Crop Protection 21 (2002) 2531

Control of corn ea beetle and Stewarts wilt in sweet corn with

imidacloprid and thiamethoxam seed treatments
Thomas P. Kuhar
a,
*, Lydia J. Stivers-Young
b
, Michael P. Homann
a
, Alan G. Taylor
c
a
Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Insectary Building, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
b
New York Crop Research Facility, Batavia, NY 14020, USA
c
Department of Horticultural Sciences, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY 14456, USA
Received 18 December 2000; received in revised form 9 March 2001; accepted 5 April 2001
Abstract
Two eld-plot experiments were conducted in western and central New York to evaluate imidacloprid and thiamethoxam seed
treatments for control of corn ea beetle, Chaetocnema pulicaria Melsheimer, and Stewarts bacterial wilt in three varieties of sweet
corn. Seed treatments signicantly reduced ea beetle feeding injury to leaves in all varieties and reduced disease incidence 3783%
in the susceptible variety Sprint. Seed treatments did not control Stewarts wilt as eectively as genetic resistance. Disease incidence
in the resistant varieties Dynamo and Bonus was relatively low (p5%) with or without a seed treatment. Additional on-farm
evaluations conducted in western New York conrmed the results obtained from our eld plots with incidence of Stewarts wilt
E88% lower in imidacloprid-treated elds compared with non-treated elds. Laboratory germination tests indicated that seed
treatments with imidacloprid may have some phytotoxic eects, depending on sweet corn variety and vigor of the seed lot. A general
recommendation is that only high quality seed lots should be treated with imidacloprid and that carry-over seed should not be used.
r 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Erwinia stewartii; Pest management; Chaetocnema pulicaria
1. Introduction
Stewarts bacterial wilt is an important disease of
sweet corn in the central and eastern United States. In
1999, losses in sweet corn yield attributed to Stewarts
wilt exceeded $1 million in the state of New York alone
(Homann et al., 2000). The disease is caused by the
bacterial pathogen, Erwinia stewartii, (Smith) Dye, and
is vectored almost exclusively by the corn ea beetle,
Chaetocnema pulicaria Melsheimer (Coleoptera: Chry-
somelidae) (Pepper, 1967). The bacteria overwinter in
the gut of adult C. pulicaria (Poos, 1936). In the spring,
beetles infest early plantings of corn and transmit the
pathogen to the plant by feeding and defecating on
leaves (Dill, 1979). Secondary infection and spread of
the disease occurs as beetles feed on infected plants and
disperse throughout the eld.
Once a plant is infected, bacteria multiply in the
vascular tissue, restricting the ow of nutrients and
water (Pepper, 1967). Symptoms of infection include
light yellow to brown stripes or streaks with wavy or
irregular margins on the leaves and stalks. Stems
clogged with the multiplying bacteria show a typical
discoloration when cut in cross section. Seedlings that
survive early infections remain stunted, tassel prema-
turely, and frequently produce unmarketable ears.
Severe infections of Stewarts wilt may result in death
to the plant (Ivano, 1933; Suparyono and Pataky,
1986). Disease severity depends on growth stage of the
corn plant at the time of infection, resistance or
susceptibility of the hybrid, and the abundance of
inocula (Pataky et al., 1990). Climatic conditions after
inoculation can aect disease severity as well. Warm
temperatures encourage faster symptom development
and movement of the bacteria through the plant and
arid conditions impact plant growth and health, which
in turn, can aect severity.
*Corresponding author. Present address: Department of Entomol-
ogy, Eastern Shore Agricultural Research & Extension Center,
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 33446 Research
Drive, Painter, VA 23420, USA. Tel.: +1-757-414-0724; fax: +1-757-
414-0730.
E-mail address: tkuhar@vt.edu (T.P. Kuhar).
0261-2194/02/$ - see front matter r 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 2 6 1 - 2 1 9 4 ( 0 1 ) 0 0 0 5 6 - 4
Stewarts wilt resistance occurs in a number of sweet
corn hybrids (Ivano and Riker, 1936; Pataky et al.,
1988) and new varieties are continually being screened
and rated for Stewarts wilt resistance (Pataky et al.,
1998, 2000a). Planting resistant varieties is the best
means of disease control. However, resistant varieties
are not available for all planting and market windows
for processing and fresh market corn production
(Homann et al., 1995). Also, plant resistance is not
always eective if plants encounter severe ea beetle
infestations or if plants are infected too early (Supar-
yono and Pataky, 1989).
