The illusive annual bluegrass weevil (ABW) is an emerging pest in the US. Found throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and most recently the Mid-West. As properties prepare for the Spring rush of golfers, ABW are waking up from overwintering sites and walking toward the edges of closely mowed turf areas, in search of a mating partner. The adult ABW is NOT the culprit of turf damage, it is the 1st generation larvae responsible for the damage, due to boring and feeding on the crowns of the plant. In most cases ABW prefer Poa annua over bentgrass or fescue.
Turf managers have multiple tools at their disposal to track the ABW migration on their specific site including Syngenta’s Weevil Trax, GDD models, and phenological indicators such as forsythia or Catawba rhododendron plants. Quali-Pro encourages utilizing all the tools to monitor conditions to deploy product within the control window although there is a wide range of flexibility in timing with Quali-Pro Suprado.
What is Quali-Pro Suprado?
Quali-Pro Suprado, the 1st and only IRAC 15 product on the market; it has been the standard for the initial insecticide in agronomic programs for the past 3-years. The active ingredient in Quali-Pro Suprado is novaluron, a chitin synthesis inhibitor as well as an active showing adult fecundity affects. Meaning an application of Quali-Pro Suprado causes the adults to become sterile and the disrupts the life cycle of the ABW, because the insect requires chitin with each advancing stage of life. From egg to larvae to adult chitin is required. As the targeted insect comes in contact or ingests novaluron, the active ingredient goes to work and disrupts the life cycle.
QP Suprado has proven efficacy for 30+ days on ABW and is extremely flexible with the application timing on ABW by the mode of action. Most ideal timing on the initial application targeting ABW 1st generation adults is using the forsythia indicator as the transition from yellow back to green at the use rate of 1 gallon of Quali-Pro Suprado per acre. Novaluron is effective on all the stages of life of an ABW from adult to egg to larvae. Quali-Pro suggests the rotation of the following products for season long control of annual bluegrass weevil.
For additional information of Quali-Pro Suprado including testing on southern turf pests or other innovative chemical products check out our website at www.controlsolutionsinc.com and select the Golf and Turf tab.
