Another issue that you should be aware of is the release of a study about Minnesota pesticide application and birth defects. The last issue is the amount of pesticides actually being used. Please review the articles under Pesticide Perceptions.
Greg Dahl
Pesticide Programs Specialist
How do you plan to dispose of your empty pesticide containers?
IT IS ILLEGAL FOR COMMERCIAL APPLICATORS TO BURN EMPTY PESTICIDE CONTAINERS. Leaving the containers for your customers to dispose of is certainly not customer friendly and just passes the problem along. Taking properly rinsed containers to an approved landfill is a legal solution, but recycling makes more sense. Ostlund Chemical Company and West Chem Agricultural Chemicals Inc, are collecting and recycling properly rinsed plastic pesticide containers. This year Cenex/Land O' Lakes also is conducting a collection and recycling program for pesticide containers.
Plastic containers should be triple rinsed, pressure rinsed, and inspected to be free from visible pesticide residues. The labels and caps need to be removed.
The schedule of dates, times and locations for the Ostlund Chemical Co. collections is:
Ostlund Chemical Co. 1996 Containers Collection Schedule --------------------------------------------------------- DATE TIME LOCATION --------------------------------------------------------- Aug. 19 8:00-11:30 Ypsilanti Elevator Ypsilanti Aug. 19 1:00- 5:00 Enderlin Fars. Elev. Enderlin Aug. 20 8:00-11:30 Larson Grain Lamoure Aug. 20 1:00- 5:00 Gwinner Elevator Gwinner Aug. 21 8:00-11:30 Brampton Farm Serv. Brampton Aug. 21 1:00- 5:00 Harvest States Coop Mooreton Aug. 23 8:00-11:30 Arthur Elevator Arthur Aug. 23 1:00- 5:00 Clifford Elevator Clifford Aug. 26 8:00-11:30 Ostlund Chemical Co. Drayton Aug. 26 1:00- 5:00 Ostlund Chemical Co. Hatton Aug. 27 8:00-11:30 Reimers Seed Carrington Aug. 27 1:00- 5:00 Helm Flying Harvey Aug. 28 8:00-11:30 Rugby Seed House Rugby Aug. 28 1:00- 5:00 Rolla Flying Service Rolla Aug. 29 1:00- 5:00 Wimbledon Grain Wimbledon Aug. 30 8:00-11:30 Farmers Ship & Supply Edmore Aug. 30 1:00- 5:00 Lakota Ag Lakota ---------------------------------------------------------
August 26-30 there will be a continuous collection at Ostlund Chemical Co., Mapleton, N.D. Hours will be 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Applicators may bring properly rinsed and clean containers to the collection locations at the times listed. They will be accepting 1, 2.5, 30, and 110 gallon plastic containers.
No steel containers will be accepted. For more information contact Ostlund Chemical Co.
The schedule of dates, times and locations for the West Chem Agricultural Chemicals, Inc., collections is:
West Chem Agricultural Chemicals, Inc. 1996 Collection Schedule --------------------------------------------------------------- DATE TIME LOCATION --------------------------------------------------------------- July 29 7:00-10:00 MDT Mott Grain Mott July 29 11:00-2:00 MDT Bentley Equity Bentley July 29 3:00-6:00 MDT Heil Grain and Feed Heil July 30 8:00-10:00 Taylor Ag Watford City July 30 11:00-1:00 Dakota Quality Grain Parshall July 30 2:00-4:00 Poynters Ag Supply Sawyer July 30 7:00-10:00 MDT Stone Mill Richardton July 30 11:00-2:00 MDT Modern Grain Hebron July 30 3:00-6:00 MDT Circle K Feeds Glen Ullin July 31 8:00-10:00 Berthold Farmers Elev. Berthold July 31 11:00-1:00 Curt Undlin Co. Lansford July 31 2:00-4:00 Souris River Grain Kramer July 31 7:00-10:00 MDT Air Dakota Hettinger July 31 11:00-2:00 MDT Scranton Equity Scranton July 31 3:00-6:00 MDT Farmers Un. Equity Elev. Rhame Aug. 1 8:00-10:00 Farmers Union Oil Crosby Aug. 1 11:00-1:00 Harvest States Coop. Bowbell Aug. 1 2:00-4:00 Dakota Quality Grain Ross Aug. 1 8:00-10:00 MDT Halliday Farmers Elev. Halliday Aug. 1 11:00-2:00 MDT Dodge Farmers Elevator Dodge Aug. 2 7:00-11:00 MDT Fitterer Oil New England Aug. 2 1:00-5:00 MDT Golva Coop Elevator Golva Aug. 2 8:00-4:00 Westchem Warehouse Williston Aug. 3 8:00-5:00 MDT Westchem Dickinson ---------------------------------------------------------------
Applicators may bring properly rinsed and clean containers to the collection locations at the times listed. They will be accepting 1, 2.5, and 30, gallon plastic containers. The 30 gallon plastic containers must be cut into at least four (4) smaller sections lengthwise. Containers will be not accepted if these guidelines are not met. No steel containers will be accepted. For more information contact West Chem Agricultural Chemicals Inc.
Applicators may bring properly rinsed and clean containers to the closest Cenex/Land O' Lakes cooperative before the last week of August. Then containers will be consolidated and ground and recycled in September. They will be accepting 1, 2.5, and 30 gallon plastic containers. The 30 gallon plastic containers should be cut in half.
Cenex/Land O' Lakes will also accept intact properly rinsed metal 30 and 55 gallon containers. They should be properly rinsed and clean, dent free, and the bungs should be intact. If you have any questions contact a Cenex/Land O' Lakes sales specialist.
On May 28, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released a press announcement stating that the use of pesticides had increased dramatically over the last two years. Contrary to a preliminary EPA report released publicly by the NRDC on that day, U.S. pesticide use did not increase by over 100 million lbs. per year between 1993 and 1995. The preliminary EPA report is seriously flawed, and the EPA should carefully consider revising its pesticide usage estimates before releasing the report in final form. Also, the NRDC should utilize more due diligence in checking the factuality of its information before releasing it publicly. Finally, industry representatives need to do more to insure that the public is accurately informed about the quantities of pesticides used in agriculture each year. In total, this incident exhibits the need for comprehensive, accurate, publicly available information on pesticide use in U.S. agriculture.
Over one half of the supposed increase (1993-5) in pesticide use is due to increased EPA estimates for two products: sulfur (+15 million lbs.) and petroleum oil (+30 million lbs.). In reality, the 1995 EPA estimates merely reflect a long-overdue increase in estimated usage for these two compounds. Earlier EPA estimates (in particular, the 1993 estimates) were gross underestimates of their usage. If EPA were to revise its 1993 estimates for these two products to reflect actual reported data for that year, there would be no increase of 45 million pounds 1993-95. For example, EPA estimated for 1993 that U.S. farmers used 45-50 million pounds of sulfur and 20-25 million pounds of petroleum oil. And yet, the California EPA Pesticide Use Report indicated that 1993 actual usage of sulfur in California totaled 73 million pounds. Thus, EPA's national sulfur estimate for 1993 was 26 million pounds less than the reported usage in California alone. The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reported that the usage of petroleum oil by fruit growers in 1993 totaled 56 million pounds, which is 30 million pounds higher than EPA's national estimate for 1993. Thus, one option that EPA has in releasing a final report for 1995 is to revise the 1993 estimates. This would significantly lessen the impact of the supposed increase 1993-95.
