Pea growers are being warned to look out for Pea Midge attack, with reports of infestations being picked up in crops in the north east. Becky Ward of PGRO advocates control as soon as possible if any Midge are present - since yield loss can be up to 50% where infestations are high, she warns.
Crops should be inspected by pinching together flower buds and inspecting for adult Pea Midge inside the enclosed bud, she adds.
Syngenta Technical Manager, Ian Holmes, advises Pea Midge should be treated with Hallmark Zeon at a rate of 75 ml/ha within three to five days of first signs. "Typically a follow up treatment will be required seven to 10 days later, although that may be adjusted according to continued activity, crop flowering and weather conditions favourable to Midge activity.
"Application technique is also important to target midge in the flower in dense crops," he added. "Use sufficient water volume to ensure crop penetration, with the potential for angled nozzles to further enhance coverage of the flower buds through the canopy."
Mr Holmes adds that PGRO also report Pea Aphid numbers are building up in pea crops, with advice to treat vining peas at 15% of plants affected and combining peas at 20%. He adds that Hallmark Zeon will also control low infestations of Pea Aphid present in the crop when Pea Midge is treated. However, if Pea Aphid numbers are high, he recommends that Aphox should be included in the tank mix to give optimum levels of control.
