This publication from Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station
and Cooperative Extension Service has been archived.
Current information: http://www.ksre.ksu.edu.
MARCH 1979
Using Foliar and Planting-time
Insecticides to Control Chinch Bugs
in Grain Sorghum1
Gerald Wilde and Terry Mlze
Chinch bug infestat ions have been more widesp read
and intense in eastern Kansas in recent yea rs than since
the outbrea ks of the 1930's and 50's. Field insecticide
tests in I 977 indicate d that correctly applyin g foliar insecticides signific antly reduces chinch bug number s, and
greenh ouse tests suggest ed that some granula r treatments at plantin g time will control chinch bugs on seedling sorghum , so tests were continu ed in 1978.
In the first test, planted June 5, a granula r application at pla nting time was evaluat ed 8 and 21 days later
(Table 1). The most effectiv e treatme nt on day 8 (June
13) was an in-furro w treatme nt of ca rbofu ran. No band
treatme nts gave good control. At 21 days (June 26)
carbofu ran in-furro w or a band gave some control, but
left some chinch bugs survivin g on all plants.
In th'!l second test, planted June 29, planting -time
applica tions were evaluat ed 14 days later (Table 2). Infurrow treatme nts of carbofu ran and bands of
or phorate signific antly reduced chinch bug number s.
A
1.2-inch rain 1 I d ays after planting probabl y account ed
for the effectiveness of the band treatme nts in the second
test.
1. Mention of a compou nd and results do not constitu te
a recomm endatio n by the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station or the Kansas Cooper ative Extensio n
Service.
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
Kansas State University, Manhattan
Floyd W. Smith, Director
This publication from Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station
and Cooperative Extension Service has been archived.
Current information: http://www.ksre.ksu.edu.
Ta ble 1 .-Chinch bug control on sorghu m 8 and 21
days afte r plantin g with indicated plantin g-time tre
atment s. Manha ttan, KS,
1978.
Treatmen t
Formulat ion
Avg. live chinch bugs
lb.
40" rows
per caged plantft
8 d aysl
21 doys'
Placement
Untreated control .......... .......... ....... .
Disulfoton (Disyston) .......... .......... .. .. 15G
1.0
band
Carbof uran (Furadan) .......... .......... .. .. lOG
0 .5
band
Phorate (Th imet) .......... .......... ......... . 15G
1.0
band
Carbof uran (Furadan) .......... .......... ... . lOG
1 .0
band
Carbof u ran (Furadan) .......... .......... ... . lOG
0.75
band
Carbof ura n (Furadan) .......... .......... .. .. lOG
0.25
furrow
Carbof uran (Furada n) .......... .......... ... . lOG
0 .5
furrow
Carbof u ran (Furada n) .......... .......... .. .. lOG
0 .75
furrow
Carbof uran (Furadan) ........... .......... .. . lOG
1.0
furrow
1. Ten adult chinch bugs cage d pe r plant on 8 plants.
2. Forty ch inch bug nymphs caged per plant on 6
plants;
3. Means with the same letter in the vertica l col umn
do not differ signific antly (0.05).
6 .6
7. 1
7.1
6.3
5.1
4.7
1.3
0.7
0.3
0.0
ab
a
a
abc
be
c
d
d
d
d
20.5
13.0
9 .6
24.5
5.3
13.5
18.3
5.3
4.6
4.6
abc
cd
de
a
ef
cd
abc
ef
ef
ef
Table 2.-Chinch bug control on sorghum 14 days
after plantin g with indicate d plantin g-time tre atme nts.
Manha ttan, KS, 1978.
Treatment
..........................
Untrea ted control
Disulfo ton (Disyston)
······················
Phorat e (Thimet)
Ca rbofura n (Furadan)
Carbof u ran (Furadan)
····················
Carbof uran (Furada n)
Carbof uran (Furada n)
Carbof u ran (Furad an}
Carbof ura n (Furada n)
Carbof u ran (Furada n}
lb . AI/ Acre
Fonnul.at ion
40 11 row
15G
15G
lOG
lOG
lOG
lOG
l OG
JOG
JOG
1.0
1.0
0.25
0.5
1.0
0.75
0.75
0.5
1.0
··········
··········
········
..........
