Applying insecticide through drip irrigation in sweetpotato for control of wireworms (Coleoptera: Elateridae) and other soil pests

Sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas, is one of the most economically important crops in North Carolina; and wireworm damage to roots is an ongoing problem. Wireworms are the subterranean larval stage of click beetles (Coleoptera: Elateridae), and they are pests of many crops worldwide. Many of the most efficacious insecticides used to target wireworms have already lost or are at risk of losing registration in the US. There is a need to evaluate new wireworm management strategies including novel insecticide chemistries and innovative delivery methods.

Applying insecticide through drip irrigation is an effective management tactic in many vegetable systems. Drip chemigation can minimize input costs associated with pesticide application, as well as improve product placement, provide precise timing of application, and reduce environmental impacts of pesticide use. There is currently increasing interest in producing sweetpotato on drip irrigation the Southeast, US.  This study evaluates the effectiveness of insecticides applied through drip irrigation for the control of wireworms and other insect pests in sweetpotato in the Southeast, US.