Another strategy for managing Stewarts wilt is to
control corn ea beetles before they can transmit
the pathogen to corn. Applications of the systematic
insecticide carbofuran at planting were shown to
provide adequate control of ea beetles and signi-
cantly reduced Stewarts wilt incidence on susceptible
varieties (Heichel et al., 1977; Ayers et al., 1979;
Homann et al., 1993). However, the granular
formulation of carbofuran is no larger registered
on corn in the USA and liquid formulations of
the insecticide have been identied for possible
regulatory action under the US Food Quality Protection
Act and the Environmental Protection Agencys pesti-
cide re-registration program (Anonymous, 1999). Foliar
applications of esfenvalerate, permethrin, or lambda-
cyhalothrin are also used to control corn ea beetles in
the USA, but are often not eective because beetles
colonize elds rapidly and re-colonize elds after
spraying, which makes timing of sprays dicult to
optimize (Munkvold et al., 1996).
Planting seed treated with a systemic insecticide
is a new option currently being researched for manag-
ing corn ea beetle populations and concomitant
Stewarts wilt incidence in sweet corn. Seed applica-
tion results in less chemical exposure to humans and
the environment. Imidacloprid (Gaucho
s
, Bayer AG,
Germany), a chloronicotinyl insecticide has shown
promise as a seed treatment for control of corn ea
beetle. Munkvold et al. (1996) showed that seed treated
with imidacloprid at 3 or 6 g a.i./kg of seed killed ea
beetles and reduced the number of feeding wounds
and Stewarts wilt symptoms in greenhouse studies.
Pataky et al. (2000b) recently published one of the
rst eld evaluations of imidacloprid seed treatments
on sweet corn. They showed that imidacloprid and
another neonicotinoid insecticide, thiamethoxam, re-
duced the incidence of Stewarts wilt by E5085%
relative to nontreated controls. The objectives of our
study were to evaluate further the ability of seed-
treatment insecticides to control corn ea beetle
feeding injury and concomitant Stewarts wilt disease
in processing sweet corn in New York, and to assess
any potential phytotoxicity associated with the seed
treatment application.
2. Materials and methods
Field plots were established at two locations in New
York in 2000, one at the H.C. Thompson Vegetable
Crops Research Farm near Freeville and the other at the
New York Crop Research Facility in Batavia. Compar-
isons of C. pulicaria population levels and Stewarts wilt
incidence were also made in ve non-treated and ve
imidacloprid-treated commercial elds of processing
sweet corn planted in western New York. In addition,
potential phytotoxicity of the seed treatments was
assessed in the laboratory by evaluating germination
rate and nal germination of treated and non-treated
seed.
2.1. Research trial at Batavia
The experimental design was a randomized complete
block with four replicates. Treatments included two
rates of imidacloprid (Gaucho
s
600FS [Gustafson
LLC, Dallas, TX]) at 1.25 and 2.5 g a.i./kg seed, one
rate of thiamethoxam (Adage
s
[Syngenta, Greensboro,
NC]) at 2.0 g a.i./kg seed, plus an untreated control for
each of three varieties of processing sweet corn: Sprint,
which is susceptible to Stewarts wilt, Dynamo, which
is moderately resistant, and Bonus, which is resistant.
All seed lots were pre-treated commercially with
chemical fungicides. Insecticide seed treatments were
applied with a laboratory-scale seed treater (Hege II,
Hege Equipment, Colwich, KS) in the fourth authors
laboratory in the Department of Horticultural Sciences,
NYSAES, Geneva, NY. The Hege II employs a
spinning-disc to atomize the plant protectants onto the
seeds, resulting in uniform application. A binder (CTS-
additive, Gustafson Inc., Dallas, TX) was included with
each treatment to improve adhesion.
Plots were planted on 31 May using a Precision
Garden Seeder Model 1001-B (Earth Way Products,
Inc.; Bristol, IN, USA). Individual plots were 2 rows by
7.62 m. All plots received an application of 15-15-15
general purpose fertilizer at 300 kg/ha just prior to
planting, plus a side dressing of urea (46% N) at
240 kg/ha, on 22 June. An application of s-metolachlor
(0.85 kg/ha)+atrazine (1.68 kg/ha) herbicide mixture
was made on 5 June (pre-emergence) for weed control.