EPA identifies methyl bromide as one of the pesticides that U.S. farmers significantly increased in use 1993-95 (going from 30-35 million pounds in 1993 to 56-61 million pounds in 1995). This is a very surprising trend, since the U.S. has agreed to freeze production and consumption of methyl bromide at 1991 levels, as part of an ozone-protection program. If the U.S. is in compliance, then the large increase in agricultural usage of methyl bromide must have come from some reduced use by industry or government. This is highly unlikely, since agricultural crop production has consistently been identified as the largest use of methyl bromide. Once again, the more likely cause of this discrepancy is that EPA's 1993 estimate for methyl bromide was a significant under-estimate.
The real problem is that estimating pesticide usage for many compounds is very inexact. EPA has no independent, statistically-valid set of data. The public may believe that these are official EPA estimates based on complete knowledge -- but the truth is that EPA has only a limited amount of pesticide use data.
The sole statement of documentation for EPA's usage estimates is "EPA estimates based on a variety of sources". Perhaps a Science Advisory Board should scrutinize the procedures used by EPA. What are the statistical procedures used by EPA staff in making these estimates? One of EPA's primary sources of data is proprietary multiclient pesticide use market surveys conducted by private contractors. The primary clients for these surveys are agrochemical companies. The contractors sell a set of annual reports to EPA for hundreds of thousands of dollars, but they're proprietary. EPA can't make any of the estimates public. Thus, it is difficult for outsiders to judge the accuracy and completeness of the surveys on which EPA bases its estimates. One of the drawbacks of these market survey reports is, while they do a good job of reporting use on high-acreage field crops, like corn and soybeans, it is unclear what level of accuracy can be assigned to low-acreage crops, including many fruit and vegetable crops -- which are the primary users of the sulfur and petroleum oils. To fill the need for more accurate data for fruit and vegetable crops, several additional private marketing reports are widely-used by the agrochemical industry. Unfortunately, EPA does not subscribe to all the available private market reports. EPA's limited usage of available reports is also apparent in their preparation of 1995 estimates prior to the release of a major 1995 survey of U.S. fruit growers conducted by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The Congress provided USDA with $4 million to conduct a survey of pesticide use by U.S. fruit growers in 1995. The report is scheduled for release on July 17, 1996.
Wouldn't it be prudent for EPA to wait until the USDA report is available before coming up with final estimates for 1995? As a way to avoid misinterpretation of data, EPA needs to consider providing more information about the pesticides that are ranked in its list of highest volume of usage. The current lack of information can lead to serious misinterpretations by others. For example, NRDC's press release extols the "real environmental stewardship of organic growers" while, at the same time, raising serious risk concerns about two pesticides that rank in EPA's top five and are widely used by organic growers: sulfur and petroleum oil. Perhaps EPA should provide two lists, and keep the synthetic chemicals separate from the non-synthetic chemicals. Many groups, such as NRDC, labor under the mistaken belief that organic growers don't use pesticides. The truth is that not only do organic growers use pesticides, but they use them at extremely high rates in comparison to more sophisticated and better-designed synthetic chemicals. EPA needs to revise this report very carefully. The pesticide usage report is the most frequently distributed report from the Office of Pesticide Programs. It is the only long-term source of year-to-year variations in pesticide use. The report is taken seriously, and used widely by many analysts. EPA should take it as seriously. There are obvious political and policy implications of a data trend that suggests a dramatic increase in pesticide use. If there has not been a real increase in pesticide use, then public policy decisions and Congressional deliberations are being misled.
The Natural Resources Defense Council acted prematurely by publicly announcing data that was clearly marked "preliminary" and hand-written, before checking it with other sources. The preliminary report received no internal EPA or external review. It was not approved at any management level prior to its release to the NRDC. NRDC suggests that the purported increase in pesticide use runs counter to the pesticide industry's claim that it has adopted stewardship programs that are supposed to result in lower pesticide use. However, EPA, the chemical industry, and commodity groups have agreed to work toward policies that reduce risk, not volume, of pesticide use. As such, one of the dramatic changes that NRDC highlights was directly the result of EPA's "safer" pesticide policy.
The meteoric rise in acetochlor's use (it was at zero in 1993, and rose to 22-27 million pounds in 1995) is a direct result of EPA's "safer" policy. Acetochlor was registered under EPA's policy, and its increased use led to the dramatic decline in alachlor's use (also noted by NRDC). This change in use was a direct result of EPA policy. If the NRDC had consulted earlier EPA reports, it could have noted with some satisfaction a very large reduction in pesticide use.
By comparing EPA's draft 1995 estimates with its 1987 estimates, the following major reductions in national pesticide use can be discerned:
Change 1987-1995
Atrazine . . . -- 17 million pounds/year
2,4-D . . . -- 25 million pounds/year
Alachlor . . . -- 66 million pounds/year
Butylate . . . -- 45 million pounds/year
Trifluralin . . . -- 6 million pounds/year
Carbaryl . . . -- 13 million pounds/year
Malathion . . . -- 12 million pounds/year
Metribuzin . . . -- 10 million pounds/year
Of course, some of these reductions were partially offset by increased use of replacements. An increased use of 5 million pounds of metolachlor 1987-95 contributed to the sharp decline in butylate's use (butylate is used at a much higher per-acre rate than metolachlor). The reduction in atrazine use 1987-95 is the result of a significantly lower average per-acre use rate (the same number of acres are being treated with atrazine in 1995, but at a significantly lower rate per-acre than in 1987). The underlying causes of these and other changes in pesticide use were not discussed by the NRDC.
Only in an environment void of good information could such a misrepresentation of the facts as this occur. Although the industry spends millions of dollars each year on pesticide use information for marketing and other purposes, it does not make a significant effort to make sure that the public and government are accurately informed about the quantities of pesticides used in agriculture. It is fair to say that if accurate, comprehensive pesticide use data were provided by the industry that this misrepresentation of the facts would not have occurred. The U.S. agrichemical industry is highly competitive and confirmation of market share for any product is considered highly proprietary information.
Further analysis brings to light serious doubts about the accuracy of the pesticide use data released by the EPA. The data are preliminary and were improperly released from the EPA without adequate review. The NRDC should have readily acknowledged the weakness of the data and sought other sources of data to determine the validity of the EPA estimates. Finally, private industry should understand the importance of insuring that the government and the public are well informed. This incident should serve as a lesson to all the parties involved. Accurate, comprehensive, publicly available pesticide use data is needed in order to make informed and fair public policy decisions.
Leonard P. Gianessi, Senior Research Associate
National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy
1616 P Street, N.W., First Floor
Washington, D.C. 20036
(202) 328 - 5036
(via Dr. Dennis Kopp, NAPIAP Program Leader, USDA and Dr. Marcia McMullen, NDSU Extension Plant Pathologist/IPM Coordinator)
Certain pesticides that have only weak estrogenic effects by themselves can demonstrate up to 1,600 times stronger effects when combined, according to a study Tulane University researchers published in the June 7 issue of Science. The researchers also found that polychlorinated biphenyls in combination have a synergistic estrogen effect.
