small97 - Summary of Losses from Insect Damage and Costs of Control in Georgia 1995

Summary of Losses from Insect Damage and Costs of Control in Georgia - 1997

XIX. Small Grain Insects

R. D. Hudson and G. D. Buntin

Wheat was harvested for grain from 360,000 acers from 1997. Yields of wheat averaged 44 bushels per acre, down 4 bushels from 1996. Wheat prices decreased as a result of continued world grain production. Prices for wheat averages $3.20 per bushel, down from $4.38 in 1996.

Barley yellow dwarf, an aphid vectored virus, continues to increase in importance in some areas of Georgia. Populations were somewhat lower than 1996, but still of significant importance. As a result, aphids have become the primary insect pest problem associated with small grains. Hessian fly continues to be a problem in some fields planted to the older wheat varieties. Cereal leaf beetle continues to increase in importance in the northern part of Georgia.

Estimates of Losses and Control Costs
Rank	Insect	Cost of Control	Damage	Total
1	Aphids	$907,000	$1,014,000	$1,921,000
2	Hessian fly	297,000	1,064,000	1,361,000
3	Chinch bug	27,000	66,000	93,000
4	Armyworms	108,000	172,000	280,000
5	Stink bugs	108,000	177,000	285,000
	Total	$1,447,000	$2,493,000	$3,940,000

Information Pertaining to Control of Major Small Grain Insect Pests in Georgia in 1997
Insect	No. Units Needing Control	No. Units Treated	No. of Unit Applic.	Avg. Cost Per Units Treated¹	Yield Loss on Units Treated²	Yield Loss on Units Untreated²
Aphids	90,000	76,000	1.0	$12.00	158,000	150,000
Hessian fly	100,000	40,000	1.0	7.50	16,000	317,000
Chinch bug	14,000	4,000	1.0	7.50	2,000	19,000
Armyworms	36,000	14,000	1.0	7.50	10,000	44,000
Stink bugs	36,000	22,000	1.0	5.00	16,000	40,000

¹Excluding application costs.
²Yield units measured in bushels.
NOTE: These estimates were derived from 400,000 acres of wheat.


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