Integrated Pest Management November 2000 Antimicrobial Wash - The EPA is generating considerable interest with an upcoming decision regarding and antimicrobial wash. Proctor & Gamble hopes to market 'Fit Fruit and Vegetable Rinse'. The company claims that the product will kill germs as well as removing pesticides, wax, dirt, etc. The EPA gained jurisdiction when the company claimed the product would control pests, i.e., bacteria. The claims of pesticide, wax, and dirt removal are not covered under EPA mandates. Antibacterial products of this nature are a new area for the agency. (Pesticide & Environmental News, 9-7-00) If this product is approved, look for similar items to follow. Society has become so concerned about bacteria that some scientists are concerned that we may be compromising development of the human immune system. Christmas Trees - Final spraying for Christmas trees should be done to control any last minute insects before they are sent to the market, especially for aphids this season. They occur late in the fall and survive cool temperatures. Thorough coverage through the canopy is necessary for control using Orthene, diazinon or malathion. Exposure Risks - According to a report in Epidemiology (vol. 11, no. 5, 2000), women who have lived on farms face a decreased risk of breast cancer compared with their counterparts who have never lived on a farm. The study questioned breast cancer patients and a similar group of women who never had breast cancer. The scientists also report that the decreased cancer risk also applied to women who may have been exposed to DDT. However, there was a slightly increased risk for women who did not wear protective clothing when applying pesticides or who had reported being exposed to pesticides during or following a field application. There was no increased risk for women who wore protective clothing when they applied pesticide. Firewood - Check firewood for cockroaches, beetles, spiders, etc. before bringing into the house. As precautionary measures, hit two pieces of wood together to "jar" insects off. Don't spray firewood with insecticides because poisonous fumes may be given off when wood is burned that may be dangerous to humans and pets when inhaled. For the most part, pests living in firewood pose no threat to people, furniture, or to structures. However, most people are opposed to their presence. Genetics - To help fight eye disease linked to vitamin A deficiency, the inventors of 'Golden Rice' (genetically altered to produce vitamin A) have reached an agreement that will enable delivery of this technology free of charge to developing countries. An estimated 400 million people depend on rice for sustenance. Because rice has little vitamin A, these people are at risk of a variety of eye problems. According to FAO, the deficiency results in irreversible blindness for 500,000 children per year. (www.whybiotech.com) As we debate about the risks and benefits of GMO, remember that the risks and benefits of this new technology affect real people. We can agree to disagree about some of the risks and debate them forever. However, it is not fair to allow the controversy to slow the release of a product that can be a tremendous benefit to millions. Livestock - Cattle lice are cool weather insects and prefer to feed on cattle in late winter and early spring. They can be hard on cattle this time of year when cattle are stressed from winter weather. At this time of year sprays, dusts or pour-ons would be preferred. Sprays are more effective than dusts and should be used in the absence of cold weather. Suggest you not use systemics this time of year that may kill cattle grubs. Heavy mortality of high numbers of large grubs may result in death of some cattle. Applications of Ciodrin, Cio-Vap, Co-Ral, Lysoff, Ectrin, malathion, Atroban, Ectiban, Permectrin, Rabon or Ra-Vap may be used for lice control. Read labels carefully. When purchasing new cattle, isolate and treat them if lice are present. Generally, two treatments are necessary. Apply the second treatment about two to three weeks after the first treatment to kill those lice that were in the egg or "nit" stage at the time of the initial treatment. Sarcoptic mange mites on hogs are more of a problem during the winter months. Infestations generally begin on the head area, primarily inside the ears, causing irritation. If not controlled, significant weight loss may occur. A total of 2 or 3 insecticide applications 7 to 14 days apart may be necessary for control. Sprays containing amitraz (Taktic), fenvalerate (Ectrin, Purina, etc.), lindane (Valent, Universal, etc.), permethrin (Atroban, Purina, etc.), or phosmet (Lintox HD), may be used for control. Ivermectin (Ivomec), an injection, and several dips and pour-ons are available. Read labels carefully. Lyme Disease - People have an increasing concern about lyme disease, which is transmitted by deer ticks. With the oncoming