..........
·············
·······
..........
..........
····················
··········
··········
....................
Placemen t
Avg. l ive chinch bugs
per caged plant~
10.8
8.8
5.0
4.3
2.1
1.5
1.3
0. 0
0.0
0.0
band
band
furrow
furrow
furrow
fu rrow
band
band
band
b
b
c
cd
cd
de
de
e
e
e
1. Twe nty adult chinch bugs caged per plant on 6
plants . Means w ith the same letter do not d iffer
significantly (0.05).
Of the granul ar tests, the carbof uran in-furro w treatment is registe red for use on sorghu m for ch in'ch bug
control. Both carbof uran and phorate band treatm ents
are
registe red for use on so rghum for greenb ug contro
l, but
not fo r chinch bugs. Disu lfoton, reg iste re d as a
band
treatm ent for g reenbu g control, does not affect
chinch
bugs. Phorate should not be applie d in-furro w a t pl
anting
time becaus e of its phytotoxicity.
Foliar a pplications of carbary l, ca rbofura n, and e ndrin
were tested on seedlin g sorghu ms, though endrin
is not
registe red for sorghu m crops. The other two are
registe red for chinch bug control. We include d it as a
chlorinated hydroc arbon to which control with newer
inse cti·
cides can be compa red. The fo liar sprays we re applie
with a one-no zzle hand spraye r del ivering 16 gal. d
of
water per acre. Results of two tests at Abilen e
(Table
3} and one test at Manha ttan (Ta ble 4) indicate th
at all
those insecticides signific antly reduce d ch inch bug
num-
Table 3 .-Chh1 ch bug control on seedling sorghu m
w ith foliar a pplications of inditated treatm tents, Abilen
e, KS . 1978.
Treatmen t
Carbof uran (Furada n ) .... .......... .......... .......... ..
Carbar yl (Sev in) .......... .......... .......... .......... ... .
Untrea ted control .......... .......... .......... .......... ..
AI/ Acre
lbs.
0.5
2.00
Formulat ion
4F
80WP
Avg. chinch bugs/pla nt1
Site 1
3.2 a
1.0 a
87.0 b
1. Averag e numbe r of chinch bugs on 10 plants.
Means with the s ame letter do not differ signific antl
y (0 .05).
Site 2
0.0 a
2.3 a
9.7 b
This publication from Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station
and Cooperative Extension Service has been archived.
Current information: http://www.ksre.ksu.edu.
Table 4.-Chlnch bug control on seedling sorghum with
indicated foliar applications. Manhattan, KS. 1978.
Avg. chinch
freatment
-arbaryl (Sevin)
~arbofuran (Furadan)
Endrin"
Untreated control
lbs.
AI/ Acre
Formulation
2.0
0.5
0.25
80WP
4F
1.6E
of rowl
11.1
15.1
28.0
96.2
a
a
a
b
1. Means with the same letter do not d iffer significantly
(0.05).
2. Not registered for use on sorghum.
bers. ' But their residual poison does not extend more
than 3 days, so chinch bugs migrating into a sorghum
field could make repeated applications necessary.
The :most important point in controlling chinch bugs
with foliar sprays is to use drop nozzles or other methods
to direct sprays to the base of plants where bugs congregate and to use as much water as possible, preferably
at least 16 to 20 gallons per acre.
Most Important In applying carbofuran at planting
time is application In the seed furrow, which is more
effective than the b and treatments because it does not
require a rain for treatment to control ch inch bugs.
Agricultural Experiment Station
Kansas State University
Manhattan 66506
KeepIng Up With Research 42
March 1979
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3-79-10M