Many scientists have dismissed claims that estrogen mimickers in the environment are causing effects in animal and human populations (such as the lowering of the quality of sperm and increased breast cancer) because the chemicals are far less estrogenic than substances naturally found in foods and nature. However, this new study suggests that estrogenic effects can be more than 1,000 times stronger when tow compounds are combined. Researchers at the Tulane-Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research in New Orleans studied the effects of four pesticides -- dieldrin, chlordane, toxaphene and endosulfan in pairs and found that their hormonal effects were up to 1,600 times stronger when combined (although the addition of a third pesticide did not seem to add to the effect). The researchers did their tests on a type of yeast they developed that carries human estrogen receptor, a molecule activated by estrogen.
"The possibility for synergistic action of apparently inactive chemicals functioning as hormones may represent a previously uncharacterized level of receptor-mediated gene regulation," said the Science article, which added that the effects of such synergistic action may have "profound environmental implications."
All the pesticides but endosulfan are now banned, but they persist in the environment, as do PCBs. The study found the PCBs in combination can be five times more potent when tested in either the yeast system or mammalian cells.
John McLachlan, one of the key researchers for this project, also reported on an earlier study he did that involved painting PCBs on turtle eggs. Relatively low doses of PCBs in combination were required to be painted on the eggs to change male-determined turtle embryos into females; the same effect required much higher doses of a single type of PCB.
Scientists agreed that more data are needed, especially in mammalian systems, before any assumptions can be made about effects on human health or before changes are made to environmental or other regulations. However, UPI quoted a top National Institutes of Health official as saying that the study "opens up all sorts of new directions of research to see if regulations need to be changed."
(Source: P & TCN Vol. 24 No. 33, June 12, 1996).
A paper, "Pesticide Appliers, Biocides, and Birth Defects in Rural Minnesota was published in the April, 1996 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives by researchers Vincent F. Garry, Dina Schreinemachers, Mary E. Harkins, and Jack Griffith.
The report is going to be controversial, and will raise some concerns about pesticides. It is important to be aware this information so that you can respond to concerns and take the necessary precautions to make any potential risks as low as possible.
The abstract of the paper follows:
Earlier studies by our group suggested the possibility that offspring of pesticide appliers might have increased risks of birth anomalies. To evaluate this hypothesis, 4,935 births to 34,772 state-licensed, private pesticide appliers in Minnesota occurring between 1989 and 1992 were linked to the Minnesota state birth registry containing 210,723 live births in this time frame. The birth defect rate for all birth anomalies was significantly increased in children born to private appliers. Specific birth defect categories, circulatory/respiratory, uro-genital, and musculoskeletal/integumental, showed significant increases. For the general population and for appliers, the birth anomaly rate differed by crop-growing region. Western Minnesota, a major wheat, sugar beet, and potato growing region, showed the highest rate of birth anomalies per/1000 live births: 30.0 for private applies versus 26.9 for the general population of the same region. The lowest rates, 23.7/1000 for private appliers versus 18.3/1000 for the general population, occurred in noncrop regions. The highest frequency of use of chlorophenoxy herbicides and fungicides also occurred in western Minnesota. Births in the general population of western Minnesota showed a significant increase in birth anomalies in the same three birth anomaly categories as appliers and for central nervous system anomalies. This increase was most pronounced for infants conceived in the spring. The seasonal effect did not occur in other regions. The male/female sex ratio for the four birth anomaly categories of interest in areas of high phenoxy herbicide/fungicide use is 2.8 for appliers versus 1.5 for the general population of the same region (p=0.05). In minimal use regions, this ratio is 2.1 for appliers versus 1.7 for the general population. The pattern of excess frequency of birth anomalies by pesticide use, season, and alteration of sex ratio suggests exposure-related effects in appliers and the general population of the crop-growing region of western Minnesota.
Submitted by Greg Dahl, Extension Pesticide Programs Specialist
Precedent spray drift pesticide notification local law was enacted on Long Island, calling for notification to neighbors five days before any commercial spraying. The law was signed April 24 by Nassau County Executive Thomas Gulotta, according to the Associated Press, which quoted an executive of Trugreen-Chemlawn: "This Nassau law is an emotional response. We haven't seen this kind of blanket notification anywhere else in the country."
(Source: P & TCN Vol. 24 No. 27, May 1996)
The supreme court has refused to hear an alar case involving what apple growers said were "disparaging claims" about Alar causing cancer made in 1989 on CBS's "60 Minutes" show. In Auvil vs. CBS, a federal trial judge in Washington state said that growers failed to prove the falsity of the broadcast, a decision that was affirmed by a federal appeals court in San Francisco last year, and upheld by the Supreme Court this week when it decided not to review the case.
(Source: P & TCN Vol. 24 No. 27, May 1996)
If anyone suspects they have property damage caused by pesticides, they are required to file a Report of Loss (ROL) with the Department of Agriculture. (Pesticide is a general term used to cover, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides etc.) It is the responsibility of the pesticide applicator involved with the alleged damage, to inform the complainant, (the person who feels they have had property damage due to pesticides), that they must contact the Department to file a ROL.
The ROL is a document which can be used to inform all involved parties of potential property damage so everyone has the opportunity to observe the damaged area. The ROL allows the complainant to describe what they feel has been damaged.
The ROL is to be given to all involved parties to inform them of the potential damage. (In some instances there may be more than one applicator and one client involved.) Documentation must be obtained that all parties involved have been given a copy of the ROL. This may be done by one of four different methods.
The ROL is to be served within 60 days from the date the claimant knew or reasonably should have known of the damage or before fifty percent of the crop is harvested. However, if the applicator does not inform the complainant of the need to file the ROL, the 60 day time limitation does not apply. Therefore, it is in every applicator's best interest to inform complainants of the requirement to file the ROL.
A complainant cannot pursue legal action against an applicator after the crop has been harvested or without notifying the applicator of the potential damage. So, if someone comes to you, a pesticide applicator, claiming damages, inform them of the ROL requirement and document the fact that you informed them. If you do not inform them, remember they could file the ROL many years later and try to collect damages long after the crop is harvested and evidence no long exists.
Filing a report of loss does not mean that a person will be suing for damages. It is to inform everyone. By accepting a copy of the ROL voluntarily, an applicator is showing the complainant of his/her willingness to cooperate. This helps to open the door for reaching an agreeable settlement, if a settlement is needed. It also helps keep the complainant from filing a complaint with the Department of Agriculture.
When we receive calls from complainants, we explain what a ROL and a complaint are. We strongly encourage the complainant to communicate with the parties involved with the case. We also tell them that a prerequisite of filing suit is to file a report of loss, so even if an applicator appears willing to come to a settlement, they should still file. There have been cases when an applicator has been very cooperative in the beginning but when it came down to settlement after the crop was harvested, the applicator was no longer cooperative. We insure all the paperwork is filed properly. If something is not filed properly we will contact the complainant and let them know what they need to do. We do not routinely follow up on ROL.
