Agronomic Crops

WHEAT INSECT MANAGEMENT
Aphids
Insecticide
Amount of
Formulation per Acre
Pounds Active
Ingredient per Acre
Acres 1 Gallon or
1 Pound Dry Will Treat
seed treatments
clothianidin (CN) 0.75 – 1.79 oz./ Commercially treated seed.
Nipsit
100 lb. seed
Threshold and Comments
*Use extra caution when handling these insecticides.
imidacloprid (C) 3.4 – 4.5 oz./ Can be applied on farm or treated commercially.
Gaucho XT
100 lb. seed
thiamethoxam (CN)
Cruiser Maxx 5.0 – 10.0 oz./ Commercially treated seed.
Vibrance Cereals 100 lb. seed
Foliar treatments
dimethoate (OP)*
Dimethoate 4EC 8 – 12 oz. 0.25 – 0.38 16 – 10.67
methomyl (C)*
Lannate LV 2.4 0.75 – 1.5 pt. 0.225 – 0.45 10.6 – 5.3
beta-cyfluthrin (P)
Baythroid XL 1EC 1.8 – 2.4 oz. 0.014 – 0.019 71.11 – 53.33
gamma-cyhalothrin (P)
Declare 1.25 1.54 oz. 0.015 80
lambda-cyhalothrin (P)
Karate 2.08
Warrior II 1.28 – 1.92 oz. 0.02 – 0.03 100 – 66.7
zeta-cypermethrin (P)
Mustang Max 0.8EC 3.2 – 4.0 oz. 0.02 – 0.025 40 – 32
Several APHIDs feed on the leaves and grain heads of wheat. ese pests are significant because they can transmit diseases to
the plant such as barley yellow dwarf virus (BYD), in addition to the damage their feeding habits cause. Adult aphids are only
about one-eighth inch long, and adults may or may not have two pairs of nearly transparent wings.
e bird cherry-oat aphid is dark green and transmits BYD. is is usually the most common aphid in wheat.
e corn leaf aphid is bluish-green, and all of its legs, cornicles, and antennae are black.
e rice root aphid occurs on the roots of wheat and has been known to transmit BYD.
tHResHoLD: No thresholds have been established in Mississippi for corn leaf, oat-bird cherry, and rice root aphids. Treat when
heavy populations are causing leaves to dry up and die in several places in the field. You can use an insecticide seed treatment such
as Gaucho or Cruiser to reduce spread of BYD. Data suggest that early-planted wheat is most likely to benefit from seed treatments.
Foliar insecticide applications in the fall can also reduce the spread of BYD, but you must make them before aphid populations
are already established in the field. Also, note that in Mississippi many aphid flights can occur throughout the season, and
insecticides cannot always prevent BYD.
GReenBUG aphids are pale green and usually have a dark green stripe down the back of their wingless backs. e tips of the
legs and cornicles are black, and the antennae are mostly black. is aphid injects a toxin while feeding, which can cause leaves to
turn yellow or brick-red around the feeding site, causing the leaves to die.
tHResHoLD: When plants are 4 to 6 inches tall, treat when there are 50 aphids per linear foot. When plants are 6 to 10 inches,
treat when there are 200 aphids per linear foot. When plants are 18 to 20 inches, treat when there are 300 aphids per linear foot.
When plants are 30 inches or taller, treat when there are 800 aphids per linear foot.
Wheat 69