Warning! Unfortunately your browser has disabled scripting. Please enable it in order to display this page.
 

Insects Affecting Wheat Production | Chem Service | Greyhound Chromatography

Common Insects Affecting Wheat Production

Sunset on Wheat fields

Wheat is a massively important crop in the United States. More than 46 million acres of wheat were harvested in the 2014-2015 market year, for just over 2 billion bushels at about $6 each, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Wheat isn't just important domestically, but the crops is widely sold in overseas markets. This underscores the importance of creating a successful pest management system to help keep wheat production high and the agricultural economy strong.

There are a number of pests that can serious damage these high yields of wheat and have led to massive crop failures in the past. Modern commercial farmers however, have access to a wide array of pesticides that can keep insects, fungi and other pests at bay.

Examine some of the most dangerous wheat pests in the U.S. and how they can be stopped from slowing production.

Aphids

These insects can literally suck the life out of a fruitful wheat harvest. Aphids can live in wheat, sucking the sap from the plant, North Carolina State University explained. The damage of taking this sap is two-fold. First, it directly damages the plant's livelihood by interfering with its ability to get sustenance. Secondly, aphids can also pass the barley yellow dwarf virus to the plant.

NCSU pointed out that aphids can affect a variety of cereals, but the English grain aphid and the bird cherry-oat aphids are the only ones with an impact on smaller grains like wheat. These pests can colonize wheat plants in the spring or travel from near by grain and infect wheat as late as the fall.

Seed treatments are typically the best defense against aphids and the diseases they could spread. A treatment with imidacloprid or thiamethoxam are often used to stop the colony from developing in the first place.

Armyworms

Armyworms are among the most common and damaging insects to wheat. While they don't infect the plant like aphids can, they do feed on a significant amount of wheat during their life times. According to Kansas State University, an average armyworm will eat about 43 linear inches of wheat leaves while in its larval stage. About 34 of these inches are eaten over the course of just three to five days, meaning these worms can cause some serious damage.

The scope of an armyworm's damage is largely dependent on the development of the plant at the time of infestation. Before the soft dough stage, wheat can be seriously impacted by armyworm, Kansas State explained. The maturity of the plant also should influence the type of insecticide used. Kansas State pointed to pesticides with active ingredients of beta-cyfluthrin, carbaryl, chlorantraniliprole, chlorpyrifos plus zeta-cypermethrin, spinosad and zeta-cypermethrin as among the most effective for armyworm treatment.

Cutworms and borers may act similarly to armyworms in wheat crops. 

Stink bugs

These pests' saliva is actually toxic to the plant itself. According to the USDA, if a stink bug creates only one puncture on a wheat stalk, it could kill the entire plant. Stink bugs are less interested in the stalk however, and favour eating the wheat kernels and head of the wheat. This can cause the crop to whither and die.

The USDA explained that the impact of stink bug populations can vary widely and is difficult to predict.

"Losses due to stink bugs are highly variable and depend on the density of the insects, weather conditions, and duration of the crop growing period. Losses are due primarily to reduced baking quality," the government body explained.

Pesticides such as fenpropathrin, dimethoate (1) , endosulfan and formetanate hydrochloride are among the most effective against stink bugs.

(1) Dimethoate is also known as O.O-Dimethyl-S-(N-methylcarbamoylmethyl)phosphorodithioate; Cygon®; Rogor®; Fostion MM®; Dimetate®; Roxion®; Perfekthion®;

Hessian fly

This Mid-West pest is a common enemy of wheat. NC State explained that the Hessian fly is becoming a greater wheat pest in the U.S. affecting a larger area, including North Carolina. Like many pests, the larvae do the most damage to wheat, eating the crop as they crow.

Hessian flies can cause poorly filled heads, suboptimal kernels and weak stems among other damage, NC State explained. The flies build their life cycles around the wheat with different generations affecting the crop. The key for farmers is to adopt a holistic approach that avoid the low yields and poor plants that Hessian flies can cause with cover crops, schedules planting around the fly-free date and the use of long-residual foliar pyrethroid insecticides, according to NC State.

Grasshoppers

Grasshoppers are unique among potential pests in that not all will cause harm to a crop, Kansas State reminded. It takes a larger number of certain breeds to impact wheat, but when that occurs it can be damaging. Farmers should keep an eye out for grasshoppers before ever planting the crop.