The ROL form was updated last year. if you have old copies and need to file a ROL, we would encourage you to contact the Department to receive a copy of the new form. It is shorter and easier to use. If you have any questions regarding the ROL please contact the Department.
244 . . . Certified applicator inspections
248 . . . Restricted use dealers inspections
1 . . . Federal facility inspection
28 . . . Warnings to commercial applicators
33 . . . Warnings to restricted use pesticide dealers
1 . . . Warning to producer establishment
Assessed fines on:
20 . . . Commercial applicators
13 . . . Restricted use dealers
$2,185 . . . collected from 31 violators
Violation categories for fines collected:
Bulk sales . . . 1
Record keeping violations . . . 5
Fumigant . . . 1
Certification . . . 9
Label . . . 14
Not reporting spill . . . 1
Administrative hearing . . . 1 (fumigant)
(Submitted by: Berry Coleman, Pesticide Director, North Dakota Department of Agriculture).
EPA is amending the 1992 Worker Protection Standard (WPS) to allow substitution of an alternative language for the Spanish portion of the warning sign. This change is designed to promote worker understanding of the information on the sign by allowing agricultural employers to tailor the sign to accommodate a work force whose predominant language is neither English nor Spanish. This would be an option for the agricultural employer and would not preclude the continued use of the English/Spanish sign, which would remain acceptable. This amendment also permits the use in nurseries and greenhouses of smaller warning signs no further apart than 25 feet and 50 feet, depending on the size of the smaller sign. This modification to the existing criteria in the use of small size signs in greenhouses and nurseries is intended to more clearly identify the treated area and enhance worker safety.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This rule will become effective August 26, 1996.
(Source: Federal Register Notice pages 33202-33206)
EPA is amending the 1992 Worker Protection Standard (WPS) by establishing the length of time for which decontamination supplies are required at 7 days following the expiration of pesticide restricted entry intervals (REIs) of 4 hours or less. Pesticides with REIs of 4 hours or less have passed and EPA risk screening process because of their low acute toxicity, and absence of evidence of worker poisonings after the REI, and a lack of other concerns about toxicity. The decontamination requirements for all other pesticides are not affected by this amendment.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This rule will become effective August 26, 2996.
Source: Federal Register Notice pages 33207-33213)
Adult wheat midge are small orange flies, about half the size of a mosquito. They have overwintered in the soil of infested wheat fields from last year. The adults emerge from the soil beginning in late June and early July. Peak activity, and the greatest risk of infestation, is expected during early to mid July.
Egg laying takes place after 8:30 p.m. when the air temperature is greater than 60°F and the wind speed is less than 6 mph. Eggs are laid on wheat heads around and on the florets. Eggs hatch in 4 to 7 days.
Larvae are orange colored. They feed on the developing kernels within the glume. No changes in external appearance of the wheat plant takes place. Larvae feed for about 2 to 3 weeks and grow to 1/8 to 1/4 inch long. They drop from the wheat heads in August after rain or heavy dew.
Wheat is the most important host plant. Barley is not very susceptible to wheat midge.
Wheat is ONLY susceptible to midge attack between heading and flowering.
The decision to treat wheat for midge should be determined by growth stage and the number of midge found on wheat heads during the evening scouting activities.
The action threshold is 1 adult midge per 4 to 5 wheat heads inspected (primary heads and first tillers). The threshold may be lowered to 1 adult midge per 7 to 8 wheat heads when wheat prices are very favorable.
At this level of infestation, yield reductions are estimated to be 15%.
Monitor wheat fields between heading and flowering. Field scouting must be in the evening from 8:30 pm until 10:00 pm. Wind speeds should be below 6 mph. Wheat midge ADULTS can be seen laying eggs on the wheat heads.
Monitor from HEAD EMERGENCE until 80% of the heads have ANTHERS VISIBLE. When anthers are visible, a wheat head is flowering.
Visit 3 or 4 different sites in the field. At each location, count the number of midge on several sets of wheat heads (4 to 5 heads per set). Record and calculate your average for the field.
Scouting is the only recognized way of arriving at an accurate decision to treat a field. There are other methods that may be used to detect the presence of midge in a field for the purpose of recognizing adult wheat midge. None of these methods are reliable for making treatment decisions.
emergence traps -- a container placed on the soil surface to collect midge as they emerge from the soil. Aids in recognition of midge and alerting a person to the start of emergence.sticky traps -- white traps, coated with oil, placed at the same height as the wheat plants. Midge adults become stuck to the traps. Aids in recognition of midge and alerting a person to the presence of midge.
pie tins, paper plates, etc. -- these have been used to quickly collect adult midge in fields for aid in recognition of the insect. Apply cooking oil to the surface of the object and sweep it through the canopy of the wheat plants. Midge and other insects should stick to the surface for easier identification.
The only registered product in North Dakota with wheat midge on the label is Lorsban 4E-SG at a rate of 1 pint per acre. Ground or aerial application can provide effective control when timed properly.
Aerial -- apply in a minimum of 2 gallons of water per acre, 4 gallons is preferred. Applications should be made in the late afternoon or early evening for best results.Ground -- apply in a minimum of 10 gallons of water per acre, using 40 to 45 PSI. Angle nozzles forward at a 45°angle. Applications throughout the evening should be effective.
Tank mixing -- Lorsban 4E-SG can be mixed with most fungicides. Avoid tin, copper, and zinc materials when mixed for greater than 12 hours. Do Not Apply with Supertin.
Timing a treatment is critical for getting the best results. Apply insecticides after 6:30 p.m. and when the crop is heading to flowering.
If the action threshold is reached, then consider the following:
For more information on the Orange Wheat Blossom Midge, contact your local agricultural agent.
(Submitted by Phillip Glogoza, Extension Entomologist)
State labels for North Dakota were provided recently for Bravo Zn and Bravo 720. Bravo Zn can be applied at 1 pt/A early in the season, with a 7-10 day application interval; this is to be increased to 1½-2 pt/A and a 5-10 day interval when the rows close, late blight forecasting measures 18 disease severity values or when the crop reaches 300 P-days. Bravo 720 can be applied at ¾ pt/A early with a 7-10 day interval; this is to be increased to 1-1½ pt/A and a 5-10 day interval when conditions noted above for Bravo Zn occur. Use the highest rate and shortest interval when plants are rapidly growing and disease conditions are severe.
A maximum of 30½ pt/A of Bravo Zn or 21½ pt/A of Bravo 720 may be applied on long-season varieties such as Russet Burbank, Russet Ranger, Shepody, Snowden, FL1533 or Monona during each growing season. This amount of product equals 16 lb. a.i./A. Do not apply within 7 days of harvest.
On April 4, 1996 the Environmental Protection Agency granted a section 18 for the use of Acrobat MZ (9% dimethomorph + 60% mancozeb), Curzate M-8 (8% cymoxanil + 64% mancozeb) and Tattoo C (30.5% propamocarb + 30.5% chlorothalonil) on potato for control of late blight.
Curzate M-8 may be applied by chemigation, ground or air at a rate of 1½ lb/A up to a maximum of 7 times per season. There is a 14 day PHI. In order to control early blight, Curzate M-8 should be tank-mixed with 0.5-1.0 lb Manzate 200 DF.
