XVI. Peanut Insects - Summary of Losses from Insect Damage and Costs of Control in Georgia 1995

XVI. Peanut Insects

S. L. Brown, D. C. Jones, and J. W. Todd

In 1995, peanut yields averaged 2390 lbs/A on 592,000 harvested acres. Total production was 1.41 billion pounds, down from 1.86 billion pounds in 1994. Prices received by farmers averaged $0.295 per pound, up from $0.286 per pound in 1994.*

Most of the Georgia peanut production area experienced hot dry conditions in 1995. Lesser cornstalk borers were a problem in some areas but not as much as might have been expected with weather conditions favorable for an outbreak. Foliage feeding caterpillars were of little significance. Threecornered alfalfa hopper damage was very evident in most peanut fields. Yield losses due to threecornered alfalfa hoppers was evident but difficult to quantify. Thrips damage to seedling peanuts was heavy but yield losses were avoided where treatments were applied. Thrips-vectored tomato spotted wilt virus was more severe than in any year since it was first observed in 1986. Losses to this disease (which are not included in this report) were estimated to be 8 percent of the total Georgia peanut production making it the most damaging peanut disease in 1995.


	*Georgia Farm Report. 1996. Volume 96, Number 2.


	Estimates of Losses and Control Costs


	Rank

		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8


		Insect

	Lesser cornstalk borer Thrips Wireworm Threecornered alfalfa hoppers Spider mites Southern corn rootworm Leafhoppers Corn earworm *Total*


	Cost of Control

	$2,618,000 4,284,000 1,309,000 71,000 417,000 785,000 143,000 250,000 *$9,877,000*


	Damage

$8,116,000 1,014,000 3,652,000 3,490,000 2,019,000 1,299,000 1,177,000 0 *$20,777,000*


	Total

$10,734,000 5,298,000 4,961,000 3,561,000 2,445,000 2,084,000 1,320,000 250,000 *30,654,000*


	Information Pertaining to Control of Major Peanut Insect Pests in Georgia in 1995


	Insect


	No. Acres Needing Control


	No. Units Treated


	No. of Unit Applic.


	Avg. Cost Per Unit Treated¹


	Yield Loss on Units Treated²


	Yield Loss on Units Untreated²


	169,000 476,000 89,000 179,000 60,000 48,000 60,000 12,000		1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0	$22.00 8.00 22.00 6.00 14.00 22.00 6.00 6.00
Lesser cornstalk borer Thrips Wireworm 3-cornered alfalfa hoppers Spider mites Southern corn rootworm Leafhoppers Corn earworm		119,000 536,000 60,000 12,000 30,000 36,000 24,000 42,000			6,545,000 0 1,309,000 262,000 1,309,000 1,571,000 262,000 0
						19,365,000 3,273,000 10,472,000 10,996,000 5,236,000 2,618,000 3,534,000 0

¹ Includes application costs.
² Yield units measured in pounds.

NOTE: Thrips losses reflect an interaction of thrips injury with paraquat injury to peanuts, which may result in delayed maturity and/or yield reduction. Losses due to Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV) are not included.


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