New Zealand marketing manager Nick Koch says the company decided to run a trap as a way of helping end users and industry personnel get the best out of the novel aphicide Transform.
 

Data is collected and collated weekly, emailed to those who register to receive it and also posted online at www.dowagro. com/nz/prod/aphidtrapdata.htm.
 

As well as detailing the number of aphids caught each week, the company graphs results to show aphid population trends against a range of historical temperatures, including average weekly temperatures for the current year; a five year average of the

same between 2010 and 2014, and average weekly temperatures for 2014.
 

Nick Koch says trapping aphids has been a challenge with the persistent strong winds.
 

While aphids caught in a suction trap are an indication of flights, and do not replace the need for growers to directly search and monitor their own crops, the weekly reports help build a picture of potential pest pressure.
 

“We’ve been really pleased with the response. Aphids can be a tricky pest to deal with and both growers and their agronomists and advisors have made the most of the chance to incorporate another monitoring tool into their decision making. They tell us the more information they have about pest populations, the better they can manage their crops.”
 

Transform combines superior aphid control and fast knockdown with an excellent IPM fit and extended control lasting up to 21 days. It is also applicator-friendly.
 

It features a novel active called Isoclast which took Dow AgroSciences 10 years and $270 million of R&D to create.
 

Unlike other common insecticide groups, it is selective to key beneficial insects which naturally help control aphids, like lacewings, lady birds, beetles, hoverflies, earwigs and spiders.
 

Since its launch cereal producers have rapidly adopted it as a high value tool in managing the risk of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV).
 

Isoclast belongs to a unique insecticide group known as the ‘sulfoximines’ (IRAC group 4C) which do not have cross resistance

to any other insecticide group.
 

That means growers are better able to break the aphid resistance cycle and achieve reliable disease control with fewer spray applications and without compromising IPM programmes, Koch says.
 

Transform is an ideal rotation partner for insecticides with alternate modes of action in resistance management programmes.
 

For more detail information contact your local Dow AgroSciences territory manager or phone 0800 803 939.