Acrobat MZ may be applied by chemigation, ground or air at a rate of 2¼ lb/A up to a maximum of 5 times per season. There is a 14 day PHI.
The maximum amount of EBDC permitted for potatoes is 11.2 lb a.i. per acre. Thus the total amount of EBDC applied per season from use of any product or combination of products may not exceed 11.2 lb a.i. EBDC. If the maximum applications of Acrobat MZ are made per season, a maximum of 6¾ lb. of mancozeb will be used. If the maximum applications of Curzate M-8 are made per season, a maximum of 6.7 lb. of mancozeb will be used.
Tattoo C may be applied by chemigation, ground or air at a rate of 2.3 pt/A up to a maximum of 5 times per season. There is a 14 day PHI.
The maximum amount of chlorothalonil permitted for potatoes is 12 lb. a.i. per season. Thus the total amount of chlorothalonil applied per season from use of any product or combination of products may not exceed 12 lb. If the maximum applications of Tattoo C are made per season, a maximum of 4½ lb chlorothalonil will be used.
Uptake and Translocation. All three products are systemic. Acrobat requires 2-3 hours for uptake, Curzate requires 1 hr. and Tattoo requires ½ hr. Acrobat has some antisporulant activity. Curzate has 2 days of post-infection (curative) activity and persists 2 days after infection. If the pH of the spray water is above 7 (common in our area), the spray water should be adjusted to pH 5.5 to 6.5 to avoid breakdown of the cymoxanil. Tattoo has antisporulant activity, and is translocated into new foliage.
The following table summarizes some of the above data.
---------------------------------------------------------- Acrobat MZ Curzate M8 Tattoo C ---------------------------------------------------------- Label rate 2-1/4 lb/A 1-1/4 lb/A 2.3 pt/A PHI 14 days 14 days 14 days Maximum no. of applications 5 5 5 Uptake time 2-3 hr 1 hr 1/2 hr Antisporulant activity Some -- Yes Post-Infection activity No 2 days No Translocated into new foliage No No Yes ----------------------------------------------------------
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted a Specific Exemption (Section 18) to North Dakota and Minnesota for the use of Topsin M as a seed treatment on sunflower. The section 18 was granted on Feb. 21, 1996. The treatment rate was 0.57-1.14 oz of Topsin M per cwt of seed. It was to be used for the control of seed borne Sclerotinia. Topsin M is highly effective against seed borne Sclerotinia: without this treatment the germination of some Sclerotinia-infected seed lots would be low but with this seed treatment the germination of otherwise sound seed would be good.
The North Dakota Department of Agriculture declared a crisis exemption on April 19, 1996 for the treatment of lentil seed with Crown fungicide to control seed borne Ascochyta. The crisis exemption began on May 1 and terminated on May 15; a section 18 was submitted to EPA to allow continued use of Crown through June 1. Crown is registered in Canada for control of seed borne Ascochyta on lentils. It contains 9.2% carbathiin (carboxin) and 5.8% thiabendazole (TBZ). It is a ready-to-use formulation for on-farm seed treatment. It is to be used at 9.2 fl oz/cwt. Use of this product is allowed on up to 5,000 A of lentils. Trials in Canada have shown Crown to be highly effective in reducing the levels of Ascochyta infection and subsequent field infection. The North Dakota State Seed Department has tested 15 lots of lentil seed this year. Infection levels ranged from 0% to 11.2%, with an average of 2.5%. Levels below 10% may be of little significance in a dry year, yet levels of 1% or less could cause substantial damage in wet years; most samples had levels this high or higher.
Ascochyta can cause severe losses in yield and quality. Lesions may develop on the peduncle (stem of the pod), resulting in pod abortion. Lesions which develop on the pod result in discolored seed and a reduction in grade (quality).
On June 14 the Environmental Protection Agency granted a Specific Exemption (Section 18) for the use of Tilt on dry edible beans for the control of rust. Tilt is to be applied at the rate of 4 fl oz of product per acre. Tilt is to be applied at first appearance of disease (rust) and application is to be continued on a 14 day schedule. A maximum of 3 applications may be made. Limitations include: 1) do not apply more than 12 fl oz of Tilt/A per season; 2) do not graze or feed forage within 7 days of application; 3) do not harvest hay or beans within 28 days of application.
The section 18 label notes that on certain varieties, Tilt applications may cause smaller and/or greener leaves. Yields of dry beans displaying these characteristics have not been reduced due to Tilt treatments.
Fungicides. Chlorothalonil (Bravo, Echo, Ensign, Evade and Terranil) and maneb are the most effective products available. They are protectants, which means that they act only to prevent infection, and do not cure infections. Early in the season growers should apply a fungicide as soon as 2 pustules are found per leaf or there are a couple of "hot spots" in the field. Growers should keep informed of the presence of rust in their area. If rust is present in an area, susceptible varieties should be sprayed before they are bombarded with large spore releases from other fields. Last year some growers waited until late in the season even though rust was present in the area. They sprayed when rust appeared in their field, and a week later were dismayed to find a severe rust outbreak. No doubt they detected the first of many infections due to a spore shower from another field. It takes about 10 days for rust pustules to develop once infection occurs; spraying after infection has occurred will not prevent these infections from continuing to develop.
Tilt (propiconazole) can be used under a section 18 (see above). It is systemic, provides protection for 14 days and has up to four days of post-infection activity. This provides a little greater flexibility than with the protectant products listed above. However, if Tilt is applied a few days before pustules form, it is too late to stop the infection and pustules will form in spite of the application of Tilt. Thus, the most effective way to use Tilt is as if it were a protectant.
As stated in the previous issue of the Pesticide Quarterly we would like to receive samples of dry beans with rust. We are particularly interested in varieties with some resistance to the current races of rust, since we need to monitor for the development of new races. Most navy beans are moderately resistant and kidney and black turtle are resistant to the current rust races in North Dakota. Most pink, great northern and small red varieties are susceptible, as are most pinto varieties. The following pinto varieties have some resistance: Chase, Sierra, Maverick, Focus and Winchester are resistant; and Hatton is moderately resistant.
If you see higher levels of rust than you would expect on a moderately resistant or resistant variety, please contact Art Lamey (tel. 701-231-7056; FAX 701-231-7851; e-mail alamey@ndsuext.nodak.edu) and also collect samples so that we can make a race determination. Collect leaf samples, place them loosely in a paper envelope and allow the leaves to dry in a cool dry place. Then mail the envelope to Art Lamey, Walster Hall, Room 306, NDSU, Fargo, North Dakota 58105-5012. Please include a note with information on the variety and where collected, and include your name and telephone number.
(Submitted by Art Lamey, Extension Plant Pathologist)
The USEPA has announced the voluntary cancellation of all registrations of the fungicide metalaxyl held by Ciba Crop Protection. Ciba holds the only EPA registrations on technical metalaxyl. In its place, Ciba will replace metalaxyl with the recently registered mefenoxam (Ridomil Gold, Apron XL, Subdue MAXX), a R-enantiomer of metalaxyl. Mefenoxam provides the same level of efficacy on the same sites as metalaxyl at half the rate. The effective date of cancellation of technical metalaxyl and Ciba end-use products of metalaxyl is 5/31/96; under an agreement between the USEPA and Ciba, metalaxyl products can be sold by Ciba until 12/31/98 or until supplies are exhausted. There will be no loss of uses and no negative impact on minor crops or U.S. Agriculture because of replacement of metalaxyl products with mefenoxam products.
