Flea Beetle Control in Swedes

[Fairview]

Hi all,

First post on the forum and some advice required from the seasoned swede growers please!

I planted 7 acres of Invitation swede on 7th June (first time growing it). It germinated well and has come up with about half or more showing two true leaves now. Noticed on Sunday evening some small holes in leaves and took it to be flea beetle. Rang our rep on Monday morning and he advised the spray Stealth from Syngenta. This was applied on Monday evening but this morning I found small yellow jumping insects, which I take to be young flea beetle, feeding on the leaves.

Has the wrong spray been used? And what affect will the flea beetle have on the crop if left untreated.

Thanks,

Mark

 

[Kevtherev]

The insects have to ingest the spray to take effect [emoji106]

 

[Kevtherev]

@neilo is the swede officionado

 

[Fairview]

Thanks for reply. Was just a bit unsure of how quickly I should see a reduction in beetles/leaf damage having not grown anything like this before.

 

[Devil's advocate]

Hallmark has always worked well for me. But cruiser seed dressing mean I rarely have to treat for flea beetles. Hallmark kills them dead, feeding stops within seconds of application.

 

[Badshot]

If it's anything like treating flea beetle on osr, it's not particularly effective.
The seed dressing was miles better.

 

[neilo]

@neilo is the swede officionado

Hardly, I hate the smell of the bloody things. Always remind me of school dinners.

As far as flea beetle are concerned, it seems to be just down to luck as to whether you get hit or not, regardless of seed treatment IME. If you see them in numbers, spray with insecticide asap, but it will only kill what's there with next to no residual activity. If ideal conditions persist, you will need to repeat sprays. Unfortunately the sprays that kill flea beetle, also kill most of the beneficial insects that would naturally prey on them.

Last time we had them bad, we sprayed 3x (treated seed too) and they still hammered the crop hard. Planting later seems to help, but reduces yield potential too.
I noticed some FB on one field 3 days ago, but they seem to have disappeared by the next day, so watching carefully now.

 

[Fairview]

Thanks everyone for info.

I think the seed was treated with cruiser or at least I hope so given the price!! Will check bag in morning to see.

Would the fact that this is the only brassica crop in our townland or any other nearby mean it is more likely to attract the flea beetles?

 

[ploughman1963]

My agronomist did some reserach and came up with some info that the only spray that was effective ginst flea beetle was 'Lambda' and that was only 50% effective. I sprayed some red-start kale a couple of weeks ago and the effects were seen within an hour

 

[Danvd]

Sorry to hijack the thread. But I have planted some kale mix game cover. The beetles are jumping all over it and haven't got round to spraying because of hay. Now there are more like stalks on the plants! The plants are still there but badly damaged. I'm going to spray today, my question being will the plants grow back.?

 

[neilo]

Sorry to hijack the thread. But I have planted some kale mix game cover. The beetles are jumping all over it and haven't got round to spraying because of hay. Now there are more like stalks on the plants! The plants are still there but badly damaged. I'm going to spray today, my question being will the plants grow back.?

If it's just stalks, probably not.

Flea beetle damage is done very quickly, due to the huge numbers about (presumably they breed very quickly?) so you need to be on it quickly, as in within a day or so.
I had a discussion with Glastir about it, before opting for 'unsprayed roots'. I asked if you were allowed to spray it if the crop was getting mullered by flea beetle, as that would remove the habitat we are trying to create. They said you could get an agronomist to look at it, take some photos and make a rec, send the photos to the Glastir managers and they would make a decision as to whether they would grant a derogation. The crop would be gone by then!

 

[Fairview]

Here's what it says on the bag regarding seed treatments:

 

[Archie]

If it's anything like treating flea beetle on osr, it's not particularly effective.
The seed dressing was miles better.

Always used to have to spray swedes for flea beetle here before you got dressed seed. Often needed two sprays.
Never had to do it at all in the last 10-12 years since switching to dressed seed.
Really hope they don't extend the neonics ban to non flowering crops but looking like they will.
If they do I think I will just give up with them. Bad enough not having anything decent to control weeds anymore never mind hassle of having to spray a couple of times for fla beetle to avoid ending up with half a crop.

 

[Fairview]

It is wet and a lot colder here today after a spell of very dry warm weather. Couldn't find any beetles on the crop this morning, but it was only a quick look. Would they be less active with the change in weather now?

Here are a couple of pictures of the crop this morning:

 

[redcoo235]

Would not worry to much about flea by the looks of how far on your neeps are, well into the rough blade. Very good spacing if they all come. Next it will be the flying rats to worry about! Wish my neeps looked as good as that this year

 

[Danvd]

Well I phoned my seed people and they said treatment only covers until the first point of germination. They also said it's been bad because of the prolonged dry spell. Anyhow I've sprayed my plot as had some left from previous years, will wait to see what happens!

 

[Fairview]

Would not worry to much about flea by the looks of how far on your neeps are, well into the rough blade. Very good spacing if they all come. Next it will be the flying rats to worry about! Wish my neeps looked as good as that this year

Thanks, possibly worrying about them too much as I'm just unsure of this crop and there isn't much room for error given cost of establishing them.

They were sown with contractors Cambridge roller fitted with 6 outlet air seeder. Two runs at half rate. Wanted to use precision drill but no one in this area has discs/belts for anything other than maize really.

 

[neilo]

Would not worry to much about flea by the looks of how far on your neeps are, well into the rough blade. Very good spacing if they all come. Next it will be the flying rats to worry about! Wish my neeps looked as good as that this year

+1 They look well on and, with a bit of rain, will be outgrowing danger pretty soon.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

I lost 20 acres one year to borron. melted in front off my eyes . I sprayed it but left it to late

 

[Kevtherev]

As soon as it's drilled it's attacked by bloody slugs flea beetle and birds [emoji849]