Journal article
Effects of imidacloprid seed treatments on crop yields and economic returns of cereal crops
Crop protection, Vol.119, pp.166-171
05/2019
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/103885
Abstract
In the Pacific Northwest United States, cereal crops (barley, oats, wheat) are the foundation of most dryland crop rotations. Nearly 100% of cereal producers use neonicotinoid seed treatments to manage wireworms, regardless of crop and pest density. However, wireworms cause variable damage to different crops, and whether neonicotinoids boost yield and economic returns across crops remains largely unknown. In a field experiment conducted on one commercial farm over two years, we examined effects of imidacloprid seed treatments on wireworm density, yield, and economic returns for barley, oat, and wheat crops. Wheat plots with imidacloprid seed treatments produced greater yields and economic returns over costs than untreated plots, even though wireworm densities were largely unaffected by treatments. However, no differences in yield and economic returns were observed between treatments in barley or oats. Wireworm densities were markedly lower in oats compared to barley and wheat, indicating not all crops provided a permissive environment for wireworms. Our results support the hypothesis that growers may benefit from moving away from applying seed treatments in all cereal crops, but rather targeting management to specific crops, although research at more commercial farm sites remains needed to test the generality of this conclusion. Our results also support the hypothesis that incorporating more tolerant cereal crops (barley and oats) into rotations to replace spring wheat may be a promising option for growers in areas with high wireworm pressure.
•Imidacloprid increased yields and economic returns of wheat crops.•No yield differences in the control or treated plots in barley and oats were observed.•Wireworm densities were not affected by imidacloprid treatments.•Wireworm densities were lower in oats compared to barley and wheat.•Neonicotinoid seed treatments should only be targeted to susceptible crops.
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Details
- Title
- Effects of imidacloprid seed treatments on crop yields and economic returns of cereal crops
- Creators
- Ivan Milosavljević - Department of Entomology, Washington State University, 166 FSHN Bldg, Pullman, WA, 99164, USAAaron D Esser - Washington State University Extension, 210 W Broadway, Ritzville, WA, 99169, USAKevin M Murphy - Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, 273 Johnson Hall, Pullman, WA, 99164, USADavid W Crowder - Department of Entomology, Washington State University, 166 FSHN Bldg, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
- Publication Details
- Crop protection, Vol.119, pp.166-171
- Academic Unit
- Crop and Soil Sciences, Department of; Entomology, Department of; WSU Extension ANR
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Identifiers
- 99900546740301842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article