Root Maggot Control Trial Cole Crops rutabaga (2009-2011) - 6 pages
Root maggots (Delia radicum) represent a major problem for growers of vegetable cole crops in
Saskatchewan. Maggot damage to the roots renders them less capable of delivering the water and nutrients required for optimal growth. In crops grown for their roots (rutabaga and radish), the scars left by the feeding maggots will render the roots unmarketable. Presently the standard approach to controlling maggots is to apply the insecticide chlorpyrifos (Lorsban) as a root drench on several occasions through the growing season. The timing of chlorpyrifos application(s) is targeted to correspond to the development of the maggot population. Application of chlorpyrifos must cease 30 days prior to harvest for rutabaga. Organophosphates like chlorpyrifos have been targeted for phase-out as soon as effective reduced-risk alternatives are identified.
The objectives of this project were to;
a) test new reduced-risk insecticides for potential use in root maggot management
b) look for alternatives to insecticides as a means to control root maggots