If a grasshopper issue does arise, alpha-cypermethrin (2), carbaryl, (3) chlorpyrifos, dimethoate (1), malathion  (5) and microencapsulated Methyl Parathion  (6) are a few of the pesticides that Kansas State recommended for treatment. Some may already be in use for other pests anyway.

(1) Dimethoate is also know as O.O-Dimethyl-S-(N-methylcarbamoylmethyl)phosphorodithioate; Cygon®; Rogor®; Fostion MM®; Dimetate®; Roxion®; Perfekthion®;

(2) Alpha-cypermethrin is also known under the trade names : Fastac®; Bestox®; Alphamethrin®; Fendona®; Renegade®; Dominex®;

(3) Carbaryl is also known as 1-Naphthyl-N-methylcarbamate; Sevin®; Arylam®;

(4) Chlorpyrifos is also known as O.O-Diethyl-O-[3.5.6-trichloro-2-pyridyl]-phosphorothioate; Dursban®; Trichlorpyrphos; Pyrinex®;

(5) Malathion is also known as S-[1.2-Dicarbethoxyethyl]-O.Odimethyl-dithiophosphate; Cythion®; Phosphothion®; Malathon®; Malathiozol®; Malathiozoo®; Malaspray®; Chemathion®;

(6) Methyl Parathion is also known as O.O-Dimethyl-O-p-nitrophenylphosphorothioate; Dimethyl parathion; Nitrox 80®; Dalf®; Folidol-M®; Metacide®; MPT®; Paridol®; Metron®; Nitran; Parton®;

CONTACT US   

Tel:        +44 (0) 151 649 4000   

Web:     www.greyhoundchrom.com   

Email:   marketing@greyhoundchrom.com   

FOLLOW US   

Facebook Icon Twitter Icon Instagram Icon LinkedIn Icon    

YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN OUR NEWSLETTER   

SIGN UP HERE   

Greyhound Monthly Newsletter   

CATALOGUE DOWNLOADS   

Greyhound Q-Fil catalogue  Greyhound reference standards guide   Trajan GC Supplies catalogue 

 Greyhound Chromatography Q-Range Vials Catalogue Image     Chem Service Catalogue Image  Chem Service Pesticides Catalogue Image

Wellington Laboratories Catalogue Image            PFAS EBook  PFAS Environmental EBook

                Wellington Perfluoroalkyl Compounds

Dandy Vice Brochure  Chem Service Catalogue  

 

About the Author

Susan MAssie, Marketing Director Greyhound Chromatography Image

Susan Massie, Sales & Marketing Director, Greyhound Chromatography and Allied Chemicals Email: sue@greyhoundchrom.com

Susan Massie is the Sales & Marketing Director for Greyhound Chromatography and Allied Chemicals, affectionately known as 'Greyhound' in our scientific community. Greyhound was founded by Susan's husband Paul Massie more than 40 years ago, Susan hasn't been in the business for all of that time but has been involved with Greyhound for over 17 years. Greyhound continues to grow, expanding into new markets and taking on the challenges of our ever changing environment. It's heartwarming to witness the world waking up to the fact that we are damaging our planet on a daily basis. Every action we take has a direct effect on our planet and the world we leave behind for future generations. Susan is passionate about climate change and is happy to work in an industry that can have a direct effect on reducing the impact of our actions on the environment. All of the team at Greyhound take our responsibilities very seriously, the products that we supply are used by the world's leading scientists and chemists as they endeavour to monitor and repair the environment. All is not lost, if we all take responsibility for our actions, from reducing our waste and reusing or recycling our material collateral we can make a difference. The internet is full of useful advice and guidance, Susan is proud to contribute to that wealth of knowledge whenever she can.

Greyhound prides itself on personal service which provides prompt, efficient, cost-effective, safe delivery of all products. Greyhound provides technical advice and distribution of Certified Reference Standards and Materials, Laboratory Consumables, Solvents and Reagents across all scientific disciplines. Greyhound Chromatography offers over 1 Million products from its UK warehouse. The team at Greyhound are proud to support the work of the world's leading scientists and chemists as they challenge the abuse of our planet and try to make a difference to the world we leave behind for our ancestors.

You can view Susan's Linked In Profile here https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-massie-79ab4121/