How to kill Wireworm?

[DrWazzock]

They'll hole the seed but that won't matter. I reckon if you lift the crop in good time, like by mid September you won't get much damage, except near hedge bottoms so give those a wide margin.

I don't use any pesticides on potatoes other than blight spray which is essential and a touch of aphicide but I am planting into 4 year grass leys, not permanent pasture.

It ought to be ploughed as early as possible to expose the wireworms and generally make life difficult for them. And give it a good rotavating. Whether you need chemical control for wireworm, I would not know, but like some have said, I am not keen on side effects. However, it is soul destroying to see a crop wasted by wireworm damage.

 

[Farmer Dod]

Risk of wireworm is probably high but best to test. We grow after cereals so not really an issue for us. To the best of my limited knowledge Mocap (if still permitted) will give the best rate of control but will not be 100% effective. There are other ways to mitigate the effects of wireworm- grow a less susceptible variety e.g Pentland Dell/ Maris Piper as opposed to for instance King Edward (susceptible)- they will still be affected but the % damaged will be less. There is also a general rule of thumb- the longer in the ground, the greater the effects of wireworm.

 

[SilliamWhale]

They'll hole the seed but that won't matter. I reckon if you lift the crop in good time, like by mid September you won't get much damage, except near hedge bottoms so give those a wide margin.

I don't use any pesticides on potatoes other than blight spray which is essential and a touch of aphicide but I am planting into 4 year grass leys, not permanent pasture.

It ought to be ploughed as early as possible to expose the wireworms and generally make life difficult for them. And give it a good rotavating. Whether you need chemical control for wireworm, I would not know, but like some have said, I am not keen on side effects. However, it is soul destroying to see a crop wasted by wireworm damage.

Mocap is a toxic chemical which needs decent ppe equipment to be used properly when applying. It also probably destroys some soil life, perhaps it as damaging as the ultimate soil destroyer - the plough - but its open to debate. That said I think the pesticide industry is well regulated and as well tested for as possible so I'm inclined to think its mocap is unlikely to damage human health via eating a potato, I can't prove it but I think its unlikely.