Silver top disease (Fusarium poae Pike) is a major source of economic loss in PNW Region kentucky blue grass fields. Damage appears as silver (blank) heads just after anthesis due to the disease occuring on the first node below the head. Loss can reach 50% of the seed yield. Our trials in 8 site locations over 4-years show the vector to be the grass mealy bug. No effective pesticides are registered at present, and growers want "soft insecticides". A variety of products including Bifenthrin, Zetacypermethrin, Cyfluthrin, Lambda-cyhalothrin, Thiomethoxam, and Imidacloprid alone and in combination have been screened for efficacy with consistant results showing 95% or better reduction in ST heads compared to the UTC. Research on timing of application has been based on foliar treatment at the time of dandelion bloom. Trials show that treatments 2-weeks later than bloom provide better reduction in ST head counts than the bloom treatments encouraged in the literature. Tabular data analyzed by ANOVA;LSD t Test are available.
Species 1: Graminaceae Poaceae Poa praetensis (Kentucky blue grass, Blue grass)
Species 2: Homoptera Pseudococcidae Heterocccous graminiculus (Grass mealybug)
Keywords: Silver top, Fusarium
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