(From: Registration Notification Network)
UpBeet was announced as receiving EPA approval. The State Departments of Agriculture of North Dakota and Minnesota registered the pesticide also.
UpBeet is not a stand-alone herbicide, but it fills in by controlling some weeds that have not been adequately controlled by other sugarbeet herbicides. Generally, UpBeet should be mixed with other sugarbeet herbicides such as Betanex, Betamix, Betamix Progress or Stinger. In combination, UpBeet will improve control of kochia, redroot pigweed, prostrate pigweed, common mallow, annual smartweed spp., velvetleaf, and nightflowering catchfly. UpBeet should be used on small weeds. Weeds will be controlled best when they are 1 inch tall or less. Do not expect UpBeet to give good control of 3 to 6 inch-tall weeds. The timing of UpBeet should be the same as the timing for Betanex and Betamix.
UpBeet gives very good control of small kochia and UpBeet can be used alone for kochia if it is the only target weed. Adjuvants should be added to the spray solution if UpBeet is used alone or in combination with Stinger. Adjuvants should not be used if UpBeet is combined with Betanex, Betamix, or Betamix Progress.
UpBeet is the only sugarbeet herbicide that controls common mallow but should be used in combination for best results. Betamix + UpBeet + Stinger applied twice gave 90% mallow control at Crookston in 1993. UpBeet + Stinger + Scoil applied twice gave 96% control. Betamix + UpBeet applied twice at Mahnomen in 1995 gave 98% smartweed control but Betamix Progress + UpBeet applied twice at Milan only gave 64% smartweed control. So, UpBeet may not always give good smartweed control and H-273 may still be needed for smartweed control.
UpBeet usually does not have much effect on wild buckwheat, common cocklebur, lanceleaf sage, common lambsquarters or ragweed. Stinger will still be needed for these weeds. The three-way combination of Betanex + Stinger + UpBeet gave excellent control of nearly all of the problem weeds in sugarbeet in research plots in 1994 and 1995.
The list price for UpBeet is $42 per ounce and the labeled rate of application is 0.5 ounce of product per acre. Two applications in combination with other herbicides will often be necessary. Obviously, the use of a band sprayer rather than a broadcast sprayer will save a significant amount of money per acre. The limit for UpBeet in any one growing season is 1.5 ounces per acre. If a grower expects to treat the field with UpBeet three or four times then the UpBeet rate for each application can be less than 0.5 ounce. I would suggest 0.33 ounce per acre as a reduced rate for this first year of use. If the field will be treated once or twice, then I would suggest using the 0.5 ounce per acre rate. Some rate reductions may be possible in the future but for this year, I would suggest staying close to 0.5 ounce per acre per application or 1.0 ounce per acre total for all applications. Obtaining good weed control from UpBeet in its first year of use is important in building trust in the product. We can work on rate reductions later. The rate of UpBeet should not be reduced when it is applied through a high pressure sprayer or an airplane.
------------------------------------------------------ 1995 1992 ------------- ----- Herbicide Rate Wibwa Colq* Ebns* ------------------------------------------------------ pt/oz/A ----- % control ----- Betanex 1.5+0.5/ 48 63 58 2.0+0.5 Betanex + 1.5+0.5/ 75 79 91 UpBeet 2.0+0.5 Betanex+ 1.5+.5+.25/ 98 95 95 UpBeet+ 2+0.5+0.25 Stinger ------------------------------------------------------ *Wibw=Wild buckwheat, Colq=common lambsquarters, Ebns=eastern black nightshade. ------------------------------------------------------ 1992 1995 ------------------- ----- Herbicide Rate Nfcf* Vele* Lasa* Rrpw* ------------------------------------------------------ pt/oz/A -------- % control --------- Betanex 1.5+0.5/ 27 6 23 78 2.0+0.5 Betanex + 1.5+0.5/ 84 73 33 90 UpBeet 2.0+0.5 Betanex + 1.5+.5+.25/ 90 95 80 92 UpBt+Stngr 2+0.5+0.25 ------------------------------------------------------ *Nfcf=nightflowering catchfly, Vele=velvetleaf, Lasa=lanceleaf sage, Rrpw=redroot pigweed. ------------------------------------------------------ 1993 ---------------------- Herbicide Rate Coma* Cocb* Kochia* ------------------------------------------------------ pt/oz/A ----- % control ------ Betanex 1.5+0.5/ 16 6 53 2.0+0.5 Betanex + 1.5+0.5/ 84 84 99 UpBeet 2.0+0.5 Betanex+ 1.5+.5+.25/ 86 100 99 UpBt+Stngr 2+0.5+0.25 ------------------------------------------------------ *Coma=common mallow, Cocb=common cocklebur.
Kochia that is resistant to sulfonylurea herbicides such as Glean, Ally, Harmony Extra or Amber also will be resistant to UpBeet. UpBeet has given nearly 100% control of small non-resistant kochia in research plots. Some data on various weeds are in the following tables. These are individual locations and results can vary from one location to another or from year to year.
UpBeet should only be applied in water carrier. UpBeet must be thoroughly dispersed in the spray tank before adding any other herbicides or Adjuvants. Continuous agitation is required for a uniform suspension and application. When multiple tank loads are being mixed, UpBeet should be preslurried in clean water prior to the addition to the tank. This procedure should be followed with all dry flowable herbicides like UpBeet.
Rain within 6 hours of application may reduce weed control from UpBeet. Any crop can be planted 14 days after the last application and sugarbeet can be replanted any time after application of UpBeet.
(Submitted by Alan Dexter, Extension Sugarbeet Weed Specialist)
Stinger herbicide has been cleared for use on canola through a Section 18 Specific/Emergency Exemption for use only in North Dakota.
Stinger can be applied for control of Canada thistle and perennial sowthistle in canola. Apply with ground herbicide equipment in a total spray volume of 10 to 20 gallons per acre. Apply Stinger to Canada thistle from 4 to 6 inches tall at 0.33 to 0.5 pint/acre and to perennial sowthistle from 4-6 inches tall at 0.5 pint per acre.
A maximum of 1 application can be made. Treated canola cannot be grazed and harvested canola treated with Stinger cannot be used for livestock forage. Carefully follow rotational crop restrictions and other use precautions and limitations on the Stinger product label. The label must be in the possession of the user at the time of application. The label expires July 31, 1996.
Puma herbicide has received North Dakota emergency exemption labeling for control of trifluralin resistant foxtail in durum wheat. Puma contains fenoxaprop, which is the same active ingredient for grass control that is in Dakota, Tiller, and Cheyenne. However, Puma contains a safener that provides excellent safety to durum wheat. Puma does not contain 2,4-D, MCPA, or any other herbicide.
