November 15, 2002
Vol. 1; Issue 4

Pesticide Update: Assail™ WP and Assail™ WSP (labels/MSDS) are NOT registered for use on vegetables in Arizona. Acetamiprid is only registered and sold as Intruder™ in Arizona cotton. Assail™ is currently registered in California, but not in AZ, for use in vegetable crops since it does have a tolerance on certain vegetable crops. Bayer CropScience divested Assail™/Intruder™ when it purchased Aventis. Assail™/Intruder™ will be marketed by another company in the near future.

Source: AZ Department of Ag and Bayer CropScience

Pest Update:

Foxglove aphid, Aulacorthum solani, was recently found colonizing on head lettuce in the Yuma Valley in low numbers. The field apparently had not been treated with Admire. Foxglove aphids were first found in Yuma area lettuce last season in January. The weather experienced during the past several weeks is conducive to their development. They closely resemble lettuce aphid in that they tend to feed in the crowns and hearts of lettuce. Unlike lettuce aphid they are polyphagous and can be found on a wide range of host plants (some legumes, cucumbers, citrus). Apterous foxglove aphids found in Yuma have ranged in color from light to dark green. Paler forms have a conspicuous dark green patch at the base of each cornicle (Figure 1). Alates are yellow-green to brown and usually have black bands on the abdomen. Both forms have prominent antennal tubercles with parallel inner faces, flanged cornicles which are dark at the tip, and dark leg and antennae joints. The winged form of foxglove aphid closely resembles the lettuce aphid in the field. For further information on the population dynamics and control of foxglove and lettuce aphids see the following Vegetable Report articles on ACIS:

Influence of Planting Date and Insecticidal Control on Seasonal Abundance of
Lettuce Aphids on Head Lettuce (2002), PDF file, 1285KB

Neonicotinoids and Azadirachtin in Lettuce: Comparison of Application
Methods for Control of Lettuce Aphids (2001), PDF file, 239KB

Photos: UC Cooperative Extension, Monterey County, Cindy Fake

Figure 1. Foxglove aphids are distinctively different from lettuce aphid,
green peach aphid and potato aphid on lettuce. The distinguishing characteristic
is the dark green patterns at the base of each cornicle on apterous forms (see red arrow).

AZMET Weather Data

Disclaimers--