and occurrence of various hunting seasons, there is reason for concern, which has resulted in a corresponding increase in the use of insect repellents. Commonly used repellents contain the chemical, N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide, also known as DEET. Deet has been used for a number of years by millions of people. Before going hunting, be sure to wear protective clothing and tuck pants' legs into boots and use an approved repellent to keep ticks off. READ LABELS. New Website on Pesticide Safety Programs - The EPA has created a new website that provides information on pesticide safety programs. The address is: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/safety. The website, which can be accessed in English and Spanish, provides specific information on applicator certification and training requirements and EPA'sWorker Protection Standard, including pesticide safety training, notification of pesticide applications, use of personal protective equipment and emergency medical assistance. The site also provides information on the Pesticides and National Strategies for Health Care Providers, and EPA-led initiative aimed at helping health care providers become trained in diagnosing and preventing pesticide related illnesses. OPMP, USDA, 8-99. Ornamentals - Twig girdlers are adult beetles that chew a complete notch around small twigs, cutting off nutrient flow and killing the twig. Girdling is done below the egglaying site. Cutting off the sap flow allows the larvae to develop in the twig tip end. Control these pests by removing and destroying fallen twigs. Insecticides have no effect on the larvae within the twig and little effect on mobile adults. Hosts of twig girdlers include elm, oak, linden hackberry, apple, hickory, pecan, persimmon, poplar, basswood, honey locust, dogwood, and some flowering fruit trees. Pesticides - In Louisiana, improper handling of waste pesticide killed a woman and injured her son. During a demolition project, two cylinders of methyl bromide marked 'Poison' were discovered. An employee of the demolition company thought the cylinders contained propane or butane, and he took them to a cousin's home for storage. Unfortunately, the valve leaked on one of the containers. (EPA Pesticide Update, via Chemically Speaking, 8-00) Old pesticides are commonly discovered in old farm buildings or 'inherited' with the purchase of rural land. Never assume that an old material is no longer dangerous. Contact your local county extension office for advice about proper disposal. Poultry - Northern fowl mites may be serious pests infesting our poultry during winter months. It spends its life sucking blood and irritating birds around the vent area. Applications of dusts or sprays containing Co-Ral, Rabon or Sevin may be made directly to birds. Co-Ral or Rabon may be used for litter treatment. Read labels carefully. Soybeans -The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, has been detected and confirmed in Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. There are still many questions and soybean production season is nearing an end in much of the northern states. This could be an excellent opportunity for the North Central USDA pest Management Center to engage in, what could become a national issue. Here are some information sources that have come from Chris DiFonzo, from Michigan State University; David Prokrym, with APHIS Biological Control Laboratory in Niles, MI and Mike Gray, IPM Coordinator at University of Illinois. Here are some of the references our colleagues have shared. If you want a quick primer on the soybean aphid, the following correspondence and references may be helpful as a beginning. Your contact at CSREES will be Dr. H. J. "Rick" Meyer. Rick is also the CSREES liaison to the Southern Regional Multi-State Committee S-281 entitled, "Dynamic Soybean Insect Pest Management for Emerging Agricultural Technologies and Variable Environments" which is another group that is poised to bring science to this issue. Some contacts from this committee that would be good resource contacts are: David Boethel dboethel@agctr.lsu.edu Louisiana State University; Rich Edwards rich_edwards@mailhost,entm.purdue.edu and Larry Bledsoe lbledsoe@entm.purdue.edu; Ron Hammond hammond.5@osu.edu Ohio State University; Charlie Helm c-hem@uiuc.edu; and Larry Pedigo lpedigo@iastate.edu>. Vegetables - Cold weather has killed many of our vegetable gardens. However, many insects are still present and will overwinter to cause problems next spring. To prevent this, destroy any crop residues in your garden that may provide protection and food for pests. This can be done by shredding, composting or burying the debris. Destruction of crop residues early in the fall will make the ground less attractive for infestations next year. This rule could apply to all row crops. J. Pat Harris Extension Entomologist Mississippi State University