Puma is formulated as a 1 lb/gallon active ingredient. Puma can be applied by ground or aerial application. Apply Puma to durum wheat from 2-leaf up to the 6-leaf stage. Do not spray after jointing begins. Puma has no soil activity to control weeds that have not yet emerged. Apply Puma at 0.33 pt/A for green foxtail, foxtail millets, and corn. Apply Puma at 0.4 pt/A for yellow foxtail and proso millet. Apply Puma at 0.66 pt/A for barnyardgrass and wild oat.
Puma is more active in cooler temperatures. Optimum grass weed control can be achieved if temperatures are lower than 85 degrees and if there is adequate moisture in the soil. Low soil moisture levels, low humidity, and high temperatures will reduce wild oat control. Foxtail can be controlled over a wide range of soil moisture conditions. However, foxtail under drought stress that exhibit rolled leaves ("onion leaf") should not be sprayed. Apply Puma later when conditions have improved if the correct window of application is still valid.
Do not tankmix Puma with malathion as wild oat control will be reduced. Several fungicides can be applied with Puma - see label for list of fungicides. Puma at 0.33 pt/A can be tankmixed with Buctril at 1 pt/A, Buctril Gel at 4 packs/20 A, MCPA ester at 0.75 pt/A, Express at 1/6 oz/A, Harmony Extra at 3/10 oz/A, Amber at 0.28 oz/A, Ally at 1/10 oz/A, Tordon at 1 to 1.5 fl oz/A, Banvel at 2 fl oz/A or Banvel SGF at 4 fl oz/A. One half to 3/4 pt/A of MCPA ester may be included with the above tankmixes except for Buctril and Buctril Gel.
Puma at 0.4 pt/A can be tankmixed with MCPA ester, Tordon, Banvel and Banvel SGF at the same rates as listed in the previous paragraph. MCPA ester may be included with the above tankmixes. Puma at 0.66 pt/A can be tankmixed with Buctril/Gel and Tordon at rates listed above. Do not add herbicides at rates higher than allowed by the label or reduced grass control will result. No more than one tankmix partner can be mixed with Puma when treating for wild oat. Do not add other herbicides or adjuvants that are not specifically allowed by the label.
The label for Puma in North Dakota allows enough product for 300,000 acres. Only apply this product to durum wheat. Puma at 0.33 pt/A is projected to be around $8.50 to $9.00/A. Consult with your dealer for actual price.
There have several complaints across the state to the lack of availability of most all grass herbicides used in small grains. If you intend to return foxtail and wild oat herbicides to your dealer/distributor, please do so immediately. This will allow those seeking sufficient quantities to control grass weeds at the proper stage of application. Due to the inadequate supply of Puma, the North Dakota Dept. of Ag. may petition the EPA to increase the amount of acreage eligible to receive a Puma. This is based on an adequate supply from the manufacturer -- AgrEvo.
The high incidence of grass weeds infesting small grain fields has caused an almost total depletion of existing herbicides. The North Dakota Department of Agriculture has worked quickly and successfully with the EPA to allow a Section 18 of Achieve herbicide into North Dakota. The EPA and North Dakota Department of Agriculture should be commended for their fast and efficient action to help those who do not have enough product to cover their needs.
The North Dakota Department of Agriculture has received Section 18 labeling for Achieve 40DG (Zeneca) herbicide for control of foxtail and wild oat in spring wheat, including durum. Achieve is labeled in Canada. The common name of Achieve is tralkoxydim and grass control is antagonized to a greater degree by some broadleaf herbicides than fenoxaprop products. Achieve is more active on wild oat than foxtail. Achieve controls foxtail, wild oat, AND persian darnell. Achieve is compatible with 2,4-D ester, MCPA ester, Buctril, Bronate, and Stinger. IT IS NOT compatible with sulfonylurea or phenoxy-amine based herbicides.
Achieve 40DG herbicide has been labeled in ND from June 17 through July 31, 1996. Apply Achieve at 0.47 lb/A (1 box per 40 acres) to wild oat in the 1- to 6-leaf stage and foxtail in the 1- through 5-leaf stage. Apply to crop from the 3-leaf stage but not later than the boot stage. Each box contains two containers: one container for Achieve 40DG and the other "Supercharge" oil adjuvant. The contents contains enough material for 40 acres.
Fill tank ¾ full of water. Begin agitation. Add ammonium sulfate at 15 lb/100 gal of water. Agitate until dissolved. Add Achieve. Add broadleaf herbicides. Add Supercharge adjuvant at 2 qt/100 gallons of water. Do not add any other Adjuvants or herbicides than those listed on the label. Achieve can be applied by air. Price per acre is unknown at this point.
Zeneca will try to have the product in North Dakota on Monday, June 17. Due to the short notice, Achieve may be very limited supply, possibly only enough material to cover 20,000 to 30,000 acres.
Achieve has been sold out in Canada. Achieve has high activity on wild oat with less activity on foxtail. However, unlike the fenoxaprop products, Achieve may be equally effective on yellow foxtail as well as green foxtail.
The North Department of Agriculture has just issued a 24C Special Local Needs registration for Silverado to control green and yellow foxtail, volunteer and wild millet, barnyardgrass, wild oats, and certain broadleaf weeds in spring wheat DO NOT USE ON DURUM or BARLEY.
Silverado MUST BE TANK MIXED with 2,4-D ester and/ or MCPA ester or serious crop injury will occur.
The active ingredient of Silverado is fenoxaprop-p-ethyl -- the same active ingredient in Dakota, Tiller and Cheyenne. Silverado should be applied from the 3-leaf stage of wheat to the end of tillering. Do NOT spray after wheat jointing begins. Grass weeds between the 2 leaf stage and the 2 tiller stage are supposed to be controlled. Applications should be made to young, actively growing wild oats with good soil moisture. Rates listed on the label are:
For green foxtail, foxtail millets or volunteer corn=
Silverado at 0.38 pt/A + MCPA ester at 0.75 pt/A.For yellow foxtail or proso millet=
Silverado at 0.67 pt/A + MCPA ester
at 0.5 pt/A + 2,4-D ester at 0.17 pt/A.For wild oats or barnyardgrass=
Silverado at 1 pt/A + MCPA ester
at 0.75 pt/A + 2,4-D ester at 0.25 pt/A.
Silverado IS NOT labeled for aerial applications. A Section 18 Label for Silverado has been granted in Minnesota due to the shortage of grass herbicides in wheat. They anticipate enough product to treat approximately 300,000 to 500,000 acres depending on the rate used.
Laser herbicide has been labeled in the state of North Dakota for control of green foxtail and certain broadleaf weeds in spring wheat -- EXCLUDING DURUM. The label is valid from June 18, 1996, to July 3, 1996. Apply Laser at 33.8 fl oz/A or 20 acres per container. Laser will control green foxtail and control or suppress annual many broadleaf weeds. Apply Laser to wheat from the 3-leaf to end of tillering (6-leaf) stage of growth. DO NOT apply to wheat after jointing begins. Apply Laser to green foxtail from the 2-leaf to 2- tiller stage and annual broadleaf weeds before they exceed the 4- leaf stage. Green foxtail is controlled over a wide range of soil moisture conditions. However, foxtail showing drought stress and exhibiting rolled leaves should not be sprayed as poor control may result. Do not apply any pesticide within 5 days of Laser application or reduced grass weed control may occur. Aerial application was not recommended nor prohibited on the label.
