Insuring Your
Insurance?
Enterprising salespeople in some areas of Illinois have encouraged corn growers to apply Pounce® (permethrin) preemergence to cornfields in which seeds treated with Poncho® (clothianidin) have been planted. The label for Poncho® indicates that cutworms will be controlled by this insecticidal seed treatment. Apparently, there are those who question whether Poncho® will work. It is seriously doubtful that Gustafson salespeople are recommending the use of Pounce® (or other preventive insecticides for cutworm control) in fields in which Poncho®-treated seed has been planted. Such a recommendation from Gustafson representatives would suggest they have little faith in their own product. Representatives from other companies thus must be making the recommendation.
It is a fact that most cornfields in Illinois are not attacked by black cutworms during any given year, especially when planting occurs early. Consequently, the use of an insecticidal seed treatment, such as Poncho, is not necessary for control of cutworms in most fields. Nonetheless, some corn growers like the peace of mind they obtain from "insect insurance" in the form of insecticidal seed treatments or soil insecticides. But now, some people are recommending that the insurance of an insecticidal seed treatment should also be insured. How much money are growers willing to shell out for these irresponsible recommendations? If growers are operating on such tight margins, why would an unnecessary expenditure be so easy to accept? Such recommendations fly in the face of IPM principles. On the surface, an insecticidal seed treatment plus another preventive insecticide seems like an imprudent waste of money. (Univ. of Illinois The Bulletin, 5/14/04).