At the 6- to 8-leaf stage (5 July) and mid-whorl stage
(13 July), corn plants with Stewarts wilt symptoms (leaf
streaking, stunting, and/or wilting) were counted, and
severity of symptoms rated on a standarized 0 to 9
scale based on Suparyono and Pataky (1989). According
to this scale, a rating of 0=no symptoms, 1=a single
leaf exhibiting disease symptoms restricted to the site
of inoculation, 2=little spread within a single leaf,
3=limited spread with water-soaking, chlorosis, and
necrosis of inoculated leaves, 4=abundant spread, 5=
limited systemic infection of entire plants (uninoculated
T.P. Kuhar et al. / Crop Protection 21 (2002) 2531 26
leaves exhibiting symptoms), 6=severe symptoms of 25
50% of the plant, 7=severe symptoms of 5075% of the
plant, 8=severe necrosis and wilting, and 9=plant
death. Yield was evaluated in August by picking
all harvestable ears per plot and weighing
them with husks in the eld. Secondary ears were
picked and weighed if their size was >75% of the
primary ear. The eect of seed treatment and variety on
incidence of Stewarts wilt, severity of disease symp-
toms, plant emergence, and yield were analyzed with
ANOVA. Treatments were compared using Tukeys
HSD at the 0.05 level of signicance. All proportion
data were normalized using an arcsine square-root
transformation before analysis (Ott, 1984); however
actual percentages are presented in the paper.
2.2. Research trial at Freeville
The experimental design was a randomized complete
block with four replicates. Treatments were the same as
in the previous experiment except that thiamethoxam
was not tested. Plots were plowed and fertilized with 15-
15-15 general purpose fertilizer at E300 kg/ha and were
seeded by hand on 1 June. Each plot consisted of 30
seeds planted in a row with 0.25-m between plants and
0.80-m between rows. Weeds were removed manually as
needed. The number of corn plants emerging per plot
was counted E3 weeks after emergence and the number
of leaves per plant with corn ea beetle feeding injury
assessed. Corn ea beetle feeding marks appear as
narrow pinstripes parallel to the leaf veins E1050-mm
in length. At the 6- to 8- leaf stage (12 July) and early-
tassel stage (27 July), plants with Stewarts wilt
symptoms (leaf streaking and/or wilting) were counted,
and severity of symptoms rated as described in the
previous experiment. Yield (mass of harvestable ears)
was evaluated on 6 September. The eect of seed
treatment and variety on ea beetle leaf feeding,
percentage incidence of Stewarts wilt, severity of disease
symptoms, plant emergence, and yield were analyzed
with ANOVA. Treatments were compared using
Tukeys HSD at the 0.05 level of signicance.
2.3. On-farm trials
Comparisons were made in ve non-treated and ve
imidacloprid-treated elds of processing sweet corn
planted in western New York. All elds were located
within a 5-mile radius of each other. All ve of the
imidacloprid-treated elds and three of the ve non-
treated elds were located on commercial farms and
planted according to standard procedures in early to
mid-May with the Stewarts wilt susceptible variety
Sprint. Because of the lack of commercial non-treated
elds, two elds were planted at the NYCRF station in
close proximity to the commercial elds. These two
elds were planted and maintained according to similar
protocols as in commercial production. One eld was
planted with Sprint and the other with Lumina, which
has a similar susceptibility to Stewarts wilt. Corn seed
was slurry treated with imidacloprid at a rate of 0 or
2.5 g a.i./kg seed according to the methods described
earlier. Population levels of C. pulicaria were sampled
from corn emergence to 10-leaf stage or later. Unbaited
yellow sticky cards, which consisted of 15.2-cm
2
poly-
styrene panels coated on both sides with Sticky Stu
adhesive (Olson Products, Inc., Medina, OH), were used
to sample beetles. Silicone-coated release paper was used
to protect the adhesive sides of the trap, which allowed
one side to be used at a time. Eight traps per eld were
fastened to garden stakes at a trap height of 0.10.3-m
above the ground (Adams and Los, 1986). Counts of
C. pulicaria adults on sticky cards were recorded weekly.
At the 8 to 10-leaf stage, 50 corn plants in each eld
were assessed for Stewarts wilt incidence. Treated and
non-treated elds were compared for corn ea beetle
population levels and Stewarts wilt incidence using
Students t-test at the 0.05 level of signicance.