Peak herbicide has been approved for use in wheat (including durum), Barley, Oat, Rye, Proso Millet, and Sorghum. Peak is a sulfonylurea herbicide, is a component in the corn herbicide "Exceed", and controls many weeds that other sulfonylurea herbicides control: mustards, pigweed spp., common cocklebur, common lambsquarters, kochia, Russian thistle, wild buckwheat, sunflower, prickly lettuce, and suppression of common mallow, Canada thistle and field bindweed. Peak provides a minimum of 4 weeks residual control of small seeded broadleaf weeds. Peak has excellent crop safety.
Use rates in small grains are 0.25 to 0.5 oz product/A. However, 0.25 to 0.38 oz/A may be sufficient to control most annual weeds. Apply Peak when wheat has 3-leaves to 2nd visible node. Peak should be applied with another broadleaf herbicide to control additional weeds, larger than labeled weeds, and support a program to prevent the increase of herbicide resistant weeds. The application window of the tankmix herbicide must be followed if applied with a broadleaf herbicide. Tankmix herbicides suggested are: Banvel, Banvel SGF, 2,4-D, MCPA, Buctril, and Bronate. Oil additive at 1 to 4 pt/A or nonionic surfactant of at least 80% active ingredient at 1 to 2 qt/100 gallons of water should be used. Liquid nitrogen fertilizer at 0.5 to 1 gal/A may be added to Peak or added to the tankmixture with another herbicide unless prohibited by the other product.
The 1996 label allows small grains, corn and proso millet to be planted the following year. Sugarbeet and sunflower has a 24 month restriction. All other crops can be planted the second season following Peak application. Peak is available in 3 oz water soluble packets and will cost approximately $10.00/oz. Supplies may be very limited in North Dakota in 1996 but will have full supply for 1997. Consult label for additional restrictions and information.
Cheyenne herbicide has received supplemental labeling that allows tankmix application with Buctril at 0.38 to 0.5 pt/A or Stinger at 2 fl oz/A. These tankmixes will provide additional control of many broadleaf weeds including wild buckwheat and nightshade.
Weed control in trees is a concern with the number of shelterbelts in the state. There has not been a good guide with information on the most successful methods of weed control in trees using all tools available. Few guides are available with a list of herbicides labeled on the many tree species grown in North Dakota.
Extension Circular W-1097, "Weed Control in Tree Plantings," is available from the extension service through your county agent. The circular is a new publication containing helpful information on weed control using various mechanical weed control methods, use of mulches, cover crops, and chemical weed control. A section was included containing instructions on calibrating hand-held sprayers.
Description of several herbicides are listed for weed control prior to weed emergence, postemergence, and for postemergence directed applications. Tables are included showing the susceptibility of annual and perennial grass and broadleaf weed to herbicides labeled in shelterbelt and tree plantings.
A detailed section has been developed listing herbicides that are labeled on many tree species grown in the Northern Great Plains. Contact your county agent for a copy or contact the NDSU Extension Distribution Center at (701) 231-7882.
Harmony Extra was labeled on oat in 1995. The label indicated "Ogle", "Porter", and "Premier" as varieties that may be injured by Harmony Extra. Research was conducted in 1995 to evaluate response of several oat varieties grown in the northern great plains to Harmony Extra. The following is a summary:
------------------------------------------------------------ % Injury Yield (bu/A) ------------------- -------------------- Variety 0 1X 2X 0 1X 2X ------------------------------------------------------------ Bay 0 8 14 101 107 91 AC Belmont 0 13 15 46 36 29 Brawn 0 2 5 86 99 96 Dumont 0 3 6 58 62 65 Hytest 0 3 3 85 80 88 Jerry 0 9 31 10 102 107 Milton 0 13 9 110 115 107 Newdak 0 9 5 98 96 86 Otana 0 9 7 58 52 46 Paul 0 11 15 88 67 72 Porter 0 23 23 84 60 52 Prairie 0 6 9 71 68 79 Premier 0 18 19 86 71 64 Riel 0 3 5 86 76 83 Robert 0 5 10 66 65 51 Settler 0 3 4 107 97 89 Troy 0 8 9 118 94 79 Valley 0 15 19 84 60 55 Whitestone 0 21 23 88 72 48 ------------------------------------------------------------ 0=untreated, 1X=Harmony Extra + MCPA ester + NIS at 0.225 oz product/A + 0.25 pt/A + 0.125% v/v, 2X=Harmony Extra + MCPA ester + NIS at 0.45 oz product/A + 0.5 pt/A + 0.125% v/v.
Late maturing varieties are Bay, Dumont, Paul, Porter, Robert, Troy, Valley, Whitestone.
Medium maturing varieties are Brawn, Milton, Newdak, Otana, Prairie, Riel, and Settler.
Early maturing varieties are Hytest, Jerry, Premier.
Naked oat varieties are AC Belmont and Paul.
The North Dakota Poison Center reported that the inhalation of pesticides was the most common route for pesticide poisoning in North Dakota during 1995. Dermal exposure combined with inhalation was the second most common route of exposure. Applicators of pesticides must protect themselves with the correct respirator cartridges to breathe safely while they work.
Many pesticides require the use of a respirator in the mixing/measuring process and while being applied. The cartridges for pesticide respirators do not last forever. They will wear out, and then must be replaced. Is a cartridge just a cartridge, will just any one do? NOT ON A BET, NO WAY!
Most pesticide respirators require the use of an organic vapor cartridge and a pesticide pre-filter, together. They are properly identified for pesticide use by the NIOSH/MSHA approval numbers which are displayed on the package. Generally, the packaging will also identify the product as approved by NIOSH for pesticide use, but always look for the NIOSH/MSHA approval number, as well.
Each type of respirator cartridge has a very specific use in regard to what they will protect you from. The best source of information for the protection you may need is the Material Safety Data Sheet for the exact pesticide you will be using. Material Safety Data Sheets are available from your ag chemical dealer/distributor, just for the asking.
The spraying season is here and you realize that your sprayer isn't in the best of condition. The pressure regulator is allowing the pressure to fluctuate or the pressure gage is indicating wrong or the nozzle spray pattern doesn't look good. This means its time to make some changes.
A thorough calibration is important this season as well as every season. To do the most efficient job of application and reduce environmental risk, your sprayer needs to be in top notch condition. This means all nozzles, pump, pressure regulator, pressure gage and boom control valve must be in good working order. Also, to help your sprayer do a more efficient job, some upgrades may be in order. The following are seven upgrades that are reasonable in price and can be easily installed on most sprayers.
Electronic controllers apply the right amount of chemical to the field, even when the sprayer slows down or speeds up due to the hills, waterways, corners, or obstacles. Given changes in terrain and instrumentation, even the most experienced applicator can easily misapply chemicals by 5% to 10%.
Volume 14, No. 3 -- July 1996
NDSU Extension Service, North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Science,
and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Sharon D. Anderson, Director, Fargo, North
Dakota. Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. We offer our
programs and facilities to all persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability,
age, Vietnam era veterans status, or sexual orientation; and are an equal opportunity employer.
This publication will be made available in alternative format upon request to people
with disabilities (701) 231-7881.
North Dakota State University
NDSU Extension Service