2.4. Seed treatment germination test
A single lot of Sprint and Bonus were obtained
from Syngenta Seed, Inc. Vegetables (Boise, ID, USA),
while Dynamo was obtained from Harris-Moran
(Modesto, CA, USA). All seed lots were pre-treated
commercially with chemical fungicides. Imidacloprid
seed treatment was over-applied at 0 and 2.5 g a.i./kg
seed using the Hege seed treater as described earlier.
Seed samples were equilibrated at 50% relative humidity
in custom designed Plexiglas chambers equipped with
air circulation (Hacisalihoglu et al., 1999). The 50%
relative humidity was maintained with a solution of
glycerol and water resulting in a seed water activity of
0.5 (Taylor, 1997). Then samples were heat-sealed in
plastic-laminate envelopes and placed in an incubator at
a constant 451C for 7 days. Aged samples were removed
for seed quality tests. Non-aged and aged samples were
germinated in sand tests. Each experimental unit was
sown 1.5 cm deep in a builders sand in 10 10 8 cm
3
plastic containers maintained at 251C constant. The rst
count was determined 4 days after sowing, and the nal
germination was recorded after 7 days. In addition, the
New York State Seed Testing Laboratory, Geneva, NY,
performed cold tests only on the non-aged samples. The
cold test employed a eld soil, sand and peat mixture
placed over the seeds on roll towels. The towels were
maintained at 101C for the rst 7 days and then
transferred to 251C for an additional 7 days. Seedlings
were classied as normal or abnormal at the end of each
test (Association of Ocial Seed Analysts, 1992), and
only normal seedlings reported. The experimental design
was a completely randomized design with a 3 2
T.P. Kuhar et al. / Crop Protection 21 (2002) 2531 27
factorial (3 cultivars 2 seed treatments) with four
replications and 25 and 50 seeds per replication for sand
tests and cold tests, respectively. An arc-sin trans-
formation was performed on all data prior to the AOV.
Interactions were signicant, and all treatments were
compared using Tukeys HSD at the 0.05 level of
signicance.
3. Results
3.1. Research trial at Batavia
Climatic conditions were generally considered cool
and wet during the 2000 growing season in western New
York. Corn ea beetles were active in the eld plots
immediately following emergence of corn and averaged
0.2 beetles per plant during the month of June in an
adjacent sweet corn eld, which we were sampling for
another research project. Incidence of Stewarts wilt
ranged from 0% to 43% across all treatments and
increased from 68 leaf to 10-leaf stage (Table 1). The
latter may have been the result of two factors: more
plants being infected in the time duration between
sample dates, and disease symptoms increasing in plants
that were previously infected at the rst rating, but not
showing detectable symptoms. There was a signicant
variety by seed treatment interaction on percent
incidence of Stewarts wilt at 68 leaf stage (F=2.55;
df=6, 33; Pp0.039) and 10-leaf stage (F=2.82; df=6,
33; Pp0.025). The eect of seed treatment was analyzed
separately by variety. For the susceptible variety Sprint,
seed treatment had a signicant eect on disease
incidence at 68 leaf (F=9.64; df=3, 9; Pp0.036) and
10-leaf stage (F=11.23; df=3, 9; Pp0.021). The two
rates of imidacloprid and the single rate of thiamethox-
am provided similar levels of control and reduced
incidence of Stewarts wilt E6883% compared with
the non-treated seed. Seed treatment did not have a
signicant eect on Stewarts wilt incidence in the
Dynamo and Bonus varieties.
Severity of Stewarts wilt symptoms increased from
68 leaf to 10-leaf stage for all treatments (Table 1).
Peak disease severity diered by variety (F=11.63;
df=2, 33; P=0.0002) rather than by seed treatment
(F=0.76; df=3, 33; Pp0.522), and the interaction of
these factors was not signicant (F=1.10; df=6, 33;
P=0.381). Disease severity (09 scale) ranged from 4.3
to 5.0 in the treatments using Sprint, 0.7 to 3.1 in the
treatments using Dynamo, and 0.3 to 3.0 in the
treatments using Bonus. Yield as measured by the
mass of unhusked ears per ha diered by variety (F=
24.57; df=2, 33; P=0.0001) and seed treatment
(F=4.70; df=3, 33; P=0.0077), and the interaction of
these factors was not signicant (F=1.10; df=6, 33;
P=0.385). Yield was similar among the four treatments
using Bonus, ranging from 17.3 to 19.9 MT/ha, and was
signicantly higher than Dynamo non-treated (13.8
MT/ha) and all four treatments using Sprint (11.9 to
14.9 MT/ha) (Table 1).
3.2. Research trial at Freeville
Climatic conditions were generally considered to be
cool and wet during the growing season in central New
York in 2000. Corn ea beetles were active in the eld
Table 1
Eect of insecticide seed treatments on incidence and severity of Stewarts wilt, and yield of three sweet corn varieties in a eld experiment conducted
in Batavia, NY
a
Variety Treatment Rate seed) Stewarts wilt (5 July) Stewarts wilt (13 July) Yield of unhusked
(g ai/kg (68 leaf stage) (10-leaf stage) ears (MT/ha)
% incidence Severity
b
% incidence Severity
b
Sprint Non-treated F 27.174.1 4.970.6 43.077.0 5.070.4 11.970.3
Thiamethoxam 2.0 3.272.5 2.471.4 12.177.2 4.470.7 12.870.7
Imidacloprid 1.5 6.573.9 3.871.3 13.677.2 4.570.6 14.771.8
Imidacloprid 2.5 4.271.5 5.371.5 7.372.1 4.370.7 14.971.3
Dynamo Non-treated F 6.071.4 5.470.9 8.876.2 2.471.4 13.871.7
Thiamethoxam 2.0 2.571.4 3.672.1 6.272.5 3.171.4 17.270.8
Imidacloprid 1.5 1.170.6 1.571.0 1.170.6 1.571.2 17.370.8
Imidacloprid 2.5 1.471.4 0.470.4 2.972.9 0.770.7 17.771.2
Bonus Non-treated F 1.570.6 4.872.0 1.970.7 3.071.7 17.771.2
Thiamethoxam 2.0 0.770.7 0.370.3 0.970.9 0.370.3 19.570.5
Imidacloprid 1.5 0.070.0 0.070.0 1.370.9 1.671.0 17.370.9
Imidacloprid 2.5 1.871.3 2.171.7 2.370.8 2.370.9 19.971.3
a
Numbers represent mean7SE of four replicates.
b
Severity is based on a 0 to 9 scale described by Suparyono and Pataky (1989).
T.P. Kuhar et al. / Crop Protection 21 (2002) 2531 28
plots soon after emergence of corn, averaging
E0.3 beetles per plant during the month of June.
Seed treatment had a signicant eect on corn ea
beetle feeding injury (F=58.57; df=2, 24; Pp0.0001).
For all three varieties, the number of leaves per
plant with corn ea beetle feeding injury was lowest
in the imidacloprid high-rate plots, followed by
imidacloprid low rate, then the non-treated controls
(Table 2). The high rate of imidacloprid seed treatment
reduced the number of leaves per plant with feeding
injury by E50% compared with the non-treated
control.
Incidence of Stewarts wilt increased from 68 leaf to
early-tassel stage in all treatments (Table 2). Disease
incidence at 68 leaf stage was eected by variety
(F=17.71; df=2, 24; Pp0.0001) and seed treatment
(F=6.18; df=2, 24; Pp0.007) and at early-tassel stage
by variety only (F=41.89; df=2, 24; Pp0.0001). The
variety by seed treatment interaction was not signicant
at either sample period. In the Sprint variety, incidence
of Stewarts wilt was reduced 37% and 43% by the
imidacloprid low and high rates, respectively, compared
with the non-treated control (Table 2). Stewarts wilt
incidence was not dierent between the seed treatments
and the control in the Dynamo and Bonus varieties.
Severity of Stewarts wilt symptoms increased slightly
from 68 leaf to early-tassel stage for all treatments
(Table 2). Peak disease severity diered by variety
(F=19.20; df=2, 24; Pp0.0001) rather than by seed
treatment (F=0.46; df=2, 24; P=0.639), and the inter-
action of these factors was not signicant (F=0.93;
df=4, 24; P=0.464). Disease severity ranged from 4.4
to 5.4 in the treatments using Sprint, 2.2 to 4.4 in the
treatments using Dynamo, and 0.3 to 1.0 in the
treatments using Bonus.
Plant emergence rate in the eld was high (X95%) for
all treatments except Sprint non-treated and Sprint +
imidacloprid at low rate, which averaged a signicantly
lower 85% and 81%, respectively. Yield diered by
variety (F=23.33; df=2, 24; Pp0.0001) and seed treat-
ment (F=3.65; df=2, 24; Pp0.041), and the inter-
action of these factors was not signicant (F=1.28;
df=4, 24; P=0.304). Yield was similar among the six
treatments using Bonus and Dynamo, ranging from 17.1
to 19.8 MT/ha, and was signicantly higher than the
three treatments using Sprint (11.8 to 14.8 MT/ha; Table
2). Non-treated Sprint had a signicantly lower yield
than Sprint + imidacloprid at high rate.
3.3. On-farm trials
Weekly counts of C. pulicaria on sticky cards were
averaged for the sampling period from corn emergence
to 8-leaf stage. Numbers of C. pulicaria on sticky cards
averaged 6.8671.98 beetles/trap/week (mean7SE) in
the imidacloprid-treated elds, which was signicantly
lower (t=6.359, df=8, Pp0.05) than in the non-treated
elds, which averaged 29.1278.60 beetles/trap/week.
This may be the result of imidacloprid killing beetles and
thus, reducing their relative population densities in seed-
treated elds. Incidence of Stewarts wilt in the treated
elds (2.570.6%) also was signicantly lower than the
non-treated elds, which averaged 20.7679.86%
(t=5.82, df=8, Pp0.05).
3.4. Seed treatment germination test
The rst seedling emergence count of non-aged seeds
after 4 days ranged from 71% to 100% across all variety
treatment combinations (Table 3). Final germination of
non-aged seeds (after 7 days) ranged from 90% to
100%. Imidacloprid reduced 4 and 7-day germination in
Sprint, but did not aect either germination parameter
in Dynamo and Bonus. Aging decreased both 4-day and
Table 2
Eect of insecticide seed treatments on corn ea beetle feeding injury, incidence and severity of Stewarts wilt, and yield of three sweet corn varieties
in a eld experiment conducted near Freevile, NY
a
Variety Treatment Rate No. leaves per Stewarts wilt on 5 July Stewarts wilt on 13 July Yield of unhusked
(g ai/kg seed) plant with feeding
damage
(68 leaf stage) (10-leaf stage) ears (MT/ha)
% incidence Severity
b
% incidence Severity
b
Sprint Non-treated F 3.470.1 40.2712.3 3.470.7 43.0710.7 5.470.8 11.871.5
Imidacloprid 1.5 2.270.3 13.878.0 1.070.7 27.071.1 4.470.3 14.570.8
Imidacloprid 2.5 1.370.3 9.472.1 2.370.4 18.373.7 4.870.6 14.870.8
Dynamo Non-treated F 2.970.2 10.874.2 2.370.9 8.675.1 2.271.3 17.270.4
Imidacloprid 1.5 2.070.1 3.071.8 0.870.5 8.171.7 4.470.9 17.171.2
Imidacloprid 2.5 1.370.2 2.171.3 2.071.4 3.171.1 3.071.3 19.870.4
Bonus Non-treated F 2.870.1 1.37.13 0.370.3 1.371.3 0.370.3 19.071.3
Imidacloprid 1.5 2.270.2 0.070.0 0.070.0 0.970.9 1.071.0 17.771.1
Imidacloprid 2.5 1.870.3 0.070.0 0.070.0 1.871.0 0.570.3 19.670.8
a
Numbers represent mean7SE of four replicates.
b
Severity is based on a 0 to 9 scale described by Suparyono and Pataky (1989).
T.P. Kuhar et al. / Crop Protection 21 (2002) 2531 29
nal germination (Table 3). Imidacloprid reduced 4 and
7-day germination in Dynamo and only 4-day in Sprint.
Aging plus imidacloprid seed treatment further reduced
emergence for Sprint and Dynamo, but not Bonus.
Imidacloprid had little eect on cold test results within
each variety.
4. Discussion
Our results indicate that imidacloprid and thia-
methoxam seed treatments can signicantly reduce
the incidence of Stewarts wilt disease in susceptible
varieties of processing sweet corn in New York. Pataky
et al. (2000b) obtained similar results in Illinois. Plant
resistance remains the best means of controlling
Stewarts wilt. However, insecticide seed treatments
oer an eective method for managing the disease
during the early growth stages of corn, when plant
resistance can be variable (Suparyono and Pataky, 1989)
and foliar insecticide applications are often ineective or
inecient at controlling ea beetles (Munkvold et al.,
1996). Certain questions remain, including how well
seed treatments will control Stewarts wilt under warmer
and more arid climatic conditions, and whether growers
will get any benet out of additional foliar insecticide
applications.
The phytotoxic eects of insecticide seed treatments
should be evaluated further in sweet corn. Taylor et al.
(2001) showed that seed treatments may result in
decreased germination and increased abnormal seed-
lings. In our study, seedling emergence in the eld was
not dierent between the imidacloprid-treated and non-
treated plots within each variety. Munkvold et al. (1996)
reported no detectable eect of imidacloprid seed
treatment on plant growth or number of leaves per
plant. However, seed treatment phytotoxicity is more
apparent in laboratory germination tests using an inert
substrate than in the eld (Taylor et al., 2001).
Germination time is an early indicator of a decline in
seed vigor, and a decline in germination rate precedes a
decline in nal germination (Taylor, 1997). Results from
our laboratory sand tests revealed that both seed lot
quality and imidacloprid treatments were the factors
that inuence seed performance. The high vigor lots
were more tolerant to imidacloprid treatment or aging
than the low vigor lots. In general, imidacloprid slowed
the germination rate of seeds and the detrimental eect
was more pronounced as seeds aged. In contrast,
imidacloprid had little eect on cold test results within
each variety that was attributed to the soil media
adsorbing the seed treatment. Therefore, the seed testing
method can inuence seed quality assessment of treated
seeds. In summary, a general recommendation is that
only high quality seed lots should be treated with
imidacloprid and that carry-over should not be used.
The use of imidacloprid-treated seed will likely
increase in New York and other states in the USA if
full registration of this compound is approved for use on
sweet corn. In 2001, Gaucho
s
will again be available for
use on sweet corn in New York through a Section 18
label. The registrant expects US federal (Section 3)
registration before 2002 (Bayer AG, Germany, personal
communication). Thiamethoxam is anticipated for regis-
tration on sweet corn in the USA in 2001 (Syngenta,
Greensboro, NC, personal communication).
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Ann Cobb and Helene Dillard,
Department of Plant Pathology, NYSAES, Cornell
University, Geneva, NY, USA for technical assistance
with diagnosing Stewarts wilt disease and reviewing an
earlier draft of this manuscript, respectively. We also
thank Gib Scott and Laverne Lamkin of Agrilink
Foods, Marion, NY for assistance with the on-farm
sites. This research was supported in part by a grant
from the New York Vegetable Research Council and the
US Department of Agriculture, CSREES, Northeast
Region IPM Program (Grant no. 00-34103-9110). Any
opinions, ndings, conclusions, or recommendations
expressed in this publication are those of the authors
and do not necessarily reect the view of the US
Department of Agriculture.
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Table 3
Eect of imidacloprid seed treatment on germination of non-aged and
aged seeds of three sweet corn varieties evaluated in a laboratory sand
test
a
Variety Seed treatment % germination
Non-aged seeds Aged seeds
4-day Final
(7-day)
Cold
test
4-day Final
(7-day)
Sprint Non-treated 92abc 98ab 87ab 33c 85ab
Treated
b
71d 90c 80b 6d 77b
Dynamo Non-treated 86bcd 98abc 84b 60b 94a
Treated
b
82cd 94ab 80b 33c 78b
Bonus Non-treated 100a 100a 94a 93a 96a
Treated
b
96ab 97abc 95a 92a 94a
a
Numbers within columns followed by the same letter are not
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Imidacloprid